Land Based Fishing Platforms: a guide to understanding current technologies and the processes required to developing fishing jetties
- Develop a land based platform guide to include: structural materials on the market, suitability of different platforms in different aquatic environments, different stakeholder user needs (e.g. wheelchair access), engineering standards/ requirements. The guide outlines and addresses the current barriers to installing land based platforms (in WA) and aims to identify and address the knowledge gaps of land based platform developments. The guide will include a start to finish process identifying major steps and considerations that are needed to deliver a fishing structure.
- Develop a catalogue and map of land based fishing priorities for Western Australia (marine and freshwater) so the the guide can be used by Recfishwest, Local and State Government to further invest in innovative, cost effective best practice jetty developments
- Develop a case study understanding the social value of Esperance Jetty via surveys of recreational fishers to develop a narrative for the role jetties play in the recreational fishing sector (Esperance Jetty has recently been rebuilt and has a historical fishing value and the new build includes fishing specific design features)
National Fish Habitat and Climate Response Partnership
In Australia, up to 90% of critical fish habitat for coastal fisheries, including seagrass, giant kelp, saltmarsh, and shellfish reefs, has been lost or significantly degraded. Many research studies have linked habitat with fisheries productivity, with habitat loss particularly impacting juvenile nurseries. Yet despite this information fish habitat restoration is not a recognised management tool in fisheries/harvest management strategies. Given this situation there is a strong need for a cohesive partnership across all fisheries sectors to support repairing productivity through fish habitat restoration and to create a forum where key sectors concerned for or dependent on aquatic habitat condition, can discuss problems and opportunities. This project will address a number of barriers limiting the restoration of fish habitat around Australia; accessibility of data relating fisheries production to habitat condition, limited penetration of this information into management and building a forum for the key fishing sectors to consider this information and develop responses.