PROJECT NUMBER
•
2023-072
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
14 results
Professionalising Industry - NSW Pilot
Project number:
2013-024
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$200,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Lowri Pryce
Organisation:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
Project start/end date:
9 Jun 2013
-
31 Jul 2014
Contact:
FRDC
This application is in response to the priorities identified in the NSW FRAB's recent stakeholder priorities workshop (developing the professional credentials of the NSW Fishermen).
This pilot will assist the NSW SFM Pilot (CRC Project MB079) and SSA EOI (AS015), by ground-truthing the industry on-ground components of the Responsible Fishing Scheme within the NSW context, but will be designed and implemented to keep the national context as a future capability.
In addition, the application is in response to, and addresses the need of, the FRDC R&DE Priorities areas as follows; Program 1: Environment (Theme 4 - Ecologically sustainable development),Program 3: communities (Theme 10 - Resilient and supportive communities) Program 4: People development (Theme 12 - Workforce development) (Theme 13 - Innovation skills) and Program 5: Extension and adoption.
The project will also embrace previous industry development research outputs not extended to stakeholders including the ASIC Code of Conduct for a Responsible Seafood Industry and the Sydney Fish Market Seafood Handling Guidelines, as well as lifting the profile of the existence, contents and benefits of industry adopted codes of practice amongst NSW fishers.
Extension of the project outcomes will also have the potential to provide a mechanism for expressing industry’s values (both individual and as collectives) to communities and other stakeholders, by highlighting the environmental credentials of participating fishermen .
1. Gain industry support for uptake of CoPs in NSW and industry training and accreditation
2. After feedback from industry, review and align current NSW Estuary fishery Code of Practice to FAO (international)and ASIC (national) codes -
3. Develop training materials for fishers focussing on fishing practices fishery regulations and environmental best practice aligned with the Seafood Training Package
4. Train NSW SeaNet Officer in Cert 4 Workplace Training and Assessment
5. Deliver training workshops to fishers as a pilot, assess and accredit against training package competencies
6. Acknowledge successful participants as "Master Fishermen"
7. Create interactive database of supporting information
8. extend results of the project to stakeholders and consumers
Final report
Seafood Industry Partnerships in Schools - Phase 2 Program
Project number:
2012-302
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$150,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Lowri Pryce
Organisation:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
Project start/end date:
16 Apr 2012
-
27 Feb 2014
Contact:
FRDC
Lack of knowledge by community has contributed to poor perception of industry and negative community attitudes. Teachers are ill-informed about industry’s efforts to operate in a sustainable manner; once informed-they incorporate better knowledge into their teaching program. The long-term benefits for industry with a better informed community are considerable.
The SIPS-Tasmanian-Pilot indicated teachers have difficulty accessing information about the marine environment, sustainable fishing/marine farm practices, and post-harvest sector. Developing/delivering this information within a metropolitan context is a key challenge of this program. Fishermen/Farmers and the post harvest sector are seeking avenues to engage with their local community to secure their social licence to operate - this program gives them a community a voice and a connection with the next generation. An informed community can actively engage in debate around issues affecting industry and the seafood supply - particularly at point-of-sale. Delivering this information to schoolchildren and teachers in a metropolitan context is key.
With the assistance and support of key groups such as the Sydney Fish Market, Master Fish Merchants of Australia, and NSW Fishermens’ Cooperative Association, and our in-house experience of working with the NSW Department of Education, and with various state-based teachers associations on our 'Our Valuable Estuaries' projects - OceanWatch Australia has the ability, determination and support of industry, to make this project succeed.
1. Facilitate new and existing educational partnerships between schools and industry operators.
2. Increase community understanding of the complexities of marine resource utilisation
3. Increase industry capacity to tell its sustainability story to the community
Final report
Author:
Lowri Pryce
Extension of OH&S and Quality Index project outputs to seafood industry across Australia
Project number:
2010-305
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$269,362.50
Principal Investigator:
Lowri Pryce
Organisation:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
Project start/end date:
31 Dec 2009
-
31 Dec 2010
Contact:
FRDC
The FRDC Board asked the FRDC Secretariat to develop an extension plan for the Sydney Fish Market Occupational Health and Safety Video and Quality Index. As a result of this request FRDC approached OceanWatch/SeaNet to develop a plan for the roll out and extension of these project outputs.
Additionally, FRDC has related completed research in the areas that could be incorporated into the extension and add value.
Both OH&S and Quality have been identified by industry as major issues that require on-going action. The FRDC over the past 10 years has invested in numerous projects to develop tools for both issues, however very little has been allocated to extension of these materials.
In recent research funded by both the FRDC and Seafood CRC Quality has been identified as a major issue for the seafood industry. The increased cost of seafood has meant that consumers are becoming heavily focused on quality. The issue of quality, flows onto the credibility and standing of the industry - consumers do not like paying high prices for seafood that has been handled badly or is of poor quality. In addition waste and spoilage are factors that consumers can readily see and have associated with sustainability.
1. To increase the adoption and uptake in relation to R&D which relates to OH&S and quality
2. To develop a set of materials (presentation, fact sheet and references) appropriate to the seafood industry
3. To deliver key messages (including sets of developed materials) to target audience across key processing regions
4. To evaluate the methods for seafood industry extension used in this project to inform future extension activities
Final report
Tactical Research Fund: Seafood Industry Partnerships in Schools - Program Pilot, Tasmania
Project number:
2009-328
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$73,621.00
Principal Investigator:
Lowri Pryce
Organisation:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
Project start/end date:
30 Apr 2010
-
30 Oct 2011
Contact:
FRDC
School teachers report a difficulty accessing relevant and accurate information about the marine
environment, current sustainable commercial fishing and marine farm practices. This, coupled with a
recognised paucity of young people embarking on a career in the seafood industry indicates a need for
greater interaction between the seafood industry and the educational sector.
A general lack of knowledge about commercial fishing practices in the public arena has contributed to
poor public perception of the seafood industry, and in fact public attitudes to commercial fisheries are
often negative and ill informed.
1. Develop and trial pilot educational program between seafood industry and School classes year 1 to 10 in Tasmania with a view to National extension
2. Facilitate new and existing partnerships between schools and commercial fishers and aquaculture operators.
3. Facilitate work experience opportunities for young people.
4. Provide opportunities to increase general community understanding of complexities of marine resource utilisation as well as cultural fishing practices.
Final report
People development program: 2010 FRDC International Travel Bursaries - Lowri Pryce: To present at the World Ocean Council 's Sustainable Ocean Summit and to visit key organisations in the Irish republic developing wild caught Seafood EMSs.
Project number:
2008-314.20
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$6,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Lowri Pryce
Organisation:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
Project start/end date:
13 Jun 2010
-
29 Aug 2010
Contact:
FRDC
Presenting at the Summit, themed "Reducing Risk, Increasing Sustainability: Solutions through Collaboration", will increase my contact/collaboration with leading marine industries experts that use the marine space and resources. As the summit aims to assist marine businesses in addressing shared ocean environmental challenges and develop the practical programs to develop and implement solutions - issues raised at the 2010 Seafood Directions, there is opportunity for me to gather ideas, techniques and contacts that are relevant to the sustainability of Australian fisheries and mechanism for improved communication to the public. Further travel to discuss progress in Ireland on wild caught seafood EMS and its impact on market share, will further assist the work of OWA and the industry nationally, particularly the inshore fisheries which often are in direct conflict with other estuarine/marine user groups.
1. Attend, present & participate in SOS.
2. Develop contacts/networks & gather ideas/strategies to improve the delivery of good news stories relevant to Australian fisheries.
3. Visit Irish organisations involved in developing wild caught seafood EMS to share problems, solutions and discoveries to add value to Australian EMSs being developed through SeaNet.
4. Disseminate findings to the OceanWatch team (so they can directly relate them to the fisheries they are assisting), to the SeaNet Steering Committee, and others industry stakeholders.
5. Produce article on the SOS for the wider stakeholders for inclusion in the SeaNet newsletter.
Final report
Author:
Lowri Pryce
Tactical Research Fund: Effectiveness of larger mesh size in reducing the capture of juvenile target species in select NSW ocean beach seine operations
Project number:
2008-036
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$32,805.00
Principal Investigator:
Dave Cranston
Organisation:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
Project start/end date:
30 Mar 2008
-
1 Dec 2008
Contact:
FRDC
This application is an industry initiative aimed at reducing the incidental bycatch of juvenile target species encountered in ocean deployed beach seines. This project will not only empower industry members with instilled confidence in their gear, but also assist in addressing the potential conflict between the two user groups.
There is genuine concern regarding the capture of significant proportions of juveniles whilst targeting migratory schools of bream, tarwhine and luderick predominantly; when using currently legislated beach seine net specifications.
A beach seine net can be divided into three 3 main sections: anterior wings, posterior wings and the bunt/codend. Current legislation prescribes a maximum mesh size of 86, 65 and 65mm respectively for these sections.
Recently, (Wooden, unpublished) investigated the use of alternate net configurations and the use of morphological data in ocean and estuary deployed beach seines. In brief the study indicated:
(i) Current configurations of NSW beach seines are inappropriate for maximizing size selectivity for nearly
all retained species,
(ii) Morphological data can be used to predict and trial appropriate mesh sizes to reduce
bycatch and
(iii) No significant physical or physiological damages resulted from juvenile bream escaping from a
modified beach seine with a mesh size of 102mm (in simulated laboratory experiments).
Anecdotal information from numerous sources on landings of juveniles in conventional beach seine gears, identifies the need for further research on certain gear components of the ocean beach seine fishery. Proposed investigations (beach seine net constructed entirely of 102mm mesh) aim to further improve size selectivity and eliminate the unwanted capture of juvenile target species.
The research proposed in this application clearly relates to the vision of the fishery and directly addresses many objectives listed under Goal 1 & Goal 2 of the FMS and addresses FRDC’s high priorities responding to strategic challenge 1.
1. 1. To examine and quantify the effectiveness of larger than prescribed mesh size in reducing the capture of juveniles in ocean beach seine operations targeting ground-fish species.
2. 2. Provision of information that support management decisions for the long term benefit of the resource and users.
Final report
Reducing plastics in the Australian seafood industry - Phase 1
Project number:
2004-410
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$5,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Anissa Lawrence
Organisation:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
Project start/end date:
29 Jun 2005
-
20 Apr 2007
Contact:
FRDC
Given the current trend by groups such as Planet Ark, local councils, DEH and other industries it is important that
the seafood industry is aware of the options/alternatives available for reducing plastics and is seen to be operating
as a responsible industry. Internationally, particularly in the EU, there is also a drive to reduce plastics and other
non-recyclable materials such as polystyrene. There is no forward planning in the Seafood industry to cover this
issue and because of the environmental damage that can be caused by plastics it is essential that some
background work be done to assess the current position and to create some viable alternatives.
1. To undertake a desktop study to review where plastics are used within the Australian Seafood Industry (post harvest) and whether potential alternatives/substitutes are available.
Final report
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2003-063
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
Adoption of an environmental management systems by NSW commercial estuary fishers and oyster farmers
This project has provided estuary fishers and oyster farmers across NSW with an opportunity to develop an Environmental Management System (EMS), based on ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems for their businesses.
The main driver for each group to develop an EMS was primarily improving...
ORGANISATION:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
SPECIES
Hoppers in action: a handbook for fishers on the use of hoppers in Australian prawn trawl fisheries
Project number:
2003-012
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$61,311.90
Principal Investigator:
Christine Soul
Organisation:
OceanWatch Australia Ltd
Project start/end date:
29 Jun 2003
-
17 Jun 2005
Contact:
FRDC
Research undertaken in the Queensland 'hopper' pilot study and South Australia's Spencer Gulf prawn trawl fishery has suggested that the use of hoppers in prawn trawl operations can enhance the survival of bycatch species. Whilst preliminary results from both the Queensland pilot study and current research in the Spencer Gulf support these suggestions, there exists various views across Australian as to whether hoppers actually do make a positive contribution towards increasing the survival of bycatch species.
Over the last few years, the uptake of hoppers in Australian prawn trawl fisheries has increased, with many vessels in the Northern Prawn, Exmouth Gulf, Spencer Gulf and Gulf of St Vincent prawn trawl fisheries now using hoppers. In most of these fisheries the rate of adoption has been driven by the economic benefits relevant to improved product quality and increased operational efficiencies when using hoppers. However, a coordinated and cooperative review to determine and quantify the effects of hoppers has not been undertaken.
NORMAC’s Bycatch Action Plan has identified research into the effects of hoppers on bycatch survival as a ‘high priority’. The East Coast Trawl Plan also includes the need to reduce bycatch by 40% by 2005 and flags that hoppers could assist this target. SARDI have proposed that hoppers, used as part of a suite of bycatch mitigation strategies, could improve bycatch survival. NSW estuary prawn trawl operators supported the concept of hoppers and the need for further research into hoppers was identified as a 'high priority' at the Estuary Prawn Trawl MAC meeting held at NSW Fisheries in July 2002.
Both CSIRO and SARDI submitted industry-supported hopper focused research applications into their respective FRABs for this current round of FRDC funding. Both proposals included the involvement of SeaNet officers to facilitate industry involvement in documenting the current use and understanding of hopper operations and assist with the extension of information across identified target fisheries.
An independently facilitated workshop was held in September 2002 to bring together industry and research stakeholders from both Commonwealth and State prawn trawl fisheries in WA, SA, NSW and Queensland (East Coast Trawl and Torres Strait) to progress the development of a national hopper R&D framework. Outcomes from the workshop supported the need of a coordinated national project approach to be developed, with respect to future research, education and communication activities relevant to hoppers.
1. Undertake a national and international literature review of existing knowledge and technology relevant to the use/research of hoppers and document and identify research gaps.
2. Document, via a technical handbook, the use, designs, practices associated with the existing use of hoppers across Australian prawn trawl fisheries.
3. Hold a technical workshop to facilitate the development of a technical handbook which overviews hopper technology, provides advice on improving operational practices, case studies existing developments and includes the results of the literature review.
4. Extend the handbook to fishers via a series of key port visits.
5. Provide information to fishery and environmental managers and the general community on existing mechanisms used by industry to improve operational practices.
6. Provide guidance and advice to industry and fishery managers about R&D priorities relevant to improving and extending hopper use and technology within Australian prawn trawl fisheries.
Final report
ISBN:
0-9750797-4-3
Author:
Christine Soul
Final Report
•
2005-04-16
•
269.87 KB
2003-012-DLD.pdf
This project has provided an opportunity to consolidate all literature currently available on existing knowledge and technology relevant to the use/research of hoppers. It has demonstrated that there are clear gaps in the research and that it is imperative that further work be undertaken to identify and quantify the environmental benefits of hoppers for bycatch survival
The handbook is a useful resource for fishers, researchers, managers and conservationists on the use, designs and practices associated with the existing use of hoppers across Australian prawn trawl fisheries. It offers a simple and yet effective presentation of the existing mechanisms used by industry to improve operational practices and reduce environmental impacts.
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