Strategic R & D Plan
This proposal fits within the Salmon Aquaculture Subprogram

As a result of FRDC project 2008/217 (The effect of temperature on reproductive development in maiden and repeat spawning Atlantic salmon: understanding the basis for improved egg quality and survival) and a series of earlier studies we know that:

The effect of elevated summer and autumn temperature in inhibiting reproduction in Tasmanian Atlantic salmon broodstock is consistent and potentially profound. Maidens (first spawning fish) and repeats are both affected but repeats are more robust in terms of their capacity to cope. Maidens are a slightly better proposition than repeats in terms of egg quality and survival but only provided that they can be kept cool during summer and autumn.

The inhibitory effects of temperature on reproduction are mediated through the endocrine (hormonal) system.
All parts of the endocrine chain appear to be potentially affected but by far the most sensitive stage is the aromatase-mediated production of estrogen by the ovary. Our experiments have shown that management of aromatase inhibition is the key step in offsetting the effects of high temperature.

Management options are currently limited to managing temperature of broodstock. This approach assumes that the temperature-controlled holding capacity is large enough (or never fails). There is still a strong need for a hormone therapy option as an additional management strategy. Preliminary experiments with juveniles have shown that the fish stay responsive to external estrogen at high temperature. This means that treatment of adults with estrogen at critical periods is a strong candidate for hormone therapy.

Benefit
SALTAS modelling indicates that the current direct effect is a loss of smolt production of ~$250,000 and potential industry production shortfall of ~$20million per annum. This assumes that thermal effects in autumn do not get any worse.

The West Coast demersal wetline fish stocks are currently overfished. The best assessment calls for an immediate 50% reduction in the catches of Category 1 “high risk” species.

New management initiatives are being implemented across the commercial, recreational and charter sectors to secure the necessary catch reductions. The success of these initiatives depends upon each sector responding appropriately.

Early assessment of the impact of these changes and the response of each sector is essential. The time for this assessment is now, as the changes begin to take effect, in order that an early understanding of the reactions of fishers and the likely long-term impacts can be formed.

The new restrictions will impact significantly on recreational fishing over the next year, therefore, there is a pressing need to understand how the sector responds in terms of behaviour, catches, and overall satisfaction with the fishing experience. The proposed recreational fisher survey is designed to meet this requirement, so that the early operation of the new regime can be measured, and compared to the pre-change situation captured in a similar survey funded under FRDC 2001/036 undertaken by Nicholls and McLeod. Knowledge about changes in behaviour and satisfaction with the fishing experience are crucial to understanding the impact of the changes.

Department of Fisheries estimates show that the commercial catch has been brought within the desired range. There is now a need to assess how these changes have impacted upon the commercial viability and social dynamics of coastal harbour towns. No pre- and post-change comparisons have been undertaken, a deficiency that the proposed data collection is designed to address.

The role of the Charter sector and its response to management changes is an integral part of the project.

All components of the project are designed to deliver the required information in a timely fashion.

Determination of the susceptibility of remenant populations follow exposure to AVG. Despite the abalone virus remaining undetected among abalone populations for 8 months, in December 2009 active virus was identified among diseased abalone located at Cape Otway in Victoria. This presents a number of management and bio-security issues as the abalone industry is approaching the initial stages of recommencement of fishing. The Victorian abalone industry is the only organisation that is actively involved in monitoring of the spread of the AVG virus. It has been able to show an association between the spread of the AVG virus and human movement patterns.

It is unknown at this stage whether remnant abalone populations have an inherent resistance to the disease or if, as a matter of chance, they were fortunate not to be challenged by the virus when it spread along the coast.

The project will give indications to industry, fishery managers and other stakeholders about the potential for reinfection among remnant abalone populations. This will provide additional information to support further development of biosecurity strategies to avoid reinfection of remnant populations, development of strategic policies to avoid human movement of the disease to remnant populations as well as having a bearing on fishery management strategies to allow for the recommencement of fishing.

The 4 key needs are:

1 - the need to ensure multiple investors - FRDC, DCC and States plus possibly DAFF all achieve the outputs and outcomes they seek from pooled investment while where possible also value adding on their core investment such as through inkind research contributions or other partnership opportunities. Importantly to ensure that the investment activity is collaborative in nature and focuses on the needs of end-users of the research outputs.

2 - the need to translate Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, somewhat long term and challenging policy concepts into meaningful and useful research outputs that Australia's fishing industry can adopt as part of their industry development and management planning [industry here is taken in its broadest sense to include commercial, recreational, indigenous and conservation outcomes]

3 - the need to select and then project manage to successful completion a key and agenda setting combination of research, communication and knowledge exchange activities

4 - the need to conceptually develop an integrated package of activities that while meaningful and useful as outputs in themselves also combine and synergise to produce higher level Program outcomes far greater in benefit to Australia's fishing industry than the component parts