This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia

This project was developed by SARDI, in consultation with PIRSA, Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) licence holders and relevant stakeholders, over several years.  Proposals to investigate interactions with non-target species and discarding from the LCF in the Murray River estuary and Coorong lagoons were submitted to South Australian Fisheries Advisory Board (SA FRAB) and FRDC in 2002 and SA FRAB in 2003 but failed to gain industry support.  In 2004 the Southern Fishermen’s Association expressed support for a study of non-target species to support their application for accreditation with the Marine Stewardship Council. 

During the study the lower Murray River system was in drought, and high salinities and generally poor environmental conditions occurred in the Coorong lagoons.  Consequently, the approaches to addressing objectives three and four (below) were changed.  It was originally intended to estimate discard survival (Objective 3) from discards that had been held in sea cages over 5 days. Instead, discard survival was estimated from numbers of fish that were alive at net retrieval.  The original approach to identify methods for mitigating levels of discarding (Objective 4) was to conduct experimental fishing. This objective was met using information available from the observer based monitoring program, from the peer reviewed literature and from several previous FRDC funded projects.

The main outcome of the project is the provision of information on catch species composition, quantified levels of discarding, and ongoing collection of data from the Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This was achieved using an observer based study of catches in the Lakes and Coorong Fishery.  During 2005-06 a total of 53 observer trips were made (973 net shots), with 18 days (173 net shots) surveyed in the Murray River estuary and 35 fishing days (800 net shots) in the Coorong lagoons.  

Keywords: gillnet, bycatch, discard, estuarine fish, observer program, Australia