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Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2018-034
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Effects of climate change and habitat degradation on Coral Trout

Fishes are at considerable risk from changing environmental conditions because they are, for most part, unable to regulate their body temperature. Exposure to high temperatures may therefore compromise critical biological functions, resulting in reduced performance, fitness and ultimately survival....
ORGANISATION:
James Cook University (JCU)
TAGS
Stock Assessment
Recreational Fishing
Rac Qld
Population Dynamics
Oceanography
SPECIES
Coral Trouts

Climate resilient wild catch fisheries

Project number: 2021-089
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $292,985.00
Principal Investigator: Veronica Papacosta
Organisation: Seafood Industry Australia (SIA)
Project start/end date: 30 Jan 2022 - 29 Sep 2022
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Climate Resilience
Climate Mitigation

Need

The need for this project is to activate and engage industry in viable options towards climate resilience by 2030. This includes the need to demonstrate that immediate options exist and are viable and meaningful, while also gaining support for a clear plan to transform the industry and supply chain with support both internally and beyond the sector. The key needs are:

01 | Industry awareness of the problems and solutions around climate change and resilience is below where it needs to be to activate broad transformation. There is little action towards climate resilience (1 player) in comparison to other agricultural sectors.

02 | There will be increasing competition within the protein market to validate and promote sustainable practices and positive contributions to the environment/climate.

03 | Leaders and innovators in the industry are attempting to act in isolation with few resources to support industry and supply chain coordination and acceleration.

04 | Change around the edges that can be achieved by some stakeholders operating alone will not deliver the transformation at a scale or pace that is required to meet growing and broadly felt consumer expectations that indicate demonstrable action on climate change.

05 | There is a surplus of tools, resources and research around climate change and resilience, but to this point, little of that work has been translated into forms fishers find usable and valuable.

06 | There is a need to identify early adopters and innovators in the space to lead new ways operating into the future.

07 | There is an FRDC funded project to undertake a Lifecycle Assessment being concluded early November. This work has been preliminarily identified fuel, transport, and refrigeration as key challenges requiring new solutions/opportunities for industry.

08 | Propulsion and fuel have been identified as key challenges in wild catch fisheries achieving climate resilience and reducing carbon emissions, and will be the focus of this project.

Objectives

1. To understand challenges facing the commercial wild-harvest sector relating to a changing climate
2. To determine opportunities to respond to those challenges, and validate solutions
3. To engage with industry leaders and innovators to explore and validate viable, feasible and scalable options towards climate resilience
4. To demonstrate rapid and practical progress towards climate resilience and elements of SIA’s Our Pledge
5. To build partnerships and relationships with global leaders to enable advancement of prioritised solutions that will enable improved climate resilience

Final report

Authors: Veronica Papacosta Clayton Nelson Tom Cosentino Allen Haroutonian Angus McDonald
Final Report • 2023-12-12 • 8.11 MB
2021-089-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report outlines the impending need for the fishing industry to reduce GHG emissions by 2030. Over 8 months, the project evaluated alternative fuels' potential to cut emissions, recognising challenges in regulatory stimulus and incomplete research. Among numerous options, certain solutions emerged, while others like ammonia and liquid hydrogen faced constraints. The analysis prioritised solutions based on maturity and industry suitability. Economic assessments underscored the significance of fuel prices in shaping viability. The report introduces the "energy transition paradox," emphasising incremental positive steps toward change. Scenarios and roadmaps were crafted, identifying renewable diesel and battery/electric outboards as short-term solutions, while green methanol and emissions capture show promise for the medium term.
Environment
People

Investigating drivers of environmental change in Pipe Clay Lagoon

Project number: 2023-176
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $38,400.00
Principal Investigator: Carryn Manicom
Organisation: Marine Solutions Tasmania Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 15 Sep 2024 - 29 Jun 2025
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Wild Catch
Recreational Fishing
Rac Tas
Climate Change
Aquaculture

Need

Coastal lagoon systems in Tasmania form a fundamental part of coastal ecosystems. Healthy lagoons support local biodiversity, and play a key role in nutrient cycling and flood protection. They provide opportunities for sustainable aquaculture, fishing and tourism, while also being appreciated for their recreational amenity and cultural values. Sustainable management of coastal lagoons is essential to environmental and socioeconomic development.

There is limited information about the ecosystem drivers that are influencing the changes being observed in Pipe Clay Lagoon, leading to knowledge gaps in decision making tools and monitoring strategies required to identify and mitigate these changes. The proposed application is a multifaceted approach to investigate the environmental drivers of change in Pipe Clay Lagoon. The findings can then be used to provide valuable guidance for the management and conservation of other coastal lagoons in Tasmania facing similar challenges, providing a model for proactive monitoring and ongoing sustainability.

The FRDC has a responsibility to ensure that research is undertaken to assist in the management of fisheries and aquaculture resources for ongoing sustainability. The changes being experienced in Pipe Clay Lagoon will have implications on the availability and suitability of the lagoon as a sustainable aquaculture site. The planned approach and objectives of the application align with the FRDC’s R&D Plan for 2020-2025 through:

- Building people's capacity and capability
- Ensuring that resulting knowledge and innovation is adopted for impact through awareness of the needs of the ‘adopter’, local context and effective networking
- Continual improvement and collaboration of industry and community to deliver competitive advantage, healthier ecosystems and community support
- Provision of foundational information

Equally and importantly the application aligns with the NRM Strategy for Southern Tasmania 2030 for Pipe Clay Lagoon and similar systems in that wetland health is improved for socio-economically important systems by working with key partners and encouraging investment in monitoring, land and water management practices and on-ground works.
The enthusiasm of those engaged in the stakeholder consultation process was a strong indication of the need, interest and urgency of the application.

Objectives

1. Characterise and quantify environmental changes in Pipe Clay Lagoon, providing an evidence base for anecdotal observations of change.
2. Understand the drivers and interactions behind observed environmental changes in Pipe Clay Lagoon.
3. Identify management mechanisms to safeguard the values of Pipe Clay Lagoon and other Tasmanian coastal lagoons, including sustainability of the aquaculture industry.
4. Capacity building and increased marine literacy within community and industry to help observe and report change.
5. The applicant would welcome feedback and suggestions from FRDC and/or key beneficiaries for additional objectives.

Agri-Climate Outlooks

Project number: 2022-059
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $117,700.00
Principal Investigator: Ben Baghurst
Organisation: Agricultural Innovation Australia Ltd (AIA)
Project start/end date: 14 Aug 2022 - 30 Dec 2022
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Climate Resilience
Climate Adaptation

Need

Commercial in confidence. To know more about this project please contact FRDC.

Objectives

Commercial in confidence
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