570 results

Shared science and Indigenous knowledge to support fisheries capacity building in Torres Strait

Project number: 2019-124
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $20,210.00
Principal Investigator: Leo X. Dutra
Organisation: CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date: 20 Dec 2020 - 19 Dec 2021
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Traditional inhabitants from Torres Strait partly or fully own fisheries in the region. In addition to owning or
working in fisheries businesses, some individuals are occasionally involved in research and play a key role in sustainably managing living resources in the region, with several i serving as members on Resource Management Groups (RAGs), Working Groups or in reviewing scientific research proposals as part of the TSSAC. It is therefore important to ensure industry members are up to date with recent developments updated information about fisheries from around the world and are prepared to participate and present their work in these international fora.

This proposal seeks to build capacity in the Torres Strait Fisheries Industry through the active engagement of industry members and CSIRO scientists transferring and sharing knowledge to collaboratively prepare and deliver scientific talks for three major international fisheries-related conferences:
• Marine Socio-Ecological Systems Conference (Japan),
• World Fisheries Congress (Adelaide),
• 12th International Conference and Workshop on Lobster Biology & Management (Fremantle)).

This opportunity will also deepen understanding of scientific approaches and exposure to the latest scientific and technological advances and build capacity of Torres Strait Industry Representatives through co-authoring talks with CSIRO researchers and attending international fisheries conferences to facilitate knowledge exchange and networking.

Objectives

1. Provide opportunities to Torres Strait Industry Representatives to learn about latest developments in fisheries research and management and build capacity through co-authoring talks with CSIRO researchers and attending international fishries conferences

Final report

Authors: Leo X.C. Dutra Eva Plaganyi Frank Loban Patrick Mooka Rocky Stephen and Nicole Murphy
Final Report • 2024-05-31 • 3.44 MB
2019-124-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report presents the results of a collaborative science capacity building project involving CSIRO researchers and Torres Strait Islander Fishing Industry representatives. Project participants worked together in the development and delivery of science capacity building programs tailored to each of the individual Torres Strait participants. The program was explicitly about Indigenous knowledge and perspective around fisheries management from western science, where scientists also had the opportunity to learn and discuss ways forward in combining these two knowledge systems. Torres Strait Island Industry representatives had the opportunity to co-write conference abstracts and present at international fisheries conferences, State and Indigenous fora and attend formal training in aquaculture.

Building industry capacity to lead co-management initiatives within the Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery: Training industry to conduct biomass estimate surveys

Project number: 2019-120
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $130,000.00
Principal Investigator: Andrew Sullivan
Organisation: Bass Strait Scallop Industry Association (BSSIA)
Project start/end date: 1 Nov 2020 - 29 Jun 2023
Contact:
FRDC

Need

There is a need to develop capacity within industry in order to progress future co-management initiatives in the Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery (BSCZSF). Central to future co-management initiatives will be industry’s ability to collect data in a systematic and scientific manner that is robust and reliable to inform management decision making. Industry needs to be trained to coordinate and collect data. This data may also deliver cost savings when compared to the current pre-season biomass surveys.

The unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have forced industry and management to review existing research and management processes to ensure the on-going viability Australia’s fishing industry. Whilst the scallop fishery has to date been largely shielded from the impacts (a seasonal effect) there is tremendous uncertainty about the coming fishing year and markets. There is now a need to re-think the data collection processes for this fishery and provide the industry with the opportunity and capacity, under a co-management approach, to cost-effectively collect data to inform management decisions.

The coming season provides the perfect opportunity for the first steps into a new co-management paradigm. The biomass in western Bass Strait waters are significant, with many in the industry saying it’s the highest in over 40 years of fishing. Based on the 2019 TAC, the maximum harvest fraction last season was less than 9% of the surveyed biomass, noting it was even lower, as the TAC remained under-caught. Furthermore AFMA have recently announced that the formal pre-season biomass estimation survey will not proceed in 2020 due the uncertainties surrounding the impacts of COVID-19.

This project will investigate industry’s capacity to coordinate in-season biomass surveys and provide the opportunity for industry to understand the requirements to undertake formal scientific studies.

Objectives

1. Build industry capacity to lead and participate in fishery data collection projects
2. Industry coordinated data collection to inform biomass estimation of the fishery
3. Industry coordinated data collection and data analysis to inform decision making and develop co-management arrangements

Giant Crab Enhanced Data Collection - Innovative approaches to enhance data collection in the Victorian, South Australian and Tasmanian Giant crab fisheries

Project number: 2019-114
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $325,241.00
Principal Investigator: Ewan Flanagan
Organisation: Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA)
Project start/end date: 27 Jan 2021 - 30 Aug 2024
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES

Need

Giant Crabs are a long, lived, slow reproducing xanthoid crab distributed from southern Western Australia to central New South Wales that are considered to be a single stock across southern Australia.

The giant crab fishery (GCF) across southern Australia has a small tonnage of large, individually valuable animals. Despite the implementation of harvest strategies and management plans guiding the setting of conservative TACC’s, declining trends are evident across the shared Southern Australian resource.

The fishery has had ongoing problems collecting quality stock assessment data, leading to uncertainty in the assessment and management. Owing to the size of the fishery, and the remote nature of the fishing operations, assessments now rely on fisher dependant catch rate data with an inherent high level of volatility due to the small number of operators.

Attempts to improve the collection of fishery data over the years have been challenging, in particular for fisher-based collection of length-frequency data from volunteer measuring programs.

Innovative data collection methods for small scale fisheries such as the GCF are required to improve the monitoring of stock status of this important commercial fishery and enhance long-term sustainability of the Giant Crab resource.

A length based model has previously been developed and was designed to integrate assessments across the jurisdictions. The model for giant crab and was being used for South Australia and Tasmania but was not applied to Victoria due to data limitations. In recent years the modelling has discontinued in SA and Tas because of insufficient length frequency data, which compounded uncertainty present due to weak growth data. The lack of length data in previous years was the critical change that has forced the model to be discontinued.
So our ability to understand changes in the stock has become weakest at precisely the period in the history of the fishery when information is most needed. This project is designed specifically in response to this need to address the lack of data through development of an efficient method to collect LF information, with minimal burden on fishers to improve accuracy of stock assessments.

Objectives

1. Develop effective low-cost data collection method specific to Giant Crab
2. Trial and refine new data collection method
3. Analysis of fishery-independent biological data and investigation of usability to enhance assessment of Victorian, Tasmanian and South Australian giant crab fisheries

Assessing the impacts of trawl gear on sawfishes in the Northern Prawn Fishery with the aim to identify and test mitigation measures ensuring the long-term sustainability of Sawfish populations in northern Australia

Project number: 2019-112
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $205,782.00
Principal Investigator: Gary Fry
Organisation: CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date: 30 Mar 2020 - 28 Dec 2023
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES

Need

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

Objectives

Commercial in confidence

Attendance at the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, Tenure and User Rights Conference in Yeosu, Korea 10 to 14 September 2018

Project number: 2019-107
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $3,700.00
Principal Investigator: Steven C. Shanks
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA)
Project start/end date: 9 Oct 2019 - 29 Jun 2020
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Provides the opportunity to showcase the management arrangements in the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery (SGPF) and expand the knowledge base of the applicant in relation to contemporary management arrangements in fisheries globally.

As the Fishery Manager of the SGPF Mr Shanks has a strong personal interest in the future sustainability of the SGPF. He has implemented management arrangements in the SGPF that now permit Officers of the SGWCPFA to set through a legal instrument the area and timing that fishing is undertaken over. This is the only example in Australia where management arrangements permitting industry to self-regulate have been implemented.

The experience and knowledge associated with explaining and seeking views on the management arrangements implemented in the SGPF is invaluable to PIRSA and the SGWCPFA.

Objectives

1. 1. Oral presentation on the delegated Ministerial powers provided to Officers of the Spencer Gulf West Coast Prawn Fishermen’s Association to set short term management arrangements in the SGPF.2. To increase the applicant’s knowledge and understanding of fisheries management arrangements applied throughout the globe.

Report

ISBN: 978-0-646-81042-3
Author: Steve Shanks
Report • 2019-10-28

Summary

The present project, which was undertaken by Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, was developed to provide the opportunity to showcase the management arrangements in the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery (SGPF) and expand the knowledge base in relation to contemporary management arrangements in fisheries globally. The applicant presented an abstract for the conference, which was accepted. The acceptance required the applicant to present a 20 minute presentation at the conference and write an 8000 word paper on the presentation to go in the proceedings of the conference.
In November 2017 the Minister for Fisheries provided legislative powers to commercial fishing industry representatives in the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery (SGPF) to set the management arrangements for a one year trial period. The legislative powers allow industry representatives to sign the legal instruments that set the area and period of a fishing run (prawn fishing between the quarters of the lunar cycle that include a new moon). The legislative powers have been provided under terms and conditions that require the commercial fishing industry representatives to adhere to the requirements of the harvest strategy for the fishery when setting the management arrangements. The harvest strategy sets Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and areas to be fished based on the results of Fishery Independent Surveys (FIS), which ensures fishing is undertaken at sustainable levels.
This is the only example in Australia were the commercial fishing industry has been provided legislative powers to regulate the management of a fishery. The delegation of legislative powers to manage the SGPF is an acknowledgement of the strong history of collaboration between industry and government on co-management of the fishery. By providing industry more ownership of the management they have become more invested in ensuring the sustainability of the fishery. A review of the powers provided will be undertaken in October 2019. Following the results of the review consideration will be given to how to improve the arrangements. As a result of this work other fisheries in Australia are now examining how they can move to a model providing powers to commercial industry to set management arrangements.

Minor use permit for oxytetracycline in non-salmonid finfish

Project number: 2019-106
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $118,402.00
Principal Investigator: Marty R. Deveney
Organisation: University of Adelaide
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2020 - 29 Jun 2021
Contact:
FRDC

Need

In finfish aquaculture, the most broadly useful antimicrobial is oxytetracycline (OTC). The aquaculture industry and the Subcommittee for Aquatic Animal Health have outlined that access to this product for non-salmonid finfish is a priority. Bacterial diseases are increasingly managed by eradication, maintenance of animals of specified health status, vaccination, and good hygiene, but antimicrobial therapy remains vital for treating bacterial diseases in finfish aquaculture. Appropriate use of antimicrobials cures sick animals and speeds recovery, improving welfare and reducing the spread of infection. Use of OTC is not intended for prophylactic treatment, but to manage disease outbreaks. Use in South Australia, for example, is sporadic (~1 to 2 times per year for a sector). The Aquaculture industry is committed to Australia’s antimicrobial strategy, and as required by APVMA this proposal includes an antimicrobial resistance risk assessment. Available data for OTC can satisfy the APVMA module requirements for efficacy, chemistry and manufacture, toxicology, trade and occupational health and safety. These are available in published literature, a range of industry studies of animals treated off-label and laboratory studies. There is a lack of data to satisfy the requirements mainly in the environment modules and the antimicrobial resistance risk assessment.

Objectives

1. Obtain data to satisfy identified gaps and collate available data to satisfy requirements of minor use permit application.
2. Submit minor use permit application.

Final report

ISBN: 978-87007-41-6
Authors: Marty Deveney Matthew Landos Darren Trott Manijeh Mohammadi Dehcheshmeh and Kathryn Wiltshire
Final Report • 2022-06-01 • 3.35 MB
2019-106-DLD.pdf

Summary

There are no registered or permitted antimicrobial products approved by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicine Authority (APVMA) for treatment of bacterial infections in finfish. This project developed an application for a minor-use permit (MUP) for the use of oxytetracycline (OTC) to treat susceptible bacterial diseases in non-salmonid finfish by or under the direction of a registered veterinarian. The intended product users include all bona fide members of the Australian aquaculture industry. We use public domain, published and some unpublished data to satisfy the APVMA data requirements to fulfil the requirements of the MUP application for the proposed use pattern. The application was submitted in June 20211.

Strategic Planning Workshop for Yellowtail Kingfish Stock Assessment in South-Eastern Australia

Project number: 2019-103
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $11,328.74
Principal Investigator: John Stewart
Organisation: NSW Department of Primary Industries
Project start/end date: 14 Jan 2020 - 31 Jul 2020
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Yellowtail Kingfish is a high priority species for recreational fishers and the basis of an important commercial fishery in NSW. The biological stock structure is reasonably well understood, with genetic analyses showing that the population in Western Australia is genetically distinct from the population along the eastern and southern Australian coasts (Commonwealth, Queensland, New South Wales, Victorian, Tasmanian and South Australian waters) and New Zealand. Tagging studies have confirmed movements between Australia and New Zealand and South Australia to NSW. Therefore Yellowtail Kingfish are assessed through the Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) initiative at the biological stock level, being two stocks - Eastern Australia and Western Australia.

The most recent (2018) SAFS assessment for the Eastern Australian biological stock of Yellowtail Kingfish was ‘Undefined’, due mainly to knowledge gaps around the degree of mixing throughout this stock which spans more than 3,000 km of coastline. Reasonable data for assessment exists only within NSW, and uncertainty around whether an assessment of that component of the stock reflected the entire stock resulted in an ‘Undefined’ status, with a recommendation that this uncertainty be resolved.

Yellowtail Kingfish within NSW has been assessed as ‘Growth Overfished’ (2003/04 to 2013/14), and current evidence indicates a Depleted stock. There are ongoing discussions within NSW about appropriate management changes that may assist recovery; however these are hampered by the ‘Undefined’ status in SAFS.

The FRDC National Priority 1 aims to reduce the percentage of ‘Undefined’ stocks within SAFS, which also has an objective of providing a roadmap to recovery for ‘Depleted’ stocks. To address both of these and to promote better and more collaborative monitoring, assessment and management across all relevant jurisdictions, there is a clear need to review existing knowledge across the entire stock and to identify areas of uncertainty that require addressing.

Objectives

1. Review the available data and management regimes for the south-eastern Australian stock of Yellowtail Kingfish from each relevant jurisdiction
2. Review the reasons for the ‘Undefined’ status in SAFS
3. Discuss appropriate spatial scales for assessment and management across the south-eastern Australian biological stock
4. Identify knowledge gaps required to be filled in order to produce a defined stock status for SAFS
5. Discuss cross-jurisdictional assessment and management options for Yellowtail Kingfish

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-76058-450-4
Authors: John Stewart Julian Hughes Holly Gunton
Final Report • 2021-06-30 • 895.32 KB
2019-103-DLD.pdf

Summary

The project facilitated cross-jurisdictional and cross-sectoral discussions on aspects of the Eastern Australia biological stock of Yellowtail Kingfish.  Several knowledge gaps relating to biological and life-history parameters, as well as reliable data on the recreational fishery across all jurisdictions, were found to be inhibiting assessment, and therefore management, of this stock.  Knowledge gaps common across jurisdictions included understanding patterns of movement and connectivity throughout the stock, and reproductive patterns such as main spawning areas and times.  It was noted that this lack of information was one reason for differing management arrangements (minimum legal lengths and bag limits) between jurisdictions.  A survey of long-term, highly experienced commercial, recreational and charter fishers in NSW was done to provide feedback on data to be used in assessing stock status.  Comments from these knowledgeable fishers resulted in several reconstructed catch history scenarios being used in the assessment, in addition to gathering observations on long-term changes to the fishery.  As a result significant progress was made on the Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) assessment for 2020.  The Eastern Australian stock of Yellowtail Kingfish for 2020 was classified as a ‘Sustainable’ stock, noting that until knowledge around population dynamics, in particular the distribution and movements of the spawning stock and the source of juveniles, is improved that the assessment will remain highly uncertain.
View Filter

Product Type

Species

Organisation