11 results
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2015-024
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Managing ecosystem interactions across differing environments: building flexibility and risk assurance into environmental management strategies

Summary The overarching aim of this research was to provide an improved understanding of the environmental interactions of Atlantic Salmon farming and to provide recommendations to both government and industry on monitoring and management strategies that are appropriate to the level of risk...
ORGANISATION:
University of Tasmania (UTAS)
People

National Fish Habitat and Climate Response Partnership

Project number: 2023-021
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $360,000.00
Principal Investigator: Craig Copeland
Organisation: OzFish Unlimited
Project start/end date: 31 Mar 2024 - 1 Mar 2026
Contact:
FRDC

Need

In Australia, up to 90% of critical fish habitat for coastal fisheries, including seagrass, giant kelp, saltmarsh, and shellfish reefs, has been lost or significantly degraded. Many research studies have linked habitat with fisheries productivity, with habitat loss particularly impacting juvenile nurseries. Yet despite this information fish habitat restoration is not a recognised management tool in fisheries/harvest management strategies. Given this situation there is a strong need for a cohesive partnership across all fisheries sectors to support repairing productivity through fish habitat restoration and to create a forum where key sectors concerned for or dependent on aquatic habitat condition, can discuss problems and opportunities. This project will address a number of barriers limiting the restoration of fish habitat around Australia; accessibility of data relating fisheries production to habitat condition, limited penetration of this information into management and building a forum for the key fishing sectors to consider this information and develop responses.

Objectives

1. Create a collaborative space for key stakeholders in which to understand, interpret, compile and communicate knowledge resources required to support and inform the future habitat and climate resilience challenges facing fisheries and environment agencies and decision makers
2. Use the partnership to
a. Measure the status of waterways in relation to fisheries productivityb. Communicate within and between sectors the implications of the resulting status information.c. Develop waterway ecosystem protection and restoration targets.d. Contribute to environmental and fisheries policy development utilising the partnership to codesign policies to include principles and actions to address the need for waterway ecosystem protection and restoration as well as affect Future of the Industry report and various stock assessments.
Environment
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2021-083
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Developing the tools and articulating the value proposition for genomic selection in Pacific Oyster selective breeding

To understand the opportunities and value in carbon neutral certification for the Australian oyster industry, FRDC and Oysters Australia commissioned NineSquared Pty Ltd to outline the current policy climate, pathways to certification and knowledge gaps limiting opportunity...
ORGANISATION:
Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) Hobart

Attendance and participation at the Governing Changing Oceans Workshop and PICES-5th International Symposium on the Effects of Climate Change on the World’s Ocean - Bergen Norway

Project number: 2022-181
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $15,000.00
Principal Investigator: Andrew Sullivan
Organisation: Fish Focus Consulting
Project start/end date: 23 Mar 2023 - 18 May 2023
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Workshop: The workshop is being hosted Tiffany Morrison, Pip Cohen, Gretta Pecl and Emily Ogier. Their approach is to bring together a small group of exceptional multi-disciplinary researchers and practitioners with expertise in governance, fisheries, climate science, blue carbon, blue finance, blue conservation, Indigenous governance, co-management, and community resilience. It is our aim that discussions will be focused towards producing a jointly authored paper targeted at Nature or Science, complemented by a marine intervention governance protocol and self-assessment tool.

Similarly the ECCWO5 symposium will bring together experts from around the world to better understand climate impacts on ocean ecosystems, the ecosystem services they provide, and the people, businesses and communities that depend on them. The 2023 event will highlight the latest information on how oceans are changing, what is at risk, responses that are underway, and strategies for increasing climate resilience, mitigation and adaptation. It aims to identify key knowledge gaps, promote collaborations, and stimulate the next generation of science and actions.

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

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.
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2022-019
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Removal of microalgae and total nitrogen in effluent water from prawn farms using electrocoagulation (EC) water treatment technology

This project focused on addressing a key challenge of the Australian prawn industry: the reduction/removal of nitrogen (N) and the coagulation of suspended solids (including microalgae) to facilitate the expansion of the industry whilst continuing to meet these sustainability targets. The...
ORGANISATION:
Nautilus Collaboration Pty Ltd