59 results
Industry
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2014-028
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Mud cockle (Katelysia spp.) stock enhancement/restoration: practical implementation and policy evaluation

This study was conducted to restore the Mud Cockle population in the Section Bank of Port River, South Australia, which had drastically decreased due to commercial fishing. Mud Cockles are important not only for commercial purposes but also for stabilizing sediment and reducing turbidity in the...
ORGANISATION:
SARDI Food Safety and Innovation
TAGS
Stock Assessment
Recreational Fishing
Rac Sa
Policy
Fisheries Management
SPECIES
Cockles
Blank

Role of marine reserves in sustainable management of Australia's ocean estate - review of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands bioregion

Project number: 2023-205
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $119,200.00
Principal Investigator: Travis J. Baulch
Organisation: TJB Management Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 23 Jun 2024 - 29 Sep 2024
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
Patagonian Toothfish

Need

The HIMI bioregion supports significant marine conservation values as well as a highly sustainable, and valuable commercial fishing industry. Typically, marine parks/reserve development processes are tasked with developing marine spatial planning arrangements that achieve a balance between preserving conservation values of the area and maintaining/promoting human activities through the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD). However, key uncertainties remain regarding the policy priorities and how the final design of marine parks are objectively determined.

This project will provide an independent assessment of the framework used for original design of the HIMI Marine Reserve in 2002, the review in 2014, and the current review to provide recommendations for future development. The project will also explore how/if the policy objectives have been achieved since inception . Furthermore, this project will explore the potential of a quantitative risk-based approach to provide for minimising the uncertainties in the Marine Protected Area (MPA) development processes and deliver an objective framework.

In addition, the project will explore the current HIMI marine reserve framework, the associated commercial fishing industry arrangements and how they intersect with regard to:

Regulation
• Regulatory processes to minimise impacts of commercial fishing
• Legislative framework currently in place for Ecological Risk Assessment/ESD, Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management, bycatch policy strategic research plans
• Marine Protected Areas review processes
• Statutory Fishing Rights (SFRs)

Economic impacts
• Commercial fishing viability
• Statutory fishing rights
• Permitted fishing gear types – (e.g. potential removal of MSC certified trawl fisheries with additional implications on research activity)

Biological impacts
• Impact on juvenile toothfish index of abundance and icefish estimates – accuracy of tracking stock will be significantly reduced if ability to trawl is removed (i.e. random stratified trawl survey impacted)
• Stock assessment model ability to consider toothfish population structure if longline fishery further constrained
• Climate change and effects of population shift
• Increasing policy position of MPAs as fisheries management tools
• Increased localised depletion and constrained ability to distribute commercial fishing effort

Social Impacts
• Market access
• Community sentiment

Objectives

1. Evaluate the technical approach used in the design of the HIMI marine reserve with specific reference to scientific and policy objectives
2. Examine management plan frameworks in regard to research outcomes since plan implementation
3. Provide recommendations in relation to review of the HIMI marine reserve

Final report

Authors: Travis Baulch Colin D. Buxton Rick Fletcher and Alistair J. Hobday
Final Report • 2024-11-01 • 2.10 MB
2023-205-DLD.pdf

Summary

The statutory requirement to undertake a 10-year review of the Heard and McDonald Islands (HIMI) Marine Reserve led to a proposal to expand the HIMI marine reserve and include new National Park Zones (IUCN II) and Habitat Protection Zone (IUCN IV) arrangements. Subsequently, the total area of the HIMI Marine Reserve has been increased to 379,070 square kilometres, a 400% increase over the previous marine reserve. This report aims to assess how current (and proposed) management frameworks relate to the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA) objectives, but also the extent to which they meet the overarching principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) which requires holistic consideration of all relevant environment, social and economic objectives, as well as meeting obligations under various international legislation and conventions. As the expansion incorporates the area within which Australia’s Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery operates, this report explores the basis of the expansion with particular reference to the implications for future fishery arrangements, management frameworks and longer-term fishery viability. 

Discussion Papers on seafood traceability and labelling

Project number: 2020-093
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $33,000.00
Principal Investigator: Meaghan Dodd
Organisation: Intuitive Food Solutions
Project start/end date: 13 Dec 2020 - 7 Feb 2021
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Traceability
Policy
Conference

Need

FRDC have identified this topic is gaining momentum across the food industry including seafood, and this proposal will support FRDC to be prepared for future discussions and potential industry changes and support.

Objectives

1. What is traceability
2. Understand the current Australian legal requirements for seafood traceability and labelling
3. Understand current seafood traceability methods available including any in development
4. Traceability impacts on product categories
5. Identify improvement areas

Report

Author: Ewan Colquhoun
Report • 2021-10-25

Summary

All food sold in Australia must comply with the Food Standards Code.  Food label claims are subject to Australian Consumer Law, prohibiting false, misleading or deceptive behaviour.
 
Australian seafood consumers face existing risks and confusion regarding species, nomenclature, and product misrepresentation.
 
The imminent launch of cellular meat and seafood, now being debated globally by producers and regulators, will offer new benefits to consumers.  But there are risks.  If the Australian seafood industry mishandles these challenges, we will compound existing product misrepresentation and seafood fraud.  A Senate Committee is currently assessing the risks and options across meat and seafood consumer products.  
 
This discussion paper updates the issues, challenges and relevant laws, to suggest options and risks going forward.  It is a living document which attempts to reflect a very dynamic food labelling environment.  This report is to be used as a first version working document, with further updates to occur every 12-18 months.
 
Final Report • 2021-12-31 • 742.64 KB
2020-093-DLD-Part A-Seafood Traceability Discussion Paper.pdf

Summary

There are two parts to project 2020-093: Discussion Papers on seafood traceability and labelling

TRACEABILITY – PART A
Seafood is one of the most traded food commodities in the world, and has a complex supply chain not just domestically, but globally with further pressures due to COVID-19 impacts. As such, traceability can be a minefield to navigate, but is necessary to build customer and end consumer trust while protecting your brand. 

Within Australia, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), the regulatory body, requires a ‘one up and one down’ approach of tracing food products. ‘One up’ is where the business sold its outward goods to (a customer), and ‘one down’ is where the inward goods came from (a supplier). Internationally, there has been a shift in this approach towards ‘end-to-end’ supply chain traceability, with some calling it ‘bait to plate’. 

Traceability has become a fundamental part of Australian Government policy, with the newly published National Agricultural Innovation Policy Statement October 2021 detailing four priority focus areas. In particular, priorities one, three and four focus on building world-class traceability systems that provide confidence and assurance of Australian product(s) sold from catch/farm through to the end consumer both domestically and internationally. 

A discussion paper has been compiled by Ms Meaghan Dodd (Innovative Food Solutions) that defines traceability; explains why it is important; identifies barriers to adoption; documents laws, standards and guidelines; describes traceability element, systems and technologies; and suggests recommended actions and associated risks going forward. This paper is a living document that attempts to capture the complex and dynamic traceability environment. 
 
LABELLING – PART B
All food sold in Australia must comply with the Food Standards Code. Food label claims are subject to Australian Consumer Law, prohibiting false, misleading or deceptive behaviour.
 
Australian seafood consumers face existing risks and confusion regarding species, nomenclature, and product misrepresentation.
 
The imminent launch of cellular meat and seafood, now being debated globally by producers and regulators, will offer new benefits to consumers. But there are risks. If the Australian seafood industry mishandles these challenges, we will compound existing product misrepresentation and seafood fraud. A Senate Committee is currently assessing the risks and options across meat and seafood consumer products.
 
A discussion paper (with summary) has been compiled by Mr Ewan Colquhoun (Ridge Partners Consultants and Advisers) that updates the issues, challenges and relevant laws, to suggest options and risks going forward. It is a living document which attempts to reflect a very dynamic food labelling environment. 
 
The two discussion papers will be used as first version working documents, with further updates to occur every 12-18 months. 
Final Report • 2021-12-31 • 2.94 MB
2020-093-DLD-Part B-Seafood Labelling Discussion Paper.pdf

Project products

Report • 2021-12-31 • 179.10 KB
2020-093-DLD-Part B-Seafood Labelling Discussion Paper-SUMMARY.pdf
People
Communities
Industry

Australian Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics 2016

Project number: 2017-095
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $88,000.00
Principal Investigator: Robert Curtotti
Organisation: Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
Project start/end date: 27 Jul 2017 - 29 Jun 2018
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Trade
Stock Assessment
Stakeholder
Policy
Market Opportunities

Need

Statistics on Australian fisheries production and trade provides a source of information for a range of
purposes. The information can be used to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries
managers, policymakers and researchers. It can assist in policy decisions, industry marketing strategies and
the allocation of research funding or priorities. The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for
determining the research and development levies collected by government. The neutrality and integrity of
GVP estimates is therefore important due to their forming the basis for research levies for each fishery. At the
international level, the Department of Agriculture through Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource
Economics and Sciences (ABARES) contributes to a number of international databases. These include
databases managed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD). Information at the international level can assist in international
negotiations on issues such as transboundary fisheries and analysis of trade opportunities.

Objectives

1. To maintain and improve the data base of production, gross value of production and trade statistics forthe Australian fishing industry, including aquaculture
2. To provide these data in an accessible form

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-74323-354-2
Authors: Curtotti R
Final Report • 2018-04-01 • 1.22 MB
2017-095-DLD.pdf

Summary

Since 1991 ABARES has annually published detailed production and trade data in Australian Fisheries Statistics (now Australian fisheries and aquaculture statistics) to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industries, fisheries managers, policy makers and researchers. The research undertaken in this project (2017/095) produced data on the volume and value of production from Commonwealth, state and Northern Territory fisheries, and the volume and value of Australian fisheries trade, by destination, source and product, covering the years 2005-06 to 2015-16. The report also contained industry structure profiles of Commonwealth, state and Northern Territory fisheries.
An important aspect of this project is the requirement to undertake continuous improvement for each subsequent published edition. Improvements should build on each other and are aimed at enhancing the coverage of fisheries so that all commercial fishing activities are included, incorporating industry employment data where available, maintaining the relevance of the data presented in both the production and trade tables, and refining fishery divisions and important species categories. This is achived by publishing the most up to date data available for production statistics and a set of trade data for the same production year.

Project products

Report • 2017-12-01 • 8.68 MB
2017-095 AustFishAquacStats_2016_v1.0.0.pdf

Summary

The Australian fisheries and aquaculture statistics report is a comprehensive source of information for the commercial fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries managers, policymakers and researchers. Since 1991 the report has presented annual updates of fisheries production and trade data and from 2013 it has included data on Australian seafood consumption. Estimates of the gross value of production provided in the report are used for a range of purposes, including to determine Commonwealth, state and territory fisheries research funding arrangements each year.
 
The report contains data on the volume and value of production from state and Commonwealth commercial fisheries and on the volume and value of Australian fisheries trade by destination, source and product. Profiles of Australian commercial and aquaculture fisheries in 2014–15 and 2015–16 are also provided. These profiles display the number of licence holders by selected species and fishing methods for all Commonwealth, state and territory fisheries. The publication is primarily focused on providing statistics for production volumes and the landings / farmgate value of the commercial fishing and aquaculture sectors of the Australian fishing industry, which also includes the recreational and Indigenous fishing sectors. While information on recreational and customary wild-caught fishing is also included, statistics on the volumes of wild-caught product by these sectors is not provided. As a result, the publication gives only a partial estimate of the total volume of wild-caught production.
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