Mud cockle (Katelysia spp.) stock enhancement/restoration: practical implementation and policy evaluation
Review of fishery resource access and allocation arrangements across Australian jurisdictions
Resource Sharing in Australian Fisheries Workshop - Progress to Date, Lessons Learnt and Next Steps towards a harmonised approach
There is an urgent need to reflect on the current state of fisheries resource sharing in Australia and how it can meet future demands. Over the past 20 years individual Australian jurisdictions have developed and implemented resource sharing arrangements. These generally apply to commercial and recreational fisheries, and in some cases indigenous cultural fishers. The resource sharing arrangements stem from the objectives of fisheries legislation in Australia which is based on the principles of ESD that include consideration of all fishery resource users in the management of fisheries. Understandably when management resources are limited the focus is on those having the greatest impact on fish stock which for most species is the commercial sector, and sometimes the recreational sector. The use of OCS provisions in fisheries legislation was both an effort to simplify commercial fisheries management and reduce the need to have resource sharing arrangements. While this was largely successful it has run its course due to the value of commercial rights ($billions) that have now accrued under current OCS agreements making it almost impossible to make further significant changes. Alongside these developments a component of the recreational fishing sector has been increasing its range and capacity to catch fish using larger boats and technology similar to that employed by some commercial fishers. This has led to traditionally commercial species being accessed by recreational fishers with growing concerns from the former sector about their fishing future. Various policies and statutes have been implemented by the states/NT in an effort to allocate the shares of a fish stock. This has become easier as a growing number of fish stocks are subject to TACs with the commercial fishers subject to ITQs and recreational fishers to increasingly stock-specific possession limits. Despite this those states/NT who have implemented resource sharing have experienced its contentious, costly and drawn out nature, and are only starting to confront stocks which cross both jurisdictions and fishing sectors. It is time to reflect on experience to date and find the best way to manage fisheries resource sharing in the future.
Workshop
Tactical Research Fund: Nutrient and phytoplankton data from Storm Bay to support sustainable resource planning
Knowledge of changing environmental conditions and productivity as a result of climate change is essential for adaptive management. In addition to direct applicability to fisheries and aquaculture in southern Tasmania, this information will have numerous important applications to other industries and stakeholders in the broader catchment.
CSIRO and TAFI have established a program (INFORMD- Inshore network for observation and regional management: Derwent-Huon) to guide multiple use coastal zone development and management. Storm Bay is an integral component of the INFORMD region and a priority is to understand both the short term (climate variability) and long-term (climate change) drivers of productivity in the region and link these to production of fisheries and aquaculture. CSIRO have a project investigating novel observing technologies (NOTe) to characterize the Derwent to shelf environment and TAFI will fund a charter vessel to monthly sample water column environmental variables, and support the CSIRO observing system. Thus an opportunity exists to obtain nutrient and productivity data in the Storm Bay region in a very cost-effective manner by collaborating with the existing research program.
Important background information is that the East Australian Current is predicted to penetrate further south causing significant warming and decreased productivity. Previous work (Harris et al 1991) showed that the nutrient status of waters clearly indicated the influence of the EAC, and primary producers indicated the productivity of the region, demonstrating the potential for Storm Bay to act as an indicator of productivity for Southern and Eastern Tasmania. Such information is important to understanding changes in fisheries and aquaculture production and, as a consequence, to assist with developing climate change adaptive management strategies.
This project also provides an opportunity for FRDC to invest in a project that will have significant influence on multiple use management in Australia.
Final report
This project has provided preliminary data on environmental conditions in Storm Bay that is assisting managers and marine industries to better understand effects of climate change and climate variability on fisheries and aquaculture in the region, including changing currents and primary productivity. This information is being used to inform the development of climate change adaptive management strategies for commercial and recreational fisheries and for the potential expansion of salmon aquaculture into Storm Bay. The environmental characterisation of Storm Bay is also supporting planning in the region, by providing baseline data and data for projects modelling the bay’s water circulation and ecosystem dynamics. This information will support the development of multiple use management plans for the region.
Keywords: Climate variability, Storm Bay, water quality, productivity, offshore salmon aquaculture