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

Introduction
Independent data validation in commercial fishing is becoming more commonplace in Australia. Fisheries in Australia provide a significant income to the country, and play an integral role in our food security, livelihoods, and social lives. Challenges such as overfishing, illegal and unreported fishing, bycatch and interactions with threatened, endangered, or protected species, provide hinderances to fully sustainable fishing. The increasing demands on the marine environment for energy production, marine protected areas, and recreational use are leading management of fisheries in Australia to be spatially based. Currently, some jurisdictions in Australia (e.g. Queensland, Tasmania, Australian Fisheries Management Authority), have already introduced independent data validation programs. The aim of these programs is, on the surface, to improve the quality, reliability, and transparency of fisheries data in Australia. However, there is considerable distrust from commercial fishers regarding a) data collection methods; b) the use of collected data; c) the legality of both collecting, and storing data; d) the cost of installing and running the systems – both financial and physical; e) ongoing maintenance of systems; f) the reliability of data from the systems, and g) whether the data are actually going to be used for their intended purpose.
Recognising the need for greater transparency in fisheries data, and the general distrust of these systems, this project aims to provide an external review of data validation options, uses, and opportunities within Australia.
Objective
The primary objective of this project is to address industry stakeholders’ concerns regarding the reliability and transparency around the collection, use, and storage of independent fisheries data validation methods. This will be achieved by conducting a comprehensive, and systematic review of independent data validation (IDV) processes both within Australia, and globally. The review will then allow us to evaluate IDV mechanisms, legal implications around IDV, and economic considerations of various IDV methods, including whether any value-add opportunities exist. The project will provide outputs that will allow for efficient choice of relevant data validation options for particular fisheries in Australia, while outlining the pros and cons for relevant methods. The results will enhance confidence for commercial fishers, and fishery managers around choosing the best data validation options for their fishery.

Methods
1) Systematic literature review to determine available independent data validation methods
We will research and compile a comprehensive list of independent data validation methods (IDV) that are available currently, and in the future through a systematic literature review. The systematic literature review will cover peer-reviewed literature and relevant reports published globally in the last 10 years. The review will examine existing technologies, methodologies, and best practices in IDV used in relevant industries (not just limited to fisheries), and present a summary of current best practice, and likely additions in the future to IDV. The review will include information on the potential add-on possibilities associated with IDV methods – which will be expanded upon in (4). The review will equip industry stakeholders with the knowledge to fully understand the range of options in IDV, and those most suitable for their fishery.
2) Stakeholder consultation – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT)
Within the project we will conduct an extensive survey across a diversity of fishers across Australia (including those that have already implemented IDV, and those that have not), to gather insight into the perceptions of independent data validation (IDV). Through this SWOT analysis, we will identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with current IDV mechanisms from the perception of industry, and map this to the published literature in point (1). This will allow us to address concerns from industry and identify those concerns that are representative of IDV globally. This analysis will serve as a foundational understanding of the industry's readiness and receptiveness towards adopting IDV and provide industry with independent information relating to their concerns.
3) Review of legal implications for IDV implementation, including case studies
Alongside the systematic literature review in (1), we will conduct a thorough review of Australian legislation relating to IDV. This will include both publicly available legal documents, and information regarding internal policy documents from governmental departments. The review will include fisheries legislation and policy, data ownership, data licencing, data storing, and Freedom of Information requests that have occurred within the context of fisheries data relating to IDV. Some of industry’s concerns regarding IDV relate to how the data will be used outside of a fisheries context, and we will ensure that our legislative review includes advice regarding data use. The review will provide information on Australian legislation relating to IDV, and data collection, storage and sharing.
4) Assessment of value-add opportunities
Building upon the findings from (1-3), we will assess the value-add opportunities presented by adopting IDV. This assessment will include a financial model similar to the one in the report “Challenges, Opportunities, and Costs of Electronic Monitoring” that was published by The Environmental Defence Fund in 2016 [REF] that will provide industry with a tool to investigate the costs and benefits of adopting various IDV methods. Additionally, we will explore how IDV can contribute to improved market access, stakeholder relationships, and sustainability credentials for fisheries businesses, alongside the potential of improved data quality from fisheries. Our work will build on our planned literature and legal review of independent data validation (IDV) and provide potential ‘value-add’ opportunities for commercial fishers, based on the information in the review. Some potential benefits may include:
• Increased or improved market access (where IDV can demonstrate aspects of sustainable fishing practices required by, for example, sustainability labels such as the Marine Stewardship Council Certification).
• Potential for selling or distribution of data to researchers / third parties (depending on data owners.

We will include updated outcomes and outputs from the project as detailed below, and will look to refine these with the Professional Fishers Association of New South Wales, commercial fishers, and the Steering Committee.

5) Best Practice Guidelines
We will provide industry and fisheries resource managers with a Best Practice Guideline relating to IDV as a formal result from the steps (1-4) above.
6) Engagement with Industry Stakeholders
Throughout the project, we will actively engage with industry stakeholders through workshops, focus groups, and one-on-one consultations to discuss project findings. This engagement will provide a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge sharing, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment among stakeholders towards implementing IDV practices. We will facilitate target outreach efforts engaging with industry associations, peak bodies, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other interested parties on the project progress.