231 results

Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation National Recreational Fishing Conference 2019

Project number: 2018-204
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $70,000.00
Principal Investigator: Mark J. Nikolai
Organisation: Tasmanian Association for Recreational Fishing Inc (TARFish)
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2019 - 30 Mar 2020
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Recreational Fishing
Fisheries Management
Conference
Communications

Need

The 2012/2015 & 2017 National Recreational Fishing Conferences were highly successful, enabling the recreational fishing community to gather and discuss issues of national importance. These events also catalysed four initiatives to advance fishing in Australia: development of a charter for the sector, a national fish habitat rehabilitation plan, and renewed commitment to communicating social benefits of fishing, and delivering leadership development initiatives.

The value of regular fishing sector conferences is recognised among the fishing community, and supported by FRDC, to facilitate continued progress, coordination and recognition of achievements. The next national event for the recreational fishing community is planned for 2019.

The primary aim of this event will be to engage the largest cross-section of Australia's recreational fishing community possible in discussing key issues of relevance to their sector, developing a shared vision for the future and agreeing upon strategic actions to pursue this vision. The 2019 event will be re-focused to more directly benefit grassroots recreational fishers, involving a new format, lower cost to participants, higher levels of involvement of well-known fishing personalities in the program, a focus on increased levels of participant interaction in discussions, and a series of events designed to be both informative and entertaining. The revised approach and program of this event will seek to deliver engagement of the broader recreational fishing community on a scale not previously achieved in Australia.

Objectives

1. Deliver a National Recreational Fishing Conference which increases the level of meaningful engagement with the recreational fishing community in national issues of importance.
2. Engage with participants at the National Conference to identify priority actions to be progressed.
3. Acknowledgement of recreational fishing community achievements.
4. Publication of extension products from the event.

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-646-81627-2
Author: Brett Cleary
Final Report • 2020-01-17 • 970.44 KB
2018-204-DLD.pdf

Summary

Following on from the success of the 2012, 2015 & 2017 National Recreational Fishing Conferences, the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation was successful in securing a funding grant from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) to deliver a National Recreational Fishing Conference in 2019. Holding a National Conference every two years allows sufficient time for issues, concerns and suggestions to proceed in a considered way and for actionable items to commence. The National Conference sought input from multi-jurisdictional and internationally recognised speakers and developed a forum to question the current, and drive the future, direction of recreational fishing in Australia. A regular National Conference also provides the opportunity for peer networks to meet, discuss and learn from other jurisdictions about how the challenges that the recreational fishing sector faces are being addressed.
The 2019 National Conference was held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart, Tasmania on the 10th & 11th December 2019. The theme of the conference was focused on Citizen Science: Our Fishing. Our Research. Our Recreational Future. 127 people attended the 2-day conference which included a broad spread of people from peak bodies, state and federal government agencies, key industry stakeholders and grass roots fishers. Conference attendees also received entrance to a special screening of Al McGlashen’s film Life On The Line: The story of the Southern Bluefin Tuna.
Recfishing Research extended an invitation to all recreational fishers to apply for their bursary program to attend the 2019 National Recreational Fishing Conference. Recfishing Research aimed to send two representatives from each state in Australia to the Conference and all interested recreational fishers across Australia were invited to apply. The bursary program included a half-day introductory workshop for bursary recipients and Recfishing Research committee members, Networking opportunities with leaders in the recreational fishing community during the 2 days of the conference and half-day closing workshop to share lessons learned and future plans. The program was the continuation of an emerging leaders program for the rec sector which has been in place for a number of years. Identifying and developing people as part of a structured ongoing program will ensure continued positive engagement with rec sector representatives in a challenging and constantly changing environment.
Communities
PROJECT NUMBER • 2016-505
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Australia's National Recreational Fishing Conference 2017

Following on from the success of the 2012 and 2015 National Recreational Fishing Conferences, the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation was successful in securing a funding grant from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) to deliver a National Recreational Fishing Conference...
ORGANISATION:
Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF)
TAGS
Recreational Fishing
Media
Fisheries Management
Conference
Communications
Communities
Blank

Tropical fish traps – addressing ghost fishing impacts and refinements to catch reporting/sampling

Project number: 2022-164
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $150,000.00
Principal Investigator: John Wakeford
Organisation: Austral Fisheries Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 31 May 2023 - 31 May 2025
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Rac Nt
Pollution
Environmental Impact

Need

The negative impacts of lost fish traps ghost fishing are well documented and of concern to all parties involved with the sustainable harvest of seafood from the aquatic environment (Macfadyen et al 2009; Newman et al 2011; Vadziutsina & Rodrigo 2020). Essentially, lost fishing gears that continue to kill/harm fish represent an inefficiency in the fish production process, and in essence are a form of waste associated with the harvesting process, that ultimately reduces the yield and casts a bad light on the fishery itself. This project does not meet any specific FRDC priority in the current round, hence the lodgment under (Other), although because of what it attempts to address and minimise, it is likely to gain strong support from those concerned with appropriate management of fisheries i.e., minimising the wasteful use of renewable food resources at a time when there is a food crisis in the world, with parties including the FRDC, AFMA, ENGO's and the fishing industry.

Objectives

1. Quantification of fish trap (various designs) loss rates, both in the distant past and more recently, together with the main factors influencing the loss rate.
2. Quantification of how well “dumped” or unattended traps catch fish, together with the main factors affecting the performance (including the presence of trap disabling mechanisms).
3. Apply refinements* to fishing practices/gear to address loss rates and ghost fishing and assess performance (*utilising observations made in the first year of project).
4. Apply refinements to fishing activity reporting to assist with the management of effort creep, trap loss, and ascertaining appropriate harvest levels for the target species.
Adoption
PROJECT NUMBER • 2020-056
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Evaluation of a smart-phone application to collect recreational fishing catch estimates, including an assessment against an independent probability based survey, using South Australia as a case study

Information on recreational catch and effort is becoming increasingly important to inform fishery stock assessment and the sustainable management of fisheries resources. As smartphone applications ('apps') become more sophisticated and widely available, they are increasingly being used to record...
ORGANISATION:
University of Adelaide
TAGS
Sustainability
Survey
Recreational Fishing
Rac Sa
Modelling

National Recreational Fishing Conference bursary 2019

Project number: 2019-146
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $31,796.17
Principal Investigator: Owen Li
Organisation: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC)
Project start/end date: 20 Oct 2019 - 19 Dec 2019
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Recreational Fishing
Education
Conference
Community

Need

This bursary will deliver against one of Recreational Fishing Research’s RD&E priorities this year: “Upskilling current and emerging leaders within the recreational fishing community”. The bursary will also deliver against the FRDC nominated RD&E priority of “People development”. The National Conference is an excellent opportunity to bring young leaders together to learn about and discuss topical issues and the applications of citizen science to the future of recreational fishing.

Engagements with the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation, and representatives from several state peak bodies have indicated there is a real need to create more learning and development opportunities for current and emerging leaders in the community. This proposal will outline how state peak bodies and the recreational fishing community will be engaged with the aim of sending 2 representatives from each state to the National Conference. This project will give bursary recipients a forum to share their goals and visions for recreational fishing with other leaders before the conference, mentorship during the conference itself, and a platform to share their learning and intentions after the conference.

Objectives

1. Proactively work with the state peak bodies and recreational fishing community to identify current and emerging leaders worthy of receiving the bursary
2. Provide a platform for bursary recipients to share experiences, vision, and learnings
3. Provide bursary recipients opportunities to form collaborative relationships with leaders from other states

Final report

Author: Recfishing Research
Final Report

Summary

Introduction
Over the 10th and 11th of December 2019, the Australian Recreational Fishing Federation held their biannual National recreational Fishing Conference in Hobart, Tasmania. The theme of this conference was “Our Fishing. Our Research. Our Recreational Future”.

In response to the ARFF’s request, the FRDC commissioned a bursary program for 16 individuals from around the country (2 from NT, QLD, TAS, VIC and WA, 3 from NSW, 1 from SA, and 2 Indigenous representatives). 5 leaders from the Victorian Fishing Authority’s Women in Recreational Fishing (WIRF) network were also invited to join activities organised for the bursary winner, and 2 members of Recfish West, whose expenses were paid by Recfish West were also allowed to join the activities.

Program participants attended a half-day introductory workshop the day before the conference, had full access to all conference activities for the 10th -11th of December including the gala dinner, and attended a half-day consolidation workshop on the 12th when feedback was gathered before returning home.

Bursary recipients
Upon application, the bursary winners provided answers to the following:
  • Why do you wish to attend this specific conference?
  • What do you intend to do for the recreational fishing community upon your return from the conference?
The following are the bursary recipients and their affiliations:
  • Howard Jones (TAS) - Executive member of Anglers Alliance Tasmania.
  • Gary France (TAS) - Anglers Alliance Tasmania.
  • Mitchell McMaster (VIC) - Geelong and Bellarine Facilitator for Fishcare.
  • Tom Clayson (VIC) - Member of Fishcare.
  • Laura Schroder (SA) - Marine Scientist
  • Melita McKinnon (NT) - Amateur Fishermen’s Association Northern Territory, Darwin Game Fishing Club
  • Kurt Davis (QLD) - Marine Scientist
  • Robbie Porter (QLD) - Central Moreton Bay Chapter for OzFish Unlimited
  • Adam Martin (NSW) - Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation
  • Eric Burns (NSW) - Jindabyne Branch of the Monaro Acclimatization Society
  • David Harris (NSW) - Team leader Inland Waterways OsFish Unlimited
  • Alanna Hubbard (WA) - Recfishwests
  • Steph Watts (WA) - Recfishwest, 
People
Environment

Tackle Box - Fishing at home during Covid 19

Project number: 2019-213
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $70,000.00
Principal Investigator: Adam J. Martin
Organisation: Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF)
Project start/end date: 14 Oct 2020 - 31 Aug 2021
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Recreational Fishing
Mental Health
Innovation
Habitat
Economic

Need

The ARFF Tackle Box project is funded through the ‘our marine parks’ grants funded by Parks Australia. The project aims to develop a recreational fishing app to collect data from scheduled recreational fishing competitions around Australia with the aim of being able to provide data on the interactions of recreational fishers with Australia’s Commonwealth Marine Parks. So far, the application has 1049 unique users, used for 9 fishing events, and has had data input for 1905 fish and 85 Photo only competition entries.
A real and meaningful opportunity exists for ARFF to lead the national recreational fishing community by introducing some simple retooling of the ARFF Tackle Box app and get on the front foot. There will be a push from some groups to keep people fishing but the reality is we need to be responsible right now. At this point, I think this is a moment FRDC can shine as well by supporting with funding as I am told there is considerable funds still available with the Rec Fish Research budget. Also, the government has subtly announced fiscal stimulus packages for sports and arts soon to keep the population engaged and there maybe potential to tap into both sporting/recreation and mental health funding. We have received offers of help to apply for these funding opportunities by professionals in these fields when they become available.
The proposal is to revise the current model and focus on the stash of data that exists already on people’s phones and keeping people engaged at home so that when the crisis passes, they are ready to go on our network. Capitalising on the low hanging fruit without fishers actively fishing and easily reach a user target of ten thousand people in a matter of weeks and potentially One hundred thousand users within 6 months without leaving home. This consists of 5 key elements:

• Fantasy/Photo only competition where people submit what they have on their phones from previous fishing trips before ARFF’s “quarantine at home/fish within the rules” policy came into effect.
• Community voting, engagement rather than “scoreboards”. It actively engages the community without the need to leave home.
• Keeping people connected with regular briefings and interactions with the states and regio

Objectives

1. To further develop the Tackle box project/application (funded by Parks Australia) to connect recreational fishers during the COVID-19 situation
2. To use the extended platform to educated recreational fishers on the relevance of Government measures to recreational fishing, ensuring those that should not be fishing don’t and those that can know under what conditions they can.
3. To extend FRDC information through the new platform including advertising of the current national social and economic survey and extending of results and information relevant as they become available. Extend other relevant project information in this time such as Tuna Champions, fish handling practices, habitat rehabilitation, safety etc.

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-6484281-1-4
Authors: Adam Martin Stefan Sawynok and Bill Sawynok
Final Report • 1.79 MB
2019-213-DLD.pdf

Summary

This project examined the impact of Covid-19 on recreational fishing using a citizen science approach. The Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) teamed up with Infofish Australia Pty Ltd to use recaptures of tagged fish in Queensland and fishing competitions around Australia in novel ways to assess the impact by comparing data from 2020 with 2019.
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