This project is needed to assess the impacts of the South Australian Sardine Fishery (SASF) on the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis). The SASF is Australia’s largest volume fishery and is critical to providing a supply of feed for the ranching of southern bluefin tuna. Operational interactions between common dolphins and the SASF have been persistent since the development of the fishery. Common dolphins occasionally become encircled in purse seine nets during fishing operations, which can lead to their injury and death. Observations of high interaction rates from an initial observer program, led to the temporary closure of the fishery in 2005 while an industry Code of Practice (CoP) to reduce dolphin interactions was developed. Since then, the CoP has been reviewed and refined to increase its effectiveness in preventing dolphin interactions, and improve release procedures. An independent on-board observer program has operated in the fishery since July 2006. It collects information on dolphin interaction and mortality rates, as well as data relating to the application of the CoP, and this information is provided in annual assessment reports. Since the introduction of the CoP, dolphin encirclement and mortality rates have declined, however, concerns about the level of interactions and mortality have persisted, with industry facing sustained pressure to demonstrate that steps taken to manage and mitigate dolphin interactions represent World’s best practice, and are sustainable.

This project is needed to address Marine Stewardship Council Fishery Assessment recommendations for the SASF to collect adequate and sufficient quantitative information to assess the consequences of interactions with common dolphins on their populations. This project is needed to provide an important Australian fisheries test-case for meeting new US Government legislation, requiring nations importing seafood to demonstrate that they have a regulatory program for reducing marine mammal bycatch that are comparable in effectiveness to US standards.

Due to the recent detection of POMS in wild Pacific Oysters in the Port River, the SA industry urgently need POMS resistant oysters. Having POMS resistant oysters stocked onto farms prior to any potential outbreak will be critical for protecting the industry from significant losses and financial impacts.

To achieve a resistance level of over 90% for ≥ one year old oysters, the SA Pacific Oyster selective breeding program will need to establish at least three more generations of families for genetic improvement after the completion of the Future Oysters CRC-P project in 2019.

Establishing the SA Pacific Oyster selective breeding program requires specific techniques and skills. SARDI is the only organisation in SA that has the purpose-built hatchery facility for this species and has produced target numbers of Pacific Oyster families over the last three seasons. SARDI also has a well-established team in oyster genetics and bivalve hatchery technologies.

To support the Stage 2 development of the SA selective breeding program, Flinders Ports, in partnership with the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), ASI, SAOGA and PIRSA-SARDI will jointly fund this project for the SA oyster industry to address POMS risks, and further mitigate the risk factors associated with the spread of POMS outside the Port River related to dredging activities in the Outer Harbour.

Understanding the demographic characteristics, connectivity and stock structure of a fish species is crucial for identifying the appropriate scale and strategy for management.

Black bream is a slow growing and long-lived finfish species with reproduction confined to estuarine habitats. It is distributed in the estuaries and inshore marine waters of southern Australia, from central NSW to central west coast WA, including Tasmania. Throughout its broad distribution, black bream is thought to be composed of a number of isolated spawning stocks, with limited evidence of movements between estuaries.

In SA, black bream supports important commercial fisheries, and is highly sought-after by recreational anglers. Most of the State-wide commercial catch is taken by the Lakes and Coorong Fishery (LCF) in the Coorong estuary, with smaller contributions taken by the Marine Scalefish Fishery. In 2016, the LCF for black bream, which was historically one of Australia’s most productive black bream fisheries, was classified as ‘overfished’. It is unknown whether this status is reflective of the broader population in SA waters, or if current management arrangements for the Coorong population, which are aimed to promote stock recovery, are adequate in terms of the spatial scale that they apply.

There is a need to understand the demography, connectivity and stock structure of black bream populations across southern Australia (SA, VIC and WA). This information will assist in identifying appropriate scales and strategies for management.

‘People development’ is one of several priorities identified in the FRDC’s RD&E Plan 2015-20. The proposed project will be undertaken by a high-performing student as a PhD project. The student will undertake applied research relevant to FRDC stakeholders (scientists, fishery managers, commercial, recreational and indigenous fishers) in SA, and gain industry experience by being co-supervised by scientists from SARDI. The project will increase fisheries science capacity in SA through training of the next generation of researchers.

With fisheries resources under increasing pressure globally from both fishing and non-fishing activities, and the rapid expansion of aquaculture presenting both opportunities and challenges, there is a need to enhance cooperation and collaboration among fisheries professionals to ensure the world’s oceans and rivers are managed sustainably for the benefit of current and future generations.
The WFC2020 aims to attract fisheries professional worldwide by promoting an engaging program featuring internationally recognised keynote speakers that will prompt debate and discussion about new research, fisheries utilisation and access, and management implications and actions.
FRDC funding is sought to assist organisers generate successful outcomes by facilitating greater benefits and appeal to delegates. Funds will contribute to the overall Congress budget, and assist in providing dedicated resources to ensure successful planning and organisation of the event. This may include: attracting high profile international keynote speakers; world-class venue facilities; event promotion; and creating a legacy to the wider community.
This proposal addresses two of FRDC’s national priorities:
(i) Ensuring that Australian fishing and aquaculture products are sustainable and acknowledged to be so.
(ii) Improving productivity and profitability of fishing and aquaculture.
The WFC2020 provides an opportunity for the Australian and New Zealand seafood industries to demonstrate to the international fisheries community and the broader public that they are leaders in sustainable management of fisheries and aquatic systems, producing some of the highest quality sustainable seafood in the world. Furthermore, the Congress will provide the local fishing, aquaculture, recreational and indigenous sectors with unparalleled access to the latest research, technological developments and updates on global markets.
People Development is also addressed in this proposal, in encouraging knowledge transfer and R&D adoption within the international fisheries community and providing an opportunity for the Australian and New Zealand fishing industries to take a lead role in debating and discussing current and future research.

There is opportunity for the WA Salmon Fishery in SA to expand into emerging national and international seafood markets, and the possibility that the stock may be more heavily exploited in the future. Given the shared nature of the resource among commercial, recreational, Charter Boat and indigenous sectors, it is important that appropriate management is place to ensure that any expansion of the fishery does not compromise the overall sustainability of the resource. This includes ensuring the species remains one of the premier inshore sportfish for recreational anglers in SA.

The current level of biological information that exists for WA Salmon is dated (Malcolm 1960; Cappo 1987) and largely focuses on the coastal component of the stock in SA. Contemporary information on the fine-scale population structure and fisheries biology of the WA Salmon stock in South Australian waters is needed to enable improved assessment of stock status and fisheries management and inform appropriate resource sharing among sectors.

The current ‘sustainable’ status assigned to WA Salmon stock in SA is predominantly based on commercial catch and effort data integrated with limited information from the recreational and Charter Boat sector. Given the importance of WA Salmon to recreational fishers and the capacity for the commercial sector to increase production there is a need to develop a fishery-independent means of assessing the relative abundance to enhance future assessments of stock status and assess whether the current management arrangements for the commercial sector is appropriate.

Given the multi-sectoral use of the resource and SA’s government commitment to maintaining quality recreational fishing opportunities; providing greater certainty for industry; and ensuring the continued supply of commercially harvested premium seafood, there is a need to develop a representative steering committee that is committed to achieving the objectives, outcomes, adoption and extension of this project.