4 results
Environment
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2017-210
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

National fisheries and aquaculture industry social and economic contributions study: Phase 1

This report presents estimates of the economic contribution of Australia’s fisheries and aquaculture industries to the Australian community for 2017/18. It forms part of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry Contributions Study (FRDC project 2017-210) which was funded by the...
ORGANISATION:
University of Tasmania
TAGS
Social Science
Social Science
Resource Access And Allocation
Human Dimensions Research
Fisheries Management
SPECIES
Blacklip Abalone

The role of the recreational fisher in the stewardship of the Southern Bluefin Tuna fishery

Project number: 2017-123
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $597,955.00
Principal Investigator: Sean Tracey
Organisation: University of Tasmania
Project start/end date: 29 Dec 2017 - 29 Dec 2020
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Sustainability
Stock Assessment
Stakeholder
Recreational Fishing
Education
SPECIES
Southern Bluefin Tuna

Need

SBT is a lucrative export commodity for Australia, valued at around $130 to $150 million per year and recreational fishing is an important leisure activity for many Australians of all ages and backgrounds, with notable social and economic benefits. Therefore, there is a need to find a sustainable approach to support both the commercial and recreational SBT fishing industries. While the recognition and management of the commercial sector is well established, it is crucial to find a sustainable approach to recognise and support continued access and certainty to current and future recreational fishers.

Ultimately, there is a need to quantify the recreational harvest of SBT to satisfy Australia’s international obligations to CCSBT and the rebuilding of the SBT population. Previous FRDC funded research has assessed the most effective ways to deliver ongoing estimates of recreational harvest and the implementation of a national SBT recreational harvest survey is a commitment of the Australian Government.

Parallel to the need to quantify catch is a need to provide a targeted education program to ensure that the recreational sector understands the broader situation as it relates to SBT stocks and to foster stewardship of this iconic conservation dependant species. It is envisioned that improved stewardship and education of the recreational sector targeting SBT will facilitate responsible fishing practices in regard to reducing wastage of harvested fish, consideration of best practices in relation to fish handling to improve meat quality changing the fishery from a ‘quantity of meat’ fishery to a ‘quality of meat’ fishery, subsequently increasing catch and release rates, improved handling practices of released fish to maximise post-release survival rates and education on the need for engagement in future surveys to estimate recreational harvest. Documents such as the National Code of Practice for Recreational and Sport Fishing and the Southern Bluefin Tuna Recreational Fishery Code of Practice will be drawn on to inform this component of the program.

Objectives

1. Deliver an education program and communication strategy focusing on responsible fishing practices within the recreational sector and educating grass-roots fishers on the status of Southern Bluefin Tuna.
2. Deliver an education program and communication strategy focusing on responsible fishing practices within the recreational sector and educating grass-roots fishers about the need for, and methods to collect a harvest estimate of the recreational SBT harvest.
3. Deliver an education program and communication strategy focusing on responsible fishing practices within the recreational sector and informing grass-roots fishers on the results of the SBT recreational harvest survey.
4. Determine the impacts and success of the education and communication engagement activities delivered

Flyer

Flyer • 646.49 KB
2017-123-Tuna Champion Flyer.pdf

Project products

Article • 2023-11-21

Summary

Article: Six years on from the launchArticle: Six years on from the launch of Tuna Champions, project leader Professor Sean Tracey reflects on the success and evolution of the education campaign focused on recreational fishers and the iconic Southern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus maccoyii)

A clearly focused project, an iconic fish species on the rise and advocacy from leaders within the recreational fishing community are key factors giving rise to the success of FRDC-funded Tuna Champions initiative of Tuna Champions, project leader Professor Sean Tracey reflects on the success and evolution of the education campaign focused on recreational fishers and the iconic Southern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus maccoyii).
Final Report • 2023-09-01 • 83.07 MB
2017-123-DLD.pdf

Improved risk management of paralytic shellfish toxins in Southern Rock Lobster

Project number: 2017-086
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $885,500.00
Principal Investigator: Gustaaf Hallegraeff
Organisation: University of Tasmania
Project start/end date: 14 Mar 2018 - 7 Jul 2021
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Toxin
Fisheries Management
Electronic Monitoring
Disease
Diagnostic
SPECIES
Southern Rock Lobster

Need

The $84 M lobster industry has been impacted by seasonal Tasmanian closures (up to 5+ months) due to PST contamination of hepatopancreas (HP) notably in the St Helens and Maria Island regions (up to 4 mg STX.diHCl/kg), and up to Flinders Island, with an estimated lost revenue cost of 780k (Campbell et al 2013). While only trace levels of PSTs have been detected to date in lobster tail meat, HP contamination poses significant trade barriers for key markets such as China and Hong Kong. While cooking of lobsters did not release biotoxins into the cooking water, HP is a sought after foodstuff (mainly used as a dipping sauce for tail meat) and consumed by 16% of fishers on the Tasmanian east coast and 22% on the west coast, but this has since decreased due to public health warnings. Limited evidence suggests that PST contamination of lobsters may also occasionally occur in South Australia and Victoria.

The monitoring, management and mitigation approaches for biotoxin risks in crustaceans (as spelled out in the DPIPWE Rock Lobster Biotoxin Plan and Decision Protocol) remain poorly developed. The current approach uses bivalve PST monitoring as a trigger for lobster testing, with a very limited number (5) animals tested at a prohibitive cost of 5k, which if positive (>0.8 mg/kg STX eq) leads to lengthy closures of large fishing zones.

The proposed work will refine monitoring tools to reduce the costs associated with PST biotoxin risk management of Southern Rock Lobster, including the application of cheaper and faster (and hence more frequent and more reliable) PST testing and also explore whether tests can be conducted in a non-destructive manner using haemolymph as a proxy.

In addition, tank studies of PST in lobster and field studies on the variation in toxicity, and the validation of a rapid test kit will help to inform the effectiveness of the current geographical zones in the management plan.

Potential impact of PST on lobster vigour will also be investigated using a combination of tank exposure and blood biomarker studies, the latter once calibrated also applied to Tasmanian field surveys.

Objectives

1. Assess the applicability of Neogen PST test kits for lobster viscera
2. Exploration of Neogen PST tests on lobster haemolymph as a proxy for lobster viscera PST contamination
3. Determination of the impact of PST accumulation on lobster vigour
4. Improved definition of East Coast Tasmanian lobster management zones, based on improved understanding of dietary origin of PST (from tank studies), and improved understanding of variability ( from field studies ).

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-922708-32-8 978-1-922708-31-1
Authors: Gustaaf Hallegraeff Alison Turnbull Andreas Seger Juan Dorantes-Aranda Caleb Gardner Quinn Fitzgibbon and Hillary Revill
Final Report • 2023-04-01 • 8.04 MB
2017-086-DLD.pdf

Summary

To examine toxicokinetics of PST in Southern Rock Lobster, an experimental study was undertaken in a biosecure aquaculture facility in South Australia. Adult male lobsters were fed highly toxic mussels (6 mg STX.2HCl equiv. kg−1) sourced from the Tasmanian east coast for 4 weeks, then allowed to depurate for a further 5 weeks. Control (fed non-toxic mussels) and exposed lobster were harvested at regular intervals, tissues dissected and analysed for PST. The lobsters rapidly accumulated PST in the hepatopancreas (exponential rate of 6% per day), exceeding the bivalve ML within one week, and reaching a maximum of 9.0 mg STX.2HCl equiv. kg−1. Once toxic feed was removed, the lobster depurated at a rate of 7% per day. Toxins were found in lobster antennal glands at concentrations two orders of magnitude lower than found in the hepatopancreas. This is the first report of PST in lobster antennal glands which, along with the gills, represent possible excretion routes for PST. However, PST were not detected at significant levels in the lobster haemolymph, which rules out the possibility of nondestructive sampling of lobsters for biotoxin analyses.
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