PROJECT NUMBER
•
2021-099
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
Affectus Pty Ltd
244 results
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2021-095
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
Designing the integration of extension into research projects: tangible pathways to enhance adoption and impact
How can we get greater adoption of the outcomes from Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) projects? This
question has perplexed us for decades, and it seems there are no simple silver bullets. It’s a complex problem but through
this project, ‘Designing the...
ORGANISATION:
Hort Innovation
Identifying mechanisms and data collection options to aid socio-economic analysis of the NT seafood industry
Project number:
2021-034
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$99,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Katherine Winchester
Organisation:
Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC)
Project start/end date:
24 Feb 2022
-
27 Oct 2022
Contact:
FRDC
This project seeks to position the NT seafood industry to have a clear understanding of suitable and cost effective, valued systems and processes for adoption. It is the critical first step required to aid a shift in the behaviour and culture from a government driven data collection process for legislative purposes, to a process that is trusted and valued by industry to deliver data insights beyond regulatory requirements. As a result, it will help position the NT wild harvest and aquaculture sectors with securing access, investment and development opportunities.
Current negotiations for access to Aboriginal-owned tidal waters have reached a critical point. A gap exists in understanding what level of industry adjustment might be required to ensure Indigenous investment in the industry is not unnecessarily impacted. Better understanding the full value of the NT seafood industry to the NT community could assist with all strategic decisions related to Blue Mud Bay negotiations, infrastructure investments – and help support investment in the industry going forward.
Without a plan to enhance the visibility of the wider socio-economic value and benefits of our industry, we will continue to face increasing pressure on our social licence to operate – which has the potential to impact all aspects of the local industry, including access, industry structure and increased fees. It will also limit our ability to identify the best opportunities for future growth and sustainability.
Further, there is limited availability of current financial and economic information for our individual NT wild harvest fisheries and sector specific aquaculture activities. Due to this lack of information there is little scope for economic analysis, hence limiting opportunities for providing advice to policy and decision makers.
1. Consolidate a methodology for ongoing valuation reporting and capacity for impact assessment of the NT's seafood industry via application of the FRDC’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry social and economic contributions study
2. In consultation with the relevant fishery sectors and the NT Government prepare a list of agreed economic indicators for annual reporting
3. Establish a set of protocols with NTG to provide, on an annual basis, the data already collected and held by NTG that will underpin the preparation of annual economic indicators
4. Develop a program/schedule for undertaking an economic survey of concession holders in NT commercial fisheries
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2020-088
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
Quantifying inter-sectoral values within and among the Indigenous, commercial and recreational sectors
This study explored the extent to which values are shared (or not shared) by fishers across three key sectors (i.e., Indigenous, commercial and recreational). The study was run online using Q-Method Software (https://qmethodsoftware.com), a semi-quantitative technique used to explore human...
ORGANISATION:
Natural Capital Economics
Australian Society for Fish Biology: Scientific networking, early career development, international engagement and 50th celebrations
Project number:
2020-055
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$75,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Alison J. King
Organisation:
Australian Society For Fish Biology Inc
Project start/end date:
13 Jul 2020
-
28 Dec 2023
Contact:
FRDC
In the face of mounting pressure on Australia’s marine and freshwater ecosystems, there is a continuing need for robust scientific information to support the sustainable development and management of our aquatic resources. The ASFB is Australasia’s premier professional association for fish and fisheries researchers. The annual science conference makes an important and tangible contribution to skill development of people involved in fish and fisheries research and management, particularly offering students and early career researchers opportunities to present their work, interact with peers and develop collaborative links. The ASFB has a strong commitment to promoting and communicating science, encouraging sustainable management practices, encouraging excellence in fisheries research, and recognizing outstanding contributions of scientists and professionals through various awards and scholarships. Additionally, the ASFB has recognised the need for increased international engagement via increased active involvement with in particular World Council of Fisheries Societies and with the American Fisheries Society.
This proposal is seeking sponsorship support for the annual science conference in 2020 (virtual conference due to COVID-19 restrictions), 2021 (WFS congress, Adelaide), 2022 (Joint congress with Indo-Pacific Conference, Auckland) and a series of conference associated awards that support student travel and recognise research excellence. The proposal addresses three people development program goals, namely (i) to encourage knowledge transfer and R&D adoption (ASFB annual science conference) and (ii) to recognise and promote achievements (ASFB awards) and (iii) to enhance industry leadership (bringing together a range of people for the annual conference). These activities will encourage participation and exchange of information and provide an opportunity to develop networks and collaborations with outside organisations. In addition, we also seek support to hold an event at the WFC in Adelaide to celebrate the Society’s 50th year and promote the achievements of Australia and New Zealand’s fish and fisheries science over the last 50 years.
1. Provide a forum for researchers, managers and stakeholders to meet to discuss issues relevant to fish and fisheries science and management
2. Support, encourage and recognise achievements of early career researchers
3. Support and encourage student participation at ASFB's annual science conference and key international conferences
4. Support and promote the ASFB 50th anniversary at the WFC 2021
5. Increased international profile of ASFB via greater participation in activities of World Fisheries Council and planning for World Fisheries Congress
Final report
Authors:
Alison King
Brendan Ebner
Gretchen Grammer
John Morrongiello
Final Report
•
2023-06-01
•
1,018.64 KB
2020-055-DLD.pdf
The Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB) was founded in 1971 and is a professional, independent, non-profit, non-commercial and non-aligned organisation. The Society’s objectives are to promote research, education and management of fish and fisheries and to provide a forum for the exchange of information. The Society promotes an egalitarian and welcoming atmosphere; encourages participation by all members, particularly students; promotes the use of fish research (as defined in the broadest sense) and management of fisheries and aquatic systems; provides access to expertise on fish and fisheries; facilitates professional networks and assists with career development and promotes discussion and workshops on topics of relevance and interest.
The operations of the Society are supported by an Executive Council, with membership representing all States and Territories, New Zealand and student members, and a senior Executive team (President, Vice president, immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer). The Society also has a number of active Committees: Education, Alien fishes, Threatened Fishes, Fisheries Management, Future of the Society, and the newest committee on Fish Welfare. These committees report to the Executive and members (see website links for the Terms of Reference for each committee).
Annual conferences/workshops have been held each year since the Society's inception and provide a forum for scientists, managers, and industry from around Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere to meet and discuss the most recent developments in fish and fisheries science and management. The Society has also hosted a number of successful international conferences, including the 2nd World Fisheries Congress (1996), World Congress on Aquatic Protected Areas (2002) and 8th Indo Pacific Fish Conference (2009). The Society has also hosted a number of successful workshops, with the aim of focussing on a particular technical area or subject for discussion. The Society has a National Conference/Workshop coordinator, to assist future local organising committees and ensure corporate knowledge in this area is maintained.
The operations of the Society are supported by an Executive Council, with membership representing all States and Territories, New Zealand and student members, and a senior Executive team (President, Vice president, immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer). The Society also has a number of active Committees: Education, Alien fishes, Threatened Fishes, Fisheries Management, Future of the Society, and the newest committee on Fish Welfare. These committees report to the Executive and members (see website links for the Terms of Reference for each committee).
Annual conferences/workshops have been held each year since the Society's inception and provide a forum for scientists, managers, and industry from around Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere to meet and discuss the most recent developments in fish and fisheries science and management. The Society has also hosted a number of successful international conferences, including the 2nd World Fisheries Congress (1996), World Congress on Aquatic Protected Areas (2002) and 8th Indo Pacific Fish Conference (2009). The Society has also hosted a number of successful workshops, with the aim of focussing on a particular technical area or subject for discussion. The Society has a National Conference/Workshop coordinator, to assist future local organising committees and ensure corporate knowledge in this area is maintained.
Aquatic animal welfare – a review of guidance documents and legislation
Project number:
2020-040
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$209,420.00
Principal Investigator:
Paul Hardy-Smith
Organisation:
Panaquatic Health Solutions Pty Ltd
Project start/end date:
14 Jan 2021
-
29 Nov 2023
Contact:
FRDC
The aquaculture, commercial and recreational fisheries sectors along with the FRDC have recognised the need to continue the work of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS) Aquatic Animal Working Group (AAWG) (2005-2013). In September 2018, the FRDC funded a workshop to review the activities of the AAWS-AAWG and for the industry peak bodies to prioritize knowledge gaps for future R&D. One of the recommendations from the workshop funded by FRDC 2017-221 was to conduct a stocktake of the current industry processes and legislation that relate to aquatic animal welfare.
The initial stocktake was completed in 2006 by Dr Paul Hardy-Smith and colleagues. The aquatic animal welfare landscape has significantly changed since 2006. States and Territories are developing animal welfare legislation and guidelines that either specifically addresses aquatic animal welfare considerations and/or includes aquatic animals (e.g. fish, crustaceans) under the definition of “animal” in the legislation. This changing landscape has implications for “in-field” practices (e.g. methods used to kill aquatic animals) and other practices (e.g. transportation of live aquatic animals).
It is critically important that the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishing sectors understand the implications of this changing landscape. These sectors need to ensure their own guidelines or codes of conduct are addressing the regional requirements and if they are not, then it is important that they are assisted in addressing changes to protect themselves. It is important that aquatic animal welfare requirements in no way place human welfare at risk. There is a need to promote the changes to industry practice that have positive outcomes for aquatic animal welfare and to ensure industry practices are keeping within the welfare requirements of that State or Territory.
Our project will comprehensively document and analyse the legislative framework as it applies to aquatic animal welfare in each State and Territory. The project will identify key areas of concern for commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational sectors which will be used to assist in developing priority case studies.
1. To conduct a contemporary stocktake of Australia's current aquatic animal welfare policies, programs, and procedures as expressed in legislation, Codes of Practice, Standards or other relevant guidance documents as applicable to the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishery sectors.
2. To develop case studies to assess the suitability and practicality of the all Codes of Practice, Standards or other relevant guidance documents to align with industry practice and the legislative animal welfare requirements in the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishery sectors.
3. Make recommendations to improve the alignment of industry practice with legislation for improved outcomes for aquatic animal welfare in the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishery sectors.
Report
ISBN:
978-0-9756047-6-2
Authors:
Dr Paul Hardy-Smith
Dr Joy A. Becker and Dr Robert Jones
Report
•
2023-03-01
•
3.07 MB
2020-040-DLD.pdf
This report provides a contemporary review of aquatic animal welfare in Australia, focussing on fish, crustaceans and cephalopods that are captured or farmed in the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishing sectors in Australia. It also reviews the welfare of aquatic animals used in teaching or research.
Aquatic animals, like all animals, play an important role in maintaining a healthy environment. Many aquatic animals are valuable sources of nutrition for humans and other animals and contribute significantly to Australia’s primary industry in both domestic and international trade. Other aquatic animals have cultural and economic importance to our tourism and recreational industries. For aquatic animals, as with other animals, better health through improved welfare can increase productivity and can have beneficial impacts on sustainability.
The last review of aquatic animal welfare arrangements in Australia was conducted in 2006. Community understanding of animal welfare, including aquatic animal welfare, has increased since then. Having a sound understanding of animal welfare laws and any changes that may be happening to those laws is important to industries that work with aquatic animals.
Aquatic animals, like all animals, play an important role in maintaining a healthy environment. Many aquatic animals are valuable sources of nutrition for humans and other animals and contribute significantly to Australia’s primary industry in both domestic and international trade. Other aquatic animals have cultural and economic importance to our tourism and recreational industries. For aquatic animals, as with other animals, better health through improved welfare can increase productivity and can have beneficial impacts on sustainability.
The last review of aquatic animal welfare arrangements in Australia was conducted in 2006. Community understanding of animal welfare, including aquatic animal welfare, has increased since then. Having a sound understanding of animal welfare laws and any changes that may be happening to those laws is important to industries that work with aquatic animals.
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2020-036
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
Identifying population connectivity of shark bycatch species in NT waters
Charles Darwin University and the Northern Territory (NT) Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (DITT) Fisheries Division used genetic data to investigate the population structure of two small tropical shark species (Milk Shark [Rhizoprionodon acutus] and Australian Blackspot Shark [Carcharhinus...
ORGANISATION:
Charles Darwin University (CDU)
Determining the spatial distribution and abundance indices for Moreton Bay Bugs, Thenus parindicus and Thenus australiensis in Queensland to improve stock assessment and management
Project number:
2020-020
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$596,710.00
Principal Investigator:
Matthew McMillan
Organisation:
Department of Primary Industries (QLD)
Project start/end date:
31 Aug 2020
-
30 Mar 2023
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
Moreton Bay bugs (Scyllarid lobsters) are a commercially important fished resource in northern Australian coastal waters. About 600 tonnes of bugs is reported in logbooks annually, valued at about $15 million (~$25/kg) nationally. About 90% of the catch is taken in the Queensland east coast otter trawl fishery (QECOTF) (https://www.fish.gov.au/report/154-MORETON-BAY-BUGS-2018).
Historically, Moreton Bay bugs were retained as byproduct of prawn and scallop trawling, but over time their popularity and price have increased and they have become increasingly targeted by fishers. In recent years in the Queensland scallop fishery, the scallop catch has declined and fishers have targeted bugs to such an extent that their catch value now exceeds that of the scallops.
Quantifying the fishing effort targeted at bugs and differentiating it from the prawn and scallop effort is challenging. This complicates the estimation of reliable catch rate time series that can be used as an index of abundance for each group (i.e. bugs, prawns, scallops).
Despite their high value, Queensland has not previously undertaken a stock assessment of Moreton Bay Bugs, beyond yield-per-recruit analyses. This is largely because the Bug catch is composed of two species, reef bugs (Thenus australiensis) and mud bugs (Thenus parindicus) which are not differentiated by fishers in the logbook data. Mud bugs are the smaller of the two species and generally occur in depths of 10–30 m, while the larger reef bug generally occurs in depths of 30–60 m. Although there is some spatial separation of the species it is not possible to breakdown the catch of each from the logbook data alone.
This project aims to examine and define the spatial distribution of the two bug species. By surveying and sampling bugs, and examining seafloor properties, we hope to predict and map the distribution of each species. Once clear distinctions are made, we plan to use all available data on catch rates and gear technology used by the fleet, to derive standardised catch rate time series for each species, which can be used as indices of abundance for improved management and assessment.
1. Implement a state-wide crew member program to obtain detailed photographic records of Moreton Bay bug catches, to assist with determining the species composition and distribution of catches.
2. Undertake a stratified survey of bug catch rates, species composition and seafloor properties in the main trawl fishing grounds off Townsville.
3. Use all available data sources to model, predict and map the spatial distribution of the two species of Moreton Bay bugs along the Queensland coast.
4. Produce long-term standardised catch rates for each bug species that can be used as an index of abundance for stock assessment and management.
Final report
ISBN:
978-0-6456352-1-8
Authors:
McMillan
M.N
Leahy
S.M.
Daniell
J.
Louw
N.
Roberts
E.M.
Wickens
M.
Hillcoat
K.
O’Neill
M.F
Final Report
•
9.51 MB
2020-020-DLD.pdf
We report on the first comprehensive investigation into the spatial distribution of Moreton Bay Bugs within the Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery. This research was a collaboration between the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and James Cook University, applying interdisciplinary approaches to successfully model habitat preferences of the two Moreton Bay Bug species and map their distributions along Queensland’s east coast. Historic catch records were then split according to each species’ spatial distribution. From these records, standardised catch rates were produced as indices of abundance for each species for use in future stock assessments of the Moreton Bay Bug fishery.
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2019-214
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
Survey for WSSV vectors in the Moreton Bay White Spot Biosecurity Area
The objective of this project was to undertake opportunistic plankton sampling and collect
small non-commercial species of decapod crustaceans in northern Moreton Bay and near the
intakes of the three prawn farms which remained operating on the Logan River during April and May 2020,
at a time when...
ORGANISATION:
DigsFish Services Pty Ltd
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2019-212
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
Compilation of information for the US Marine Mammal Protection Act Comparability Finding process
Recent changes to legislation in the United States (US) requires that nations importing seafood must demonstrate that they have a regulatory program for reducing marine mammal bycatch that is comparable in effectiveness to the US standards under the ‘Fish and Fish Product Import...
ORGANISATION:
Alice Ilona Mackay
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