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PROJECT NUMBER • 2016-412
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

ACPF IPA: Australian wild caught prawn sector RD&E management and communication

This project enabled the Australian Council of Prawn Fishers to coordinate, commission and extend its RD&E investments under the 2016 2020 Industry Partnership Agreement with FRDC. The report documents the process and plans behind each of the IPA’s programs: Community...
ORGANISATION:
Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries Ltd (ACPF)
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2018-212
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Establishing an industry recovery strategy for the Area 3 zone of the Western Australian Abalone Managed Fishery

The Southern Seafood Producers (Western Australia) Association in conjunction with the Abalone Industry Association of Western Australia hosted a two-day workshop (the workshop) at the Swan Yacht Club in East Fremantle on the 12th and 13th of June 2019. The aim of the workshop was to...
ORGANISATION:
Southern Seafood Producers (WA) Association

Determinates of socially-supported wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries in Australia

Project number: 2017-158
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $66,868.94
Principal Investigator: Karen A. Alexander
Organisation: University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Project start/end date: 14 Feb 2018 - 30 Jul 2018
Contact:
FRDC

Need

In order to secure the future of Australian wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries, it is increasingly clear that, alongside effective and responsible management and production, building and maintaining societal support is vital.

There are a number of recent examples in Australia where wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries have been threatened, even shut down, as a result of not having a ‘social license to operate’. This is despite having good ecological, economic and management credentials. Examples include: the 2016 closure of the Victorian small scale Port Phillip Bay net fishery as a result of pressure from the recreational fishing sector; the environmental controversy over mid-water trawling (‘super trawlers’) for small pelagic species despite scientifically-determined healthy stock status; and environmental non-governmental organisations (eNGOs) campaigns against Tassal’s proposed fish farm operations in Okehampton Bay on Tasmania’s east coast.

The wild-catch and aquaculture industries are increasingly and acutely aware of the need to garner societal support. But, they are unsure of how to address poor societal support at its root, who needs to be involved to address the problem, and effective pathways to improving societal support. From an industry perspective, there are gaps in knowledge in terms of 1) identifying the determinants of poor/high societal support; 2) identifying stakeholder groups to target who determine societal support and outcomes for wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries (e.g. other resource user groups, eNGOs, decision-makers and government, consumers, other publics); and 3) appropriate, effective and innovative pathways to improve societal support through engagement strategies and interventions.

However, there is a wealth of information available that is not directly or easily transferable currently. It requires collation and synthesis to address the knowledge gaps, including learnings from other industries, international wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries, as well as historical case studies of successes and failures within Australia. This project will draw together knowledge from existing literature and documentation and also use key informant interviews to address the above gaps.

Objectives

1. To provide a nuanced definition of societal support for wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries in Australia
2. To identify determining factors (social, economic, environmental and political) affecting societal support for wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries in Australia
3. To identify means by which to detect, assess and monitor societal support for wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries in Australia using a risk-based approach

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-925646-82-5
Author: Karen A. Alexander & Kirsten E. Abernethy
Final Report • 2019-08-31 • 1.21 MB
2017-158-DLD-final.pdf

Summary

Australia’s wild-catch fisheries and aquaculture are increasingly attentive to the importance of having support from communities and stakeholders to ensure their future sustainability and prosperity. This project aimed to identify determinants of socially-supported wild-catch fisheries and aquaculture in Australia. This project was developed collaboratively with the Human Dimensions Research Subprogram and relevant industry stakeholders and extends previous FRDC projects by examining differential definitions and assessments of social acceptability.

Improving performance of ITQ fisheries - Project activity paused

Project number: 2020-029
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $201,212.00
Principal Investigator: Caleb Gardner
Organisation: University of Tasmania
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2021 - 29 Jun 2022
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs) and Individual Transferable Effort (ITE) systems have been introduced to a wide range of Australian fisheries (FRDC 2017-159). Since 1985, forty-six ITQs have been introduced to a range of fisheries and can be found across all jurisdictions in Australia; six ITEs have also been introduced, mainly in prawn trawl fisheries. Such systems allocate shares or portions of a total allowable catch (TAC), or total allowable effort (TAE), between fishers, vessels, communities, or others with an interest in the fishery.

Experience shows that ITQs as generally designed and implemented have not always fully delivered promised outcomes, have had outcomes that were unintended and unwanted, and in some instances have resulted in outcomes that make it difficult for fisheries managers to deliver against other, in many cases non-economic, objectives of fisheries management. In some instances, these unintended and unwanted consequences may also have been inappropriately attributed to the ITQs/ITEs and may more be down to other drivers such as globalisation or changes in stock abundance.

Building on industry and management’s growing interest in improving ITQ-fishery outcomes (SRL Corporatisation Workshop, Melbourne Airport, October 2019) and on the findings of 2017-159, this work will aim to provide evidence-based advice to managers and industry on options to address any performance gaps or unintended and unwanted consequences, and the potential effects of any proposed interventions on the economic, social and environmental outcomes of ITQs as generally implemented in Australian fisheries. The scope of options will include industry-led private sector initiatives, as well as Government-led changes to management.

Objectives

1. Assess the effects of adoption and ongoing management of ITQs including consequences that flow from ITQs and the effects of the adoption on specific performance indicators.
2. Develop adaptive management options for existing ITQs that will assist in managing the impact of unintended and unwanted consequences.
3. Better support managers in planning for the mitigation and management of unintended and unwanted consequences over time, including the cost of implementing change.
4. Provide options to fishery managers and stakeholders to assist in the adjustment of existing fisheries management under ITQs to avoid, or mitigate, unintended and unwanted consequences and/or enhance unintended but positive consequences.

Plan

Author: FRDC
Plan • 2023-09-29 • 239.48 KB
2020-029_FRDC-agreed_pathway.pdf

Summary

Following the Improving performance of ITQ fisheries Forum on September 28, 2023, decisions were made regarding the project's direction. Instead of proceeding to case studies, stakeholders acknowledged the importance of focusing on future research priorities for rights-based fisheries approaches. Actions include finalising project reports, seeking independent reviews, and enhancing stakeholder consultations. The upcoming four-year independent review of FRDC provides further opportunities for input. Efforts also involve aligning research priorities with end-users, improving project procedures, and addressing improvement areas through the mandated external independent review of FRDC.
 
View the FRDC agreed pathway for this project for more details.
 
 
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2018-157
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Evaluation of Cobia and Giant Groper production and health in multiple growout systems, as an alternative species to farm in WSSV affected areas of South East Queensland

The report details the production performance and health performance of Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) and Giant Groper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) reared in tanks, ponds and cages within a farm in the previously white spot syndrome virus affected region of the Logan River, Queensland. Findings of this...
ORGANISATION:
Rocky Point Aquaculture Company Pty Ltd
SPECIES
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2016-803
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Future oysters CRC-P: New Technologies to Improve Sydney Rock Oyster Breeding and Production

Hatchery production of Sydney Rock Oysters (SROs, Saccostrea glomerata) is a costly and high risk activity for the breeding program and industry exacerbated by factors such as: reliance on hatchery conditioning, low fertilisation success using strip-spawned gametes, extended larval rearing period...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)
Industry
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