Tactical Research Fund: enhanced Murray cod recreational fisheries outcomes across the Murray-Darling Basin through improved collaboration and alignment of management and research activities
Murray cod is an iconic freshwater angling species yet the species is listed as threatened (IUCN: upgraded to Critically Endangered in October 2008). It's distribution range covers the Murray-Darling Basin and, hence there is an opportunity for fisheries agencies to collaborate to develop and adopt better fisheries management practices to enhance community benefits from the fishery. Such an approach would be consistent with the Primary Industries Ministerial Council Policy commitment to collaborate nationally and use research, development and extension services more effectively and efficiently.
To achieve the above there is an need to:
1. Improve research deliver i.e. improve information flow between fisheries management and environment management agencies to avoid research duplication, break down jurisdictional silo’s (share information), improve cost effectiveness, timeliness and quality of research (peer review),
2. Align fisheries management and policy i.e. there are significant difference in fisheries management approaches between jurisdictions, e.g. stocking policy, population modelling, bag and size limits etc.,
3. Better align research directions to meet fisheries management needs,
4. Better coordinate between fisheries management agencies in dealing with illegal take for sale trade (note: declaration of Murray cod as a priority species in Victoria),
5. Address a growing division of opinion about the status of Murray cod populations between anglers, fisheries managers and environmental agencies.
A cross-jurisdictional workshop in December 2009 is proposed to bring key resource management agencies together to develop a shared vision for the Murray cod recreational fishery. The forum will also faciliate better engagement with the recreational angling represenative groups and ensure research is aligned to fisheries management objectives.
Improved collaboration will ensure research is driven by resource management objectives, reduce the risk of research duplication, drive policy and research alignment and improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of applied research and development.
Final report
Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait scallop research
Final report
During the 3 years of the study, scallop spatfall was observed to occur over a short period (October-December) after the scallops had spawned in spring. Growth was rapid and scallops reached an acceptable harvestable size of 70mm within 16 months. Spatfall one year can therefore be related to recruitment during the next. Years of high and low spatfall were reflected in subsequent differences in recruitment. Though more years' data are required, indices of spatfall provide managers and fishermen with predictive information on likely recruitment strength one year in advance.
Each year the strength of recruitment and the residual stock size were estimated from the results of surveys by SCUBA divers. The results have shown that commercial viability of the fishery is primarily dependent upon recruitment each year. Residual stocks are normally insufficient to support the fishery in the event of poor recruitment.
Estimates of growth and mortality rates determined from tagging and data on seasonal changes in meat yield have been used to develop a mathematical model which can be used to determine number of scallops available each season and yields obtainable from different management strategies. Estimates from annual survey, of stock abundance and mean scallop size at the beginning of each year provide the data for the model.
As a result of the research program, the need to continue monitoring spatfall in Port Phillip Bay and to conduct surveys of recruitment strength each year has been identified. These data are necessary for fisheries managers to maintain the ability to manage the stocks by quota system.