19 results
Environment

Ecologically sustainable development of the fishery for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) around Macquarie Island: population parameters, population assessment and ecological interactions

Project number: 1997-122
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $771,327.00
Principal Investigator: Xi He
Organisation: CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date: 26 Jun 1997 - 30 Jun 2003
:

Need

The Patagonian toothfish fishery is expanding worldwide and it may play a pivotal role in the development of an Australian fishing industry in the Southern Ocean. The recommended TAC for toothfish in other Southern Ocean regions was revised upwards by the 1996 CCAMLR scientific committee. For example, in the CCAMLR area 58.5.2 (primarily the AFZ around Heard and McDonald Islands) a TAC of 3800 metric tonnes of toothfish was set. As a result considerable national and international interest in the fishery is expected.

Given the conservation value of Macquarie Island it is expected that operation of the fishery will be closely scrutinised -- the scrutiny is already clear at the national ( MACSAG, AFMA, DPIE and conservation groups) level. Development of the Macquarie Island fishery provides a great opportunity as a demonstration project to illustrate that fishery development can be achieved while protecting conservation values -- a demonstration of Ecologically Sustainable Development in action. Furthermore, much of what will be learnt will also be relevant to the emerging Heard Island toothfish fishery.

To date little research has been done to establish the basic biological parameters of the toothfish necessary to develop sound management policies. As recognised by both the Macquarie Island Fish Stock Assessment Group and the Sub-Antarctic Ecosystem Assessment Group there is a real need to develop a comprehensive program of research which not only addresses basic biological parameters such as age and stock structure, but also examines the distribution and abundance of this species so that effective management of the fishery can proceed. As the Macquarie Island area is likely to be sensitive to possible ecosystem changes brought about by a developing fishery, there is also a need to understand where toothfish 'fit into' the broader offshore Macquarie Island ecosystem, and likely ecosystem effects.

Objectives

1. Determine the key population parameters (age validation, growth, age of maturity, mortality of fished cohorts, and population structure after age validation), distribution, movements and relative abundance of the Patagonian toothfish around Macquarie Island.
2. Assess the usefulness of DNA micro satellite markers for determining stock structure.
3. Assess the biological and physical oceanographic effects on catch rates, toothfish availability, and interactions between the fishery and non-target species.
4. Assess the magnitude and composition of the fishery bycatch, and identify the food chain linkages between the fishery, the toothfish, the main bird and mammal species.
5. Develop population models for the Patagonian toothfish fishery and provide strategies for developing and managing the fishery.

Final report

ISBN: 0-643-06240-8
Author: Xi He and Dianne Furlani
Environment
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2009-024
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Mapping the distribution and movement of gulper sharks, and developing a non-extractive monitoring technique, to mitigate the risk to the species within a multi-sector fishery region off southern and eastern Australia

This two year project provided the science to support the development of a management strategy for three gulper sharks species (genus Centrophorus) being assessed for threatened species listing. Their listing represented one of the most urgent environmental challenges to the South East Scalefish and...
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2016-039
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Putting potential environmental risk of Australia's trawl fisheries in landscape perspective: exposure of seabed assemblages to trawling, and inclusion in closures and reserves

This project implemented the first national spatial approach to quantifying the exposure of mapped seabed assemblages to the footprints of all demersal trawl fisheries that operate on the mainland continental shelf and slope of Australia, as well as their spatial protection in areas permanently...
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2003-044
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Development of a sustainable industry-based observation system for blue grenadier at the primary spawning sites

Blue grenadier has the highest current TAC among SEF species and has two separate fisheries that target primarily either sub-adult fish year-round or mature adults in winter spawning aggregations. The sustainability of the fishery would be greatly enhanced with regular (sustained) monitoring of...
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 1997-139
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Mesoscale oceanographic data analysis and data assimilative modelling with application to Western Australian fisheries

The more that is understood about the factors controlling the abundance of an exploited fish stock, the more optimally it can be harvested for sustainable yield and profit. It has been known for some time that catches of western rock lobster are closely related to the number of larvae surviving...
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2017-215
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Storm Bay Biogeochemical Modelling & Information System Supporting sustainable aquaculture expansion in Tasmania

This project delivers a hindcast and near real time Storm Bay Modelling and Information System that is fit for the purpose of simulating water quality and characterising nutrients in Storm Bay from ocean currents, sediment resuspension, river and anthropogenic (including fish farm) inputs. The...
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
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