Implementation of the National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: facilitating the establishment of the Aquatic Animal Health Consultative Committee (AAHCC) as the primary industry-government interface for aquatic animal health issues in Australia
The report (Attachment 2 ) of the Working Group to review FHMC was considered by FHMC at its meeting on 29 November 2001. FHMC agreed with the Working Group’s recommendation to reconstitute FHMC into a new body, named the Aquatic Animal Health Consultative Committee (AAHCC). Subsequently, a 2-page summary document was prepared, with the suggested Terms of Reference for the new AAHCC, its membership, modus operandi, and funding arrangements (Attachment 3 ). FHMC also suggested that a business plan for AAHCC be developed, which would, inter alia, incorporate the FHMC-endorsed plan for the Australian Aquatic Animal Health Information System (AAAHIS) (Attachment 4 ). FHMC agreed that the 2-page summary document on the suggested AAHCC needed to be widely circulated to stakeholders, accompanied by an AAHCC business plan, by the FHMC Working Group Report, and by the revised AAAHIS Business/Operational Plan. This consultation process is planned for the second and third quarter 2002 (see Attachment 5 for a flow-chart). Following endorsement by stakeholders, the AAHCC business plan is to be presented to the Primary Industries Standing Committee (PISC) for endorsement at their in-session meeting in September 2002.
The project application seeks funding for the consultancy to develop the draft AAHCC business plan and support the subsequent stakeholder consultation process.
Final report
The development and implementation of AQUAPLAN, Australia’s National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Animal Health 1998-2003, was overseen by an interim joint industry/government committee, the Fish Health Management Committee (FHMC). In November 2001, a working group established to review FHMC found that FHMC had fulfilled its terms of references, and that a new body, the Aquatic Animal Health Consultative Committee (AAHCC) should be formed. FHMC agreed with the working group’s recommendations and suggested that a business plan for AAHCC be developed, which would, amongst others, incorporate the FHMC-endorsed plan for the Australian Aquatic Animal Health Information System (AAAHIS). Following a stakeholder consultation process, the AAHCC business plan was to be presented to the Primary Industries Standing Committee (PISC) for endorsement at their in-session meeting in September 2002.
The aim of this project was to support a consultancy to develop the draft AAHCC business plan and to support the subsequent stakeholder consultation process.
Keywords: aquatic animal health; disease; aquaculture; consultation; policy development
Development of a national recreational and traditional fishing survey
Sonar operators' course
Final report
Tactical Research Fund: Indigenous turtle and dugong conservation comic
This is project will develop a “Indigenous Turtle and Dugong Conservation Comic” project for the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry that increases the understanding of Indigenous dugong and turtle fishermen about species sustainability and the population impacts if extraction continues at current levels.
The Torres Strait region is characterised by a complex marine ecosystem, which supports globally significant populations of dugong and marine turtles. Torres Strait is the most important dugong habitat in the world and the region has six of the seven species of marine turtles.
Within Torres Strait there are nineteen Indigenous communities distributed across seventeen geographically remote islands stretching to the south-western coast of Papua New Guinea and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula. These communities are very diverse in terms of their socio-economic, cultural and political characteristics. Each community also has differing priorites, needs and concerns in relation to local issues affecting turtle and dugong.
Story telling is the basis for Indigenous communication. Families prefer messages as stories because they resonate with people's day to day experience and have been the cornerstone of passing on culture and values. Many organisations now understand the value of this form of communication. This project, to develop a series of educational comic books in collaboration with Island youth, is needed to develop grassroots knowledge of conservation and fisheries management, and committment to sustainable practices for harvest of dugong and turtle.
This knowledge and committment is necessary to ensure young Indigenosu school students understand the environemental impacts of traditional harvest of marine turtle and duging, and in turn to ensure the sustainability of traditional hunting practice.