Need for trawl mapping
Information on where trawling does and does not occur is needed by fishery managers, industry, GBRMPA and others to inform debate and decision making for the trawl fishery. By June 2002, VMS will have recorded all Queensland trawl effort (except the Moreton Bay fishery) every hour for 18 months. These data can be used to map the distribution and intensity of trawling better than ever before. These maps are required by July 2003 for implementation of the Queensland Trawl Plan. Such maps are also needed to model the ecological effects of trawling, since untrawled areas may provide refuge for some vulnerable bycatch species. Such maps will also help assess the required 40% reduction in bycatch.

Need to develop stock assessment and management for ESD
The Trawl MAC have named stock assessment and Review Events as their top research priorities, and VMS research as a high priority. There is a need to improve abundance indices, currently based on CPUE from trawl shots defined as square CFISH grids (6’ by 6’ or 30’ by 30’). This is unrealistic and can lead to significant errors in stock assessment. There is also a need to investigate the way targeting and depletion of aggregations interact with economic factors to affect CPUE.

We can meet these needs using effort and density indices at fine spatial and temporal scales, by using the functionality of newly developed commercial software to develop our modelling systems. Matrices of stock abundance in space and time can be mapped (see attached map) or used in stock assessment models. A major area of research need with the OceanFARM software is user definition of trawl signature and catch distribution functions, which differ between sectors of the trawl fishery.

The functionality must be integrated into the overall management and assessment strategy for each fishing sector. There is potential to substantially improve the reliability of stock assessments.

Validate a sensitive and specific Nested RT-PCR test.

- There is a need to ensure the Nested RT-PCR test developed at OVL will detect the range of endemic nodaviruses from a variety of finfish species. It is also important to ensure the test will detect exotic nodavirus isolates for use in the event of an exotic nodavirus incursion.
- Standardisation of reagents and sample collection and preservation protocols will enable consistency of test methods between laboratories.
- A test is required to screen broodstock samples to eliminate nodavirus-positive carrier fish from production facilities. Due to the small sample sizes obtainable, the Nested RT-PCR test is the best test option.

Establishment of a cell line.

- Cell culture is considered the gold standard for virus detection. The cell culture will enable cost-effective screening of larvae for sale or release and to develop management procedures.
- Cell culture is more tolerant to sample degradation than other detection methods and allows testing of material that is unsuitable for use in other tests.
- The vast majority of cell lines currently available have been produced from temperate species. Availability of cell lines, from tropical fish species, is required.

Immunodiagnostics

- FAT tests can confirm the identity of viruses isolated in cell culture during diagnostic or surveillance activities. Their use is critical for the identification of viruses.
- Immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence is a sensitive and specific test that can be used on fixed material. It is not always possible to obtain fresh samples and confirmation of nodavirus in tissue sections can be required. Immunohistochemistry is also a tool to identify the tissues targeted by nodavirus.

The Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery Management Plan, was completed and introduced on 21st December, 2000, with the Management Plan’s Regulatory Impact Statement released October 2000. The plan sets performance criteria for a 40% reduction in bycatch and a 25% reduction in damage to benthos. Environment Australia also sets criteria on the sustainability of (1) target species, (2) retained bycatch (by-product), and (3) discarded bycatch species from trawl fisheries; a key factor of which is the total mortality on these species caused by the fishing operation. FRDC are currently funding QDPI research (FRDC#2000/170) to describe and quantify trawl bycatch in Queensland and the preliminary effects of bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) on the bycatch.

“Hoppers” are product-quality and cost-efficiency enhancement devices that are being progressively introduced into the South Australian, Western Australian, and Northern Prawn Fishery, and have been fitted by a small number of trawlers on the Queensland East Coast. These devices are recommended in the 1997 QCFO (QSIA) sponsored ISO Best Practice manual for onboard handling of prawn catch. Anecdotal reports suggest that these devices not only enhance product quality but significantly increase the survival of bycatch species that are caught by the trawl net (despite BRD’s), because the catch is dropped into a tank of fresh sea-water rather than onto a dry sorting-tray.

Therefore there is a need to pro-actively evaluate and document the effect of Hoppers on survival of discarded bycatch to ensure that the Queensland Prawn Trawl fleet gains maximum recognition for the “environmental credits” accrued as Hoppers are progressively introduced. This would provide an added bonus to a process already underway as a commercial evolution in trawl fisheries around Australia. Such information could also act as an environmental incentive, apart from the product quality and cost consideration, for trawler operators to fit Hoppers.

There is a particular need in the case of the smaller inshore boats involved in the Queensland East Coast banana fishery. Here there is considerable community pressure for inshore closures to cover local and tourist destination beaches, in response to discarded bycatch washing up after trawling operations. Appropriately sized non-mechanised Hoppers are currently under development but these will need to be independently evaluated to ensure that the community is satisfied that they will reduce bycatch mortality, ie no dead fish on politically sensitive beaches.

Freshwater allocations to sustain fisheries

The 1994 COAG Water Reform Agreement and various state legislation (e.g. Water Act 2000 in Queensland) requires managers to allocate water to maintain downstream ecosystem health. One aspect of ecosystem health is estuarine and coastal fisheries production. Information on the role of freshwater in maintaining the productivity of commercial and recreational fisheries is needed to ensure that estuaries and their stakeholders are duly represented in the water allocation processes. Natural resource managers (fisheries and water) need to be made aware of the fishing industry’s vulnerability to the impacts of non-fishing activities, such as water regulation. This issue has been identified as a challenge for the fishing industry in reaching sustainable production (see Challenge 1 of FRDC’s R&D Plan 2000, page 59).

Logical frameworks for research leading to new procedures and methods

A logical framework needs to be developed for investigating the role of freshwater flows in estuaries. Procedures to assess the impacts of current and proposed water infrastructure in Australian coastal rivers on estuarine fisheries need to be developed. Methods for monitoring biological responses to environmental flows are needed to provide feedback to managers as to whether desired fisheries-related outcomes are being achieved under current water allocations.

Enhancing the research outcomes - integrating across research disciplines

An integrated research program is needed to develop a robust sampling proceedures that can investigate the role of freshwater flows in estuaries and the impacts of modified flows on fisheries production. The CZCRC offers the opportunity to integrate flow-influenced fisheries data with other hydrological (i.e. costal modelling) and primary productivity (i.e. nutrient cycling) research projects that will provide greater insight into ecosystems processes.

The need for this project is four fold:

1) to add value and increase profitability to fisheries that catch their total allowable catch,
2) provision of a framework for planning, funding and managing post-harvest R&D in product and process development activities,
3) development of a strategic approach to value adding that meets client needs, and
4) development of more integrated approach to post harvest services through the development of SSA.

The development of an effective and efficient post harvest investment mechanism is essential to FRDC so it can meet its Value Adding research strategy. The formation of the NSC 6 years ago by the FRDC and QDPI has provided an accountable and transparent mechanism to plan, fund and manage post harvest value adding R&D. This has provided both direct and indirect benfits to the Australian seafood industry.

Financial assistance of commercially focussed R&D provides incentive for businesses to explore new product and process opportunities. The funding provides important leverage for industry projects to actually happen and increase the likelihood of commercial success. This support can stimulate industry development and subsequent production activities that would not have otherwise taken place. Financially assisted projects represent an investment of FRDC funds as a share of the cost of short-term, market-focussed, applied research projects with the potential for high return (see Attachment 2 Section 3.1). This intervention can also bring forward the timetable for industry led research, hence capturing opportunities and economic benefits sooner.

Research is by definition, a risky activity with a level of uncertainty. New product development is high risk. However such risk can be minimised by ensuring that up to date science and scientific methods are employed and that capable scientists and investigators are selected and monitored.