129 results
Industry
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2000-139
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Quantification of changes in recreational catch and effort on inner Shark Bay snapper species following implementation of responsive management measures

A 12-month creel survey of recreational boat-based fishing in Shark Bay, Western Australia was conducted between May 2001 and April 2002 to estimate the catch of pink snapper. During the survey 431 boat crews were interviewed at public boat ramps of which 414 had been fishing. The information...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Industry

Effects of Trawling Subprogram: implementation and assessment of bycatch reduction devices in the Shark Bay and Exmouth Gulf trawl fisheries

Project number: 2000-189
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $300,380.00
Principal Investigator: Mervi Kangas
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Project start/end date: 5 Sep 2000 - 29 Apr 2005
Contact:
FRDC

Need

There is an urgent need to assess the impact of the planned introduction of BRDs on the databases used to manage these major trawl fisheries during the transition to full BRD usage. The proper evaluation of BRD implementation is often lacking in trawl fisheries. There is an urgent need for the project because the whole fleet, in Shark Bay for one season will tow one net with a BRD and one without. In the Exmouth prawn fishery and Shark Bay Scallop fishery several vessels will tow nets(s) on one side with a BRD and one side without. Without the project the implementation of BRD’s into both nets could be delayed.

Specifically, the changes in gear efficiency and fleet fishing behaviour (ie distribution of fishing effort) need to be quantified and incorporated into the extensive fisheries databases for these three closely managed fisheries. Secondly, the success of these devices in reducing the quantity of bycatch throughout the season, needs to be accurately assessed to provide advice to fishery and marine conservation agencies for ecosystem management purposes. The industry and marine conservation groups require a quantitative assessment of the effect of BRDs on catches of prawns and bycatch to ensure they are showing the desired impact.

For companies to maintain an exemption to export fish species under the Commonwealth Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982, they will need to prove that associated fishing practices are undertaking in a manner that is demonstrably ecologically sustainable. The Draft National Policy on Fisheries By-Catch, developed by the National standing Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, was recently adopted by the WA State Minister for Fisheries. Under the Minister's plan, the WA trawl fisheries, has been given a 'Priority A' rating, meaning that a specific By-catch Action Plan is to be completed by the end of 2001. The trawl industry is actively participating in trialing of BRDs to meet the required deadline. An observer program is needed to complement commercial operator records as high nightly catch rates make it difficult for vessel skippers and crew to record detailed information from individual nets.

Objectives

1. To improve the efficiencies of BRDs (grids and fish escape devices) being introduced into the Shark Bay and Exmouth Gulf Trawl fisheries and ensure full implementation of the most appropriate BRD by the whole fleet in each fishery.
2. To assess the effect of implementation of BRDs (grids and fish escape devices) on trawl bycatch and on the relative fishing power of the Shark Bay Prawn and Scallop fleet and the Exmouth Gulf Prawn fleet.

Final report

ISBN: 1-877098-47-7
Author: Mervi Kangas
Environment
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2004-051
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Management and monitoring of fish spawning aggregations within the West Coast Bio-region of Western Australia

Many strategies have evolved among fishes to maximise spawning success. One of the most striking of these is aggregation spawning, in which individuals group together, often at predictable times and locations in order to reproduce (cf. a school, which refers to a group of non-spawning fish)....
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Environment
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 1997-104
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Modelling to explore management strategies to optimise the value of the rock lobster fishery of Western Australia

The fishery for the western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus) is Western Australia’s most important single species fishery, and yields an average annual catch of 10,500 to 11,000 tonnes valued at between $200 and $300 million at the point of landing. With a high level of exploitation and a...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Environment
People
PROJECT NUMBER • 2001-306
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

ASFB workshop: towards sustainability for data limited multi-sector fisheries

FRDC and State agencies have generously supported an annual national workshop hosted by Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB) since the 1980’s. At the workshop, Australian and overseas scientists have presented keynote addresses on the theme of the workshop, followed by panel debates. The...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
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