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Industry

Tactical Research Fund: Improving efficiency in generating submissions and consistency of outcomes for MSC based assessments

Project number: 2013-038
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $63,939.00
Principal Investigator: Warrick J. Fletcher
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Project start/end date: 30 Sep 2013 - 29 Jun 2014
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The Government of WA, in collaboration with industry, has initiated an ambitious program to have all commercial fisheries in Western Australia undergo MSC certification. All commercial fisheries will undergo pre-assessment by the end of 2014. Any fishery that chooses to undergo full MSC assessment will have the initial certification costs funded which will begin in 2014. A number of issues have arisen during the establishment of this process that need to be addressed prior to the end of the pre-assessment process and especially before many fisheries move to full assessment.

Direct experience with MSC assessment process for the rock lobster fishery, plus reviews of the MSC process (MRAG, 2011) have shown that once initial ‘scores’ or opinions have been established for a fishery, these scores and opinions strongly dictate the outcome and the subsequent level of conditions established for the fishery to either gain or maintain certification. In going from pre to full assessments, the scores may go down, but almost never go up (MRAG, 2011). Lower scores that require undertaking activities to ‘close off’ conditions, especially for Principle 2 (ecological) criteria is where the costs of MSC certification can become prohibitive These costs can be significantly greater than the direct MSC assessment or audit costs; for rock lobster this has run into many $millions. It is essential, therefore, that the number of 'unecessary' conditions, particularly those requiring collection of more information (which is the most common condition applied, MRAG, 2011) are minimised to avoid unnecessary costs for industry and government.

An additional complexity is the Fishery Standard Review (FSR) currently being undertaken by MSC. This has proposed changes for P1 and P2 whcih could significantly alter how we approach MSC assessments and therefore need to directly test the impacts of these proposed changes.

Objectives

1. Increase the efficiency of generating submissions for MSC assessments.
2. Minimise the likelihood of unnecessary conditions being imposed during MSC assessments

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-877098-45-1
Author: Rick Fletcher

Tactical Research Fund: Assessing possible environmental causes behind the reduced colonisation of Western Rock Lobster puerulus collectors by a wide suite of species

Project number: 2008-085
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $74,214.00
Principal Investigator: Simon de Lestang
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Project start/end date: 31 Jan 2009 - 31 May 2010
Contact:
FRDC

Need

WRL puerulus settlement has been unexpectedly low over the past two settlement periods, with the most recent settlement period (2008/09) being the lowest on record. This extremely weak settlement has occurred despite environmental conditions being favourable for an above average settlement (i.e. a strong Leeuwin Current, warm sea temperatures and la Nina like conditions).
The recent poor settlements could be attributed to a number of possible scenarios, including, reduced egg production from depleted brood stock or a shift/change in oceanic conditions possibly due to climate change. Understanding what scenario(s) are responsible will be crucial for the effective conservation and management of the WRL stock, and ultimately the longevity of the fishery. Anecdotal evidence suggests that colonisation of the puerulus collectors by a number of other species commonly found during processing of these collectors have also been extremely low in recent times. Beginning to examine of the marine flora and fauna communities colonising the puerulus collectors over a range of 1200 km during this time of extremely low settlement (i.e. prior to the end of the settlement season in April 2009) and determining how these communities vary in relation to the varied environmental conditions experienced, will provide valuable information as to what may be influencing puerulus settlement. If settlement of other marine flora and fauna show a related response to that of the WRL pueruli, it could indicate environmental change may be responsible for the decreased settlement. This data will complement other research, such as the oceanographic modelling application (JM010) submitted by DoF and is crucial to the effective management of the WRL fishery. Furthermore, this spatial analysis conducted on a monthly scale has the potential to further identify possible indicator species of localised environmental conditions that could continue to be monitored as part of the standard WRL puerulus monitoring program.

Objectives

1. Begin monitoring the community composition of marine flora and fauna along the Western Australian coastline during this current poor settlement period.
2. Develop standard methodology for monitoring the spatial and temporal variability in the settlement of marine flora and fauna.
3. Determine what environmental parameters may be linked to the majority of variation in the floral and faunal communities colonizing puerulus collectors, focusing on those relating to puerulus settlement.
4. Identify indicator marine flora and fauna species for monitoring the influences of environmental change on Western Australian marine environment.
5. Detect any known or potential introduced marine pests within the Western Australian environment.

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-921845-15-4
Author: Simon De Lestang

Effects of Trawling Subprogram: development of biodiversity and habitat monitoring systems for key trawl fisheries in Western Australia

Project number: 2002-038
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $1,302,970.00
Principal Investigator: Mervi Kangas
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Project start/end date: 13 Aug 2002 - 31 Oct 2007
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The need for this project was identified through the ESD/EA Risk Assessment workshops held for the Shark Bay and Exmouth Gulf trawl fisheries in May and October 2001. Research is required to provide baseline data on biodiversity on and off the trawl habitats in Shark Bay and Exmouth Gulf to allow an assessment of the effects of trawling on bycatch and to set up reference sites for long-term monitoring of the environmental impact of trawling. The study will examine seasonal variation in biodiversity and efficiency in capture of bycatch species to provide a rigorous scientific basis for determining references sites in other fisheries. Understanding seasonal variability will allow the selection of the appropriate timing of long-term monitoring. Depletion experiments will ensure that bycatch catch per unit effort is related to actual abundance. The sampling undertaken in Shark Bay will cover both prawn and scallop ESD requirements to enable similar reference sites to be established in all WA trawl fisheries. Bycatch issues in the Shark Bay and Exmouth fisheries were identified as a moderate risk through an Ecological Risk Assessment workshop. There is a need for a better understanding of the faunal composition and habitat preferences of bycatch species in both trawled and untrawled areas will aid in determining the most appropriate level of risk to bycatch species. This may allow management strategies to be developed to ameliorate any detrimental impacts on those species that are found to be highly vulnerable to trawl impacts. This information will also enable the Department of Fisheries and industry to effectively respond to information required by Environment Australia on the risk level, objectives, performance indicators and management responses for each issue in order to continue to provide quality and highly valued seafood to both export and local markets. It will also provide a basis to answer queries from conservation and community groups.

Objectives

1. To develop and compare biodiversity measures of trawled and untrawled habitats in Shark Bay and Exmouth Gulf and assess the implication of any differences.
2. To examine seasonal (to select timing of monitoring) and annual variation of biodiversity at representative sites in Shark Bay.
3. To examine the rate of depletion of selected bycatch species (indicator species) to ensure bycatch CPUE is related to actual abundance.
4. To assess age composition and size structure of indicator species and utilise the size composition proxy for age to assess basic productivity of species groups.
5. To develop criteria for selection of reference sites/times for future monitoring.

Final report

ISBN: 1-877098-90-6
Author: Mervi Kangas
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2014-004
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Mitigation measures to reduce entanglements of migrating whales with commercial fishing gear

This project provided a robust assessment that gear modifications introduced into the WCRLMF and octopus fisheries have reduced the number of reported entanglements. The management arrangements around the implementation of these modifications are appropriate in light on the new spatial and temporal...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
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