Estimation of natural and fishing mortality using length composition data
Golden fish: evaluating and optimising the biological, social and economic returns of small-scale fisheries
Tactical Research Fund: Assessing alternative fishing seasons for red-legged banana prawns in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and future directions for collaborative research for NPF Industry Pty Ltd
Development of research methodology and quantitative skills for integrated fisheries management in WA
(1) Fisheries WA and Murdoch University have identified a need for developing new models that are based on integrating fisheries data with data on fish populations and communities and habitat requirements, and thereby facilitating the production of high quality management plans aimed at ensuring the ecological sustainability of fisheries resources in Western Australia.
(2) There is an increasing need for developing the quantitative approaches for analysing, in a more sophisticated manner, the biological data on fish populations that are traditionally used for developing management plans for fish stocks, as well as for developing appropriate new models (see Point 1)
(3) Fisheries WA, Murdoch University and other agencies have also identified the need for producing a continuous supply of high-quality scientists, who have the quantitative skills required for understanding and developing ecosystem and fishery models, and who are thus suitably trained for employment in areas related to the implementation of integrated fisheries and ecosystem management.
Final report
Tactical Research Fund: Reducing dolphin bycatch in the Pilbara Finfish Trawl Fishery
The bycatch of dolphins and other protected/listed species in the PFTIMF has been recognised as being too high by the WA Minister of Fisheries and the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. In 2005, the Minister wrote to industry participants expressing his concern for the “…real or perceived lack of adequate action being undertaken to address this serious bycatch issue…”. He indicated that he was prepared to close the fishery to protect the industry’s reputation should progress not be made. Semi-flexible exclusion grids reduced the dolphin catch rate by almost 50% in 2006, but the Minister has stated that further reductions are necessary if the fishery is to continue.
In 2007, the need for a renewed approach to resolving the PFTIMF bycatch issues were further highlighted in reports from DoF to DEWHA and the Draft Bycatch Action Plan: There are significant differences in bycatch reporting between trips with and without independent observers on board; Observer coverage was set at a minimum 22% to gain data that would prove statistically robust, but only 19% was achieved in the first half of 2007; Temporal/spatial data on bycatch has been collected, but the data has proven inconclusive or has not been analysed in detail; A deck-mounted electronic observer system designed to replace on-board observers has proven unsuitable thus far; and, bycatch continues.
There are both biological and political needs for an immediate effort to further reduce bycatch. Common themes to successful implementation of bycatch reduction include: Collaborations between industry, scientists and resource managers; Pre- and post-implementation monitoring; and, compliance via enforcement and incentives. This project has been designed to conform to these themes and to meet the need of assisting industry in moving from ‘Interim Managed’ to ‘Managed’ fishery status and fulfilling the requirements of the EPBC Act.