NCCP: Expanded modelling to determine anoxia risk in main river channel and shallow wetlands
Developing biomass assessment approaches, harvest methodologies and biosecurity knowledge for wild-harvest of seaweeds in southern Australia
After many years of interest but little on ground activity apart from a few established operations based on the harvest of beach-cast material, the seaweed industry is starting to gain momentum in southern Australia. There is particular interest in the farming of Asparagopsis for its methane reducing properties in ruminants, but also in several species for human consumption and other uses, including the golden kelp Ecklonia radiata. While much of the focus is on the development of an aquaculture industry, this needs to be supported by the wild harvest of seedstock, at least in the early years, and there is also some interest in wild-harvest for product. However, the knowledge base and tools available for managers to regulate this emerging industry are limited. This proposal aims to start filling in some of these gaps. The first is to develop an understanding of the biomass present in targeted areas, and importantly, the development of a rapid assessment tool to do this, which can then be used to form the basis of a stock assessment methodology as the industry expands. The second is to develop harvest methodologies that allow for the recovery of local stocks, and which can be used to inform rotational harvest strategies by documenting how long recovery takes. The third is to develop an understanding of some of the biosecurity issues likely to be faced by industry and regulators, which will allow managers to make informed decisions around translocation policies to both prevent the spread of disease, and to maintain the genetic integrity of natural populations.
People development program: 2014 FRDC International Travel Bursary- Dr Zoe Doubleday
The International Otolith Symposium is only held every five years and is possibly the most important conference I could attend during my four-year post-doctoral appointment at The University of Adelaide. The Symposium will provide a platform for the exchange of information and promote the development of novel techniques and applications for otolith-based analysis in ecology and fisheries management. My research, under the direction of Prof Bronwyn Gillanders, is focussed on examining long-term changes in fish populations, associated with climatic variability and human impacts, through the use of otolith microchemistry and sclerochronology (growth pattern analysis). I also supervise multiple Honours and PhD student projects related to fish otoliths and other calcified tissues. The Symposium is thus highly relevant to my key field of research.
The Mediterranean Fisheries Science Laboratory in Sète, France, is Europe’s leading research group in ecosystem focussed fisheries management. The group develops innovative tools to assess global change impacts to marine ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on the resistance and resilience of exploited populations. This complements the research strengths of Prof Gillanders research group at The University of Adelaide. Visiting the laboratories in Sète will thus provide a further opportunity to foster international collaboration and exchange research skills and expertise in fish and fisheries research.
Funding opportunities for travel are limited for early career researchers and the International Travel Bursary will provide necessary financial support to undertake the proposed objectives. I will maximise the funding and benefit of the bursary by combining conference attendance with a laboratory visit.