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Tactical Research Fund: Rapid response to abalone virus depletion in western Victoria: information acquisition and reefcode assessment models

Project number: 2007-066
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $70,000.00
Principal Investigator: Harry Gorfine
Organisation: University of Melbourne
Project start/end date: 28 Feb 2008 - 1 Oct 2008
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The workshop review concluded that (1) there are significant gaps and limitations in the existing information on the status of the abalone populations across reefs in western Victoria (West and Central zones) and exposure of these populations to the virus and (2) that the current regional model was inadequate to represent the current situation in the western zone or to evaluate management options.

In relation to the information needs, it was concluded that there was an urgent need for a repeat of the scientific surveys at all the standard monitoring sites in the western zone, and far enough into the central zone to be ahead of the virus outbreaks, during July-August 2007. The standard sampling should be augmented by genetic sampling and broad survey of aggregations on the reefs.

The current quantitative regional model is not adequate to represent the current situation in the western zone or to evaluate management options. This is because the current situation in the western zone provides both a form of depletion that is very different from fishing, in terms of the size classes affected and extent of depletion. Reefs are affected differently and the management options are also likely to vary by reef, but the existing regional model does not represent reefs. Because the current situation is unique, there is no longer a basis for assuming that the previously-used industry-based semi-quantitative assessment of reef codes will continue to be reliable.

Thus there is a need to develop and apply a quantitative model that is spatially resolved to at least the reef-code level, and to use this for assessment of population status and examination of management options at the reef-code level.

Objectives

1. Conduct the scientific surveys at the DPIR reef-code sites, using the Victorian survey methods, augmented by genetic sampling and extended survey of the extent of aggregations.
2. Develop a long-term monitoring strategy for continued assessment of reef-stock status and management options.
3. Use existing models to broadly illustrate the likely impacts of the outbreaks.
4. Compile existing information on the outbreaks in an accessible, informative form, develop reef-code growth, maturity and abundance trajectories, and agreed catch histories.
5. Develop and apply a quantitative model that is spatially resolved to the scale of reef-codes, and use this to assess the status of populations and inform the Total Allowable Catch setting process.

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-9806389-0-5
Author: Harry Gorfine
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2013-217
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Development of management recommendations to assist in advisories around seafood safety during toxic bloom events in Gippsland Lakes

Over the last 4 years, scientists from the Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM) have been leading a research program to better understand the risks to seafood safety during toxic cyanobacterial blooms in the Gippsland Lakes and best practices for monitoring...
ORGANISATION:
University of Melbourne
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 1999-215
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Links between seagrass habitats, piscivorous fishes and their fish prey

This project has increased our understanding of the importance of seagrass habitats to larger, commercially valuable, species of fish by combining experimental and correlative scientific principles. We found that many small fish use seagrass habitats for nutrition and to avoid predation by large...
ORGANISATION:
University of Melbourne
Environment
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2010-202
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Tackling a critical industry bottleneck: developing methods to avoid, prevent and treat biofouling on mussel farms

Biofouling negatively affects shellfish production through several pathways, including: 1) reducing natural mussel spat settlement rates; 2) preying upon mussel spat and juveniles; 3) competing for food with mussels; and 4) smothering established mussels. These problems are well documented in the...
ORGANISATION:
University of Melbourne
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