This project responds to an FRDC identified opportunity to review and build on previous experiences aimed towards encouraging recreational fishers to voluntarily diversify their target species.
This project targets three outcomes in the FRDC R&D Plan 2020-25:
-Outcome 1. Growth for enduring prosperity
-Outcome 2. Best practices and production systems
-Outcome 4. Fair and secure access to aquatic resources
Our project consists of two phases, each addressing a discrete need identified through conversations with stakeholders.
Phase 1 – Developing a knowledge base and roadmap:
A robust knowledge base, including data on the the magnitude of behaviour changes achieved by previous initiatives, is required to support the use of voluntary behaviour change interventions for diversifying target species as alternatives to direct regulations. Phase 1 will consist of a backwards looking scan of past-experience to construct this knowledge base from case studies that have implemented an initiative to promote voluntary diversification of recreational target species. This will include a global literature scan, and interviews with stakeholders and managers in Australia to document case studies, identify their successes or failures and compile data on the magnitude of behaviour change achieved. The knowledge base will then be used to identify key knowledge gaps and develop a roadmap of research and information needed to support voluntary behaviour change strategies aimed at diversifying target species as genuine alternatives to direct regulations.
Phase 2 – Improving effectiveness:
Effective behavioural change interventions require careful targeting to ensure they are appropriate and acceptable within a specific context. Phase 2 will look forward with a focus on the future implementation of voluntary approaches that can confidently be applied to promote the voluntary diversification of target species for recreational fishers. This will include a forward-looking test of approaches identified through Phase 1 through interviews, focus groups and a survey of recreational fishers to delve deeply into which approaches are acceptable, where they are acceptable and which approaches are most likely to influence change. The outputs of Phase 2 will include clear advice on which strategies are likely to work in different situations relevant to Australian recreational fisheries.
A project evaluation will take place at the end of phase 1 to evaluate the feasibility of the remaining components, and guide case study selection and strategy for phase 2. This will be based on the interim short report based on phase 1 submitted to the FRDC in the milestone schedule below, as well as progress report 1.
To facilitate co-design and research impact, the research team have engaged with the Australian Fisheries Management Forum (AFMF), the AFSB Fisheries Management Committee (on advice from the AFMF), and the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF). Input from recreational fishing stakeholders into the project will be facilitated through an ARFF advisory panel, with representatives from different jurisdictions across Australia. The advisory panel plan to meet with the research team on 5 occasions across the project (front loaded to facilitate co-design). The model for input from fisheries managers is an on-going discussion but will likely take a similar advisory panel across jurisdictions.
Project risks:
The project relies heavily on the inputs of recreational fishing stakeholders and managers, with potential risks around a lack of availability to participate as well as lack of interest. To manage this risk the project team will work closely with the ARFF advisory group to identify and manage relationships with participants. A secondary project risk is the potential for sharing and disclosure of sensitive information from interviews and focus groups. To manage this risk, the research protocol will be subject to a human ethics review against the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. Through this process, issues of anonymity, data management and retention and data sharing will be addressed in-line with national standards and carried throughout the project.
National reviews of Fisheries R&D needs (FRDC95/055) have identified the need for non-extractive, fishery-independent sampling and stock assessment techniques which are cost-effective, repeatable and robust across and range of habitats and depths. These methods are becoming increasingly important as Australian fisheries face the challenge of addressing ecosystem based fisheries management and climate change. A national workshop on the use of video for sensing the size and abundance of target and non-target fauna in Australian fisheries (FRDC2000/187) highlighted the potential for Baited Remote Underwater Video systems (BRUVs). After a decade, there has been wide adoption of this technique. However, differences in protocols for deployment, analysis and interpretation make spatial and temporal
comparisons of data difficult.
There is the need to develop a robust set of nationally agreed upon protocols to ensure that users are appropriately informed and trained through a comprehensive extension and capacity building program that also identifies key unresolved technical issues.
With the increased testing and use of BRUVs a number of independent developments have occurred. Future technological advances and more detailed statistical and modelling approaches will result in the BRUVs data being more useful for ecosystem assessment and management. Maximising the potential that these advances will provide to Australian fisheries will be achieved by a co-ordinated and
collaborative research strategy. We propose to host a two day workshop to critically evaluate the use of BRUVs as a data collection tool
for scalefishes and sharks. The workshop will identify the strengths, limitations and identify potential solutions.
