5 results

Mapping the distribution and movement of gulper sharks, and developing a non-extractive monitoring technique, to mitigate the risk to the species within a multi-sector fishery region off southern and eastern Australia

Project number: 2009-024
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $911,796.00
Principal Investigator: Alan Williams
Organisation: CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2009 - 29 Jun 2011
Contact:
FRDC

Need

There are some very clear needs arising both prior to and potentially following decisions about listing gulper sharks. These include:

1. The need to identify areas of remaining populations of gulper sharks, particularly on the east coast of Australia (Tasmania to northern NSW) and out onto the seamounts in the Tasman and Coral Seas. (Identifying these areas will help identify suitable areas for protection from further fishing, and to some extent will help determine whether current closures off Eastern Tasmania and Wollongong are appropriately located).

2. The need to determine movement rates and ranges occupied by gulper sharks, particularly into and out of closed areas. (This information would provide evidence to determine whether the current size and location of closures is appropriate).

3. The need to develop monitoring techniques that use non-lethal sampling to follow trends in abundance over time and between areas. Such techniques should be cost effective (ideally involving industry), provide sufficient resolution to detect change, and would form a key plank in a rebuilding strategy for gulper sharks should they be listed. The need for non-lethal sampling methods follows directly from concerns about the already highly depleted state of these species in key parts of their range.

Objectives

1. Map the current distribution of gulper sharks in eastern Australia
2. Measure the rates of movement of gulper sharks in and out of closed areas
3. Develop non lethal methods for long term monitoring of gulper shark populations
4. Provide early results (that integrate field results with existing knowledge) for evaluation by the EPBC listing (TSSC) process, and for an overarching implementation strategy to underpin the development of a long-term stock rebuilding plan

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-643-10801-1
Author: Alan Williams
Final Report • 2012-07-20 • 8.38 MB
2009-024-DLD.pdf

Summary

This two year project provided the science to support the development of a management strategy for three gulper sharks species (genus Centrophorus) being assessed for threatened species listing. Their listing represented one of the most urgent environmental challenges to the South East Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF), and had potential to threaten the fishery’s "licence to operate". The project successfully completed and communicated research results, and did so to the tight timelines dictated by the development of the management strategy, and the timetable of the listing process. Much of the science advice relied on an intensive and extensive field campaign, which was conducted very successfully, and which had strong support from the fishing industry. 

Updated geographical and depth distributional ranges were established for the two gulper shark species of greatest interest, Harrisson’s Dogfish (C. harrissoni) and Southern Dogfish (C. zeehaani).

This project developed techniques to use acoustic telemetry technology in the deep ocean for the first time; this enabled movement data to be collected at spatial scales relevant to the sizes of fishery closures (10s of kilometres). Acoustic tagging in the GAB 60 mile closure showed 38% of sharks were detected near the margins of the acoustic receiver array at least once, but sharks were 5–14 times more likely to be detected near the middle section of the array, indicating that the closure is buffered for edge effects (sharks leaving the area and being caught by fishing). In this closure, mature breeding females were also concentrated near the centre of the closure. A strong diurnal pattern was evident with sharks moving inshore into shallower waters at night, and offshore into deeper waters during the day. Results indicate the appropriate size for gulper shark closures is likely to vary between latitudes, seasons and species, and depend on the precise management objective

The project evaluated and cross-referenced two methods with potential to provide quantitative, non-lethal, and cost effective data on gulper shark population status: capture by hook and line, and in situ photography. Observation of gulper sharks in three surveys confirmed the potential of both methods. Development of the new DeepBRUVS survey tool provides the potential to collect monitoring data on the status of gulper shark populations, but further work is required to establish whether photographic summaries of species abundance, size structure and sex ratio can be calibrated to the same metrics measured by hook-and-line catch data.

Timely delivery of results enabled 36 candidate areas for protecting gulper sharks across temperate Australia to be identified and short-listed. These areas were detailed as specific options for individual area closures, and as a closure network. All results were provided in discussion papers to stakeholders and the South East Management Advisory Committee (SEMAC), and underpinned the design of fishery closures for the Stage 2 implementation of AFMA’s Upper Slope Dogfish Management Strategy.

Tactical Research Fund: industry monitoring and sampling of Gulper shark catches in the SESSF

Project number: 2009-023
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $72,031.00
Principal Investigator: Matt Koopman
Organisation: The Trustee for Knuckey Family Trust
Project start/end date: 14 Feb 2009 - 29 Dec 2010
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Information on gulper shark species in the SESSF is generally poor. Difficulty in the identification of this group of dogsharks down to the species level by Industry has compromised the value of commercial catch and effort data for gulper sharks. Their low productivity, combined with poor information has the potential to make gulper sharks the ‘Achilles’ Heel’ of SESSF operators, with the possibility of endangered species listing to significantly impact on upper slope fishing by all sectors.

In targeted surveys where commercial vessels have carried scientific observers skilled in the identification of gulper sharks, larger numbers of Harrisons, Southern and Endeavour dogfish have been identified in the catch. This reporting improves the information that is available on their distribution and abundance. With appropriate training in identification and sampling, Industry members could provide potentially crucial information to inform the assessment of the threatened species nomination for these species. Without such information, the assessment could largely rely on two ‘snapshot estimates’ from research surveys conducted by the Fisheries Research Vessel ‘Kapala’ off NSW, the last of which took place during the mid 1990s. Given the impending assessment completion date (30th September 2010), there is an urgent need to increase awareness and identification skill of Industry members to collect meaningful catch and effort data on gulper shark species.

Objectives

1. Increase gulper shark identification skills of SESSF Industry members to facilitate the collection of meaningful catch and effort data in commercial logbooks.
2. Scientifically verify the veracity of industry identification of gulper sharks through DNA samples
3. Improve our understanding of the distribution and abundance of gulper sharks in the SESSF.
4. Facilitate ongoing Industry monitoring of gulper sharks.

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-9808289-4-8
Author: Matthew Koopman

Supporting sustainable fishery development in the GAB with interpreted multi-scale seabed maps based on fishing industry knowledge and scientific survey data

Project number: 2006-036
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $291,930.00
Principal Investigator: Alan Williams
Organisation: CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date: 14 Oct 2006 - 30 Jun 2009
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The valuable offshore trawl (GABBTF) and non-trawl (GHATF) components of the SESSF fishery are expanding in the GAB, but there are no maps of this large area (~500 miles wide) at scales relevant to fishery use and management. Interpreted maps are needed to underpin sustainable development, particularly because they are relevant to developing area closures. These form a key part of AFMA’s strategic management planning for the fishery - including implementing the recommendations of recently completed Ecological Risk Assessments. The relevant scales when evaluating options for spatial management are: fishing grounds (areas with characteristic patterns of bottom types, fish communities and use), features (including submarine canyons and large rocky banks) and terrains - sediments, rocky bottom and broken bottom that make them up.

Maps alone will not usefully inform management decisions. There is also a need to interpret the structure and functions of their component parts, e.g. individual fishing grounds or certain habitat types. This enables stakeholders to understand their role for fishery production, their value to the fishery, and their natural values – including for threatened species and unique habitats. A wide range of data and knowledge can be collated from industry and scientific surveys. The proposed project will provide the mechanism needed to acquire, collate and map the information, then evaluate and summarise it for management purposes while preserving the confidential nature of industry data.

The project is based on a model used successfully in a previous study. The methodology – including data security measures - and infrastructure (spatial database, portable camera system) is largely in place. This project will build on lessons learned from the previous project (see Risk Analysis).

Objectives

1. Acquire, collate and map information on the spatial extent and use of the GAB seabed habitats from multi-sector fishing industry and scientific sources.
2. Validate and complement industry information gathered for Objective 1 by ground-truth sampling with cameras from a chartered industry vessel.
3. Integrate information from Objectives 1 and 2 to generate interpreted seabed maps at scales relevant to management needs: fishing grounds, features, terrains and bottom types.
4. Quantify habitat vulnerability using the ERA methodology and upload a representative set of video and photographic images into the CSIRO seabed image database
5. Interpret and summarise this information to permit informed area management (spatial and temporal) of the GAB
6. Evaluate and summarise this information in relation the recommendations of the strategic assessment of the fishery and for stock assessments

Shark and other chondrichthyan byproduct and bycatch estimation in the SEF Trawl and non-trawl Sectors

Project number: 2001-007
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $66,350.00
Principal Investigator: Terence I. Walker
Organisation: Agriculture Victoria
Project start/end date: 13 Jul 2001 - 30 Oct 2007
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Australia is a signatory to the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (IPOA-Sharks) which was ratified by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Committee of Fisheries during February 1999. As a signatory, Australia is obliged to develop a National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (NPOA-Sharks).

AFFA has established a Shark Advisory Group to prepare a Shark Assessment Report and to develop the Australian NPOA-Sharks. The Group includes representatives from all key government and non-government stakeholder groups, including shark specialists. Progress on development of the Report and Australia's NPOA-Sharks was reported to the FAO Committee of Fisheries during February 2001.

In addition, through the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, all Australian Commonwealth and State fisheries ministers have endorsed the National Policy on Fisheries Bycatch, which includes sharks and other chondrichthyans. The Commonwealth has recently released its bycatch policy, which builds on the endorsed National Policy on Fisheries Bycatch and commits the Commonwealth to developing a Bycatch Action Plan for each major Commonwealth fishery by 31 March 2001.

Australia is well placed to meet its international and national obligations for conservation and management of its chondrichthyan species. The major shark fisheries of southern Australia, Western Australia and northern Australia are well documented and are data rich. However, biproduct and bycatch of these species are not well documented.

In south-eastern Australia, most chondrichthyans are taken by the Southern Shark Fishery (SSF) and South East Fishery (SEF). Data on byproduct and bycatch have been collected from the SSF and are currently being analysed (FRDC Project 99/103). In the SEF, data are collected by Integrated Scientific Monitoring Program, but no attempt has been made to analyse the chondrichthyan data.

The present project proposal will not be complete in time to provide results for the first draft of the Australian Shark Assessment Report and NPOA-Sharks. Similarly, it will not be complete in time to prepare Bycatch Action Plans for the SEF (Trawl Sector) and the SSF and SEF (Non-trawl Sector) but the project outputs will be vital inputs to subsequent drafts.

Outputs from the project will assist Environment Australia with two recent initiatives taken under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. One relates to the requirement for an Environment Impact Assessment for each Commonwealth managed fishery. The other initiative is the Conservation Overview and Action Plan for Australian Threatened and Potentially Threatened Marine and Estuarine Fishes.

Objectives

1. Summarise retained and discarded catches and length-frequency data on sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras from the Integrated Scientific Monitoring Program (ISMP) database.
2. Estimate spatial and temporal trends in catches and abundance of sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras using data from the ISMP database and from the SEF catch and effort database.
3. Identify implications and requirements for species management, fishery bycatch action plans, and FAO IPOA-sharks.
4. Evaluate impact on the ISMP data and catch and effort data collected following adoption of the shark field guide to sharks and rays caught in Australian fisheries.

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-74199-216-8
Author: Terence Walker and Anne Gason
Final Report • 2009-04-14 • 9.92 MB
2001-007-DLD.pdf

Summary

The project met all four objectives completely and the outputs from the project are important inputs for the management of byproduct and bycatch.

Data from the Integrated Scientific Monitoring Program (ISMP) and from fisher logbooks were analysed for the South Eastern Trawl Fishery (SETF) during 1994–06, the Great Australian Bight Trawl Fishery (GABTF), where available, the Gillnet Hook and Trap Fishery (GHATF) during 2000–06. The project delivered several important outputs.

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