5 results
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2017-012
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Investigating social acceptance for the wild catch commercial fishing industry of Southeast Queensland

This research project aimed to develop an engagement strategy that would assist the Southeast Queensland (SEQ) wild catch commercial fishing industry to gain social acceptance, or a Social Licence to Operate (SLO). SLO is needed to maintain access to the resource and market confidence. A scan of...
ORGANISATION:
University of the Sunshine Coast (USC)

Impact of management changes on the viability of Indigenous commercial fishers and the flow on effects to their communities: case study in NSW

Project number: 2010-304
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $74,087.00
Principal Investigator: Stephan B. Schnierer
Organisation: Southern Cross University (SCU) Lismore Campus
Project start/end date: 30 Sep 2010 - 30 Sep 2011
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Indigenous commercial fishers* (ICF) make up a small percentage of commercial fishers in NSW. They are usually small operators that;

(i) derive a personal income, and

(ii) many cases, supply some catch for local indigenous community consumption.

The NSW Indigenous Fisheries Strategy 2002 emphasized the importance of indigenous participation in the commercial fishing sector. A workshop conducted with ICF in 2003 identified obstacles to ongoing and future participation in the sector. Several issues were identified see 'A Draft Discussion Document and Action Plan. Developing the participation of Indigenous people in commercial fishing. A Report commissioned by NSW Fisheries '. One of the main issues identified was;

'The gradual and continuing decline of Aboriginal commercial fishers in the industry means loss of an accessible and appealing employment base for Aboriginal communities'.

To date little has been done to address the decline and recent communication with some ICF, particularly in far northern NSW, indicate that it is continuing. ICF indicate that ongoing changes to management approaches in NSW are making it even more difficult for them to stay now then previously.

There is an urgent need to analyse the possible impacts of new management changes (structural readjustment in NSW - see the Pyrmont Pact) on indigenous participation in commercial fisheries and to develop revised strategies that seek to maintain the existing levels and where possible increase indigenous involvement in commercial fisheries so as to address (i) and (ii) above.

*Here we are talking about indigenous participation in commercial fisheries, not cultural fisheries.

Objectives

1. Case study of indigenous commercial fisheries focussing initially on NSW as a basis for a national study
2. Determine the number of indigenous commercial fishers in NSW
3. Estimate the percentage of commercial catch made available to indigenous communities for personal consumption.
4. Identify management changes likely to impact indigenous participation in commercial fisheries and how they will impact.
5. Develop strategies to ameliorate the impacts of management change on indigenous participation in commercial fisheries.

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-9874424-0-6
Author: Stephan Schnierer

Maximizing the survival of bycatch released from commercial estuarine fishing gears in NSW

Project number: 2005-056
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $346,654.46
Principal Investigator: Matt K. Broadhurst
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)
Project start/end date: 29 Nov 2005 - 31 Dec 2008
Contact:
FRDC

Need

In NSW, inherent variation among the characteristics of different estuarine fisheries has resulted in a range of physical modifications designed to improve the selectivity of conventional gears. While some of these designs have been effective in reducing the bycatches of unwanted species by up to 95%, rates of reduction more commonly range between 30 and 70%. Such reductions have obvious benefits for the stocks of bycatch species. considering the magnitudes of bycatches in many estuarine fisheries, and especially those targeting prawns (i.e. often 1000s of fish per haul), it is apparent that despite the use of modified gears, in nearly all cases there still remains some capture and mortality of unwanted individuals.

To augment the post-release survival of unwanted bycatch throughout nearly all of NSW estuarine fisheries (including those involving static gears, where no BRDs have been developed), ancillary options within the second category of input controls (listed above in B2) need to be investigated. The sorts of modifications that warrant examination include, defined soak times for gears, devices to limit predation on discarded bycatch, netting materials in codends that reduce damage to bycatch, the use of gloves to handle bycatch, and the utility of separating target and bycaught species in water after capture.

The majority of these operational and/or post-capture handling procedures have NOT been examined, but have the potential to significantly reduce the remaining impacts of commercial fishing gears on non-target species and sizes in NSW’s estuaries. This is one of the main research priorities detailed in the Fishery Management Strategy for the NSW Estuary General Fishery and comprises a key category within the 2004-2007 Strategic Research Plan for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Conservation in NSW. Quantification of the utility of this category of input controls would also have benefit and application throughout all other coastal fisheries in Australia.

The research will form the basis of a PhD candidature. This approach is justified because (i) the work is new and there is sufficient intellectual content to support a PhD student, (ii) there is a paucity of researchers with higher degrees working in the applied fields of gear technology and bycatch mitigation in Australia and (iii) previous, similarly-structured FRDC projects (e.g. 93/180 and 2001/031) have resulted in successful PhD candidatures by project staff. Specifying a PhD candidature formalizes what would already occur if funding was sought for a Fisheries Technician, but at approx. 1/3 the cost, while attracting a substantial in-kind contribution from affiliated institutions (the National Marine Science Centre and University of New England).

Objectives

1. To identify deleterious operational procedures and post-capture handling practices and quantify their effect on the immediate and short-term survival of unwanted, discarded bycatch throughout NSW s estuarine fishing gears.
2. To examine simple, but appropriate, operational and/or handling practices that improve the immediate and short-term post-capture survival of unwanted bycatches.
3. To determine the most appropriate strategies from (2) and assist commercial fishers and managers in their implementation, adoption and eventual legislation.

Final report

Determining appropriate sizes at harvest for species shared by the commercial trap and recreational fisheries in New South Wales

Project number: 2004-035
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $310,933.00
Principal Investigator: John Stewart
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)
Project start/end date: 16 Feb 2005 - 28 Feb 2008
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Available evidence suggests that most fish species harvested by the NSW demersal trap and recreational fisheries are taken at sizes that are too small to optimise yield and/or economic return. This is because most species taken in both of these fisheries either have MLL’s that are too small or do not have MLL's at all. There have only been stock assessments done on snapper (FRDC project No. 93/074) and silver trevally (FRDC project No. 97/125) in the trap fishery. Both studies showed that they were growth overfished and the results have been used to increase the MLL for snapper and to impose a MLL for silver trevally across all fisheries. Many other species taken by fish traps are in decline and it is highly likely that they are also growth overfished. Unfortunately, very little is known about the biology or life-history of these other species. Recreational fishers are significant harvesters of all species taken in the NSW demersal trap fishery and it is important that any MLL’s designed to reduce overfishing are applied across all fisheries.

NSW Fisheries does not currently have a policy for setting MLL's at particular sizes and the process developed during this study may form the basis for such a policy. It is important to consider several issues when setting appropriate harvest sizes and these include: (i) the size at sexual maturity; (ii) the size that will optimise yield; (iii) market requirements; (iv) an economic assessment, and (iv) public perception.

The information on biology, stock-assessment and protocols for setting appropriate harvest sizes developed during this project will directly address several key areas of importance recognized by the FRDC. The planned outcomes will lead to fisheries management being based more on the precautionary principle, will maximise the economic and social returns from harvesting these species while also providing for effective management of recreational fishing. These areas are considered to be high priorities by the NSW FRAB and by Recfish Australia in their National Research and Development plan for the recreational sector.

Objectives

1. To develop a framework based on biological, economic and social information by which appropriate harvest sizes can be determined.
2. To recommend appropriate sizes at harvest for primary species shared by the commercial trap and recreational fisheries in NSW.
3. Where appropriate to recommend minimum legal lengths for species across all fisheries.

Final report

Assessment of the impacts associated with the harvesting of marine benthic invertebrates for use as bait by recreational anglers

Project number: 1998-224
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $346,425.89
Principal Investigator: Greg A. Skilleter
Organisation: University of Queensland (UQ)
Project start/end date: 10 Aug 1998 - 29 Jun 2004
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Coastal areas of Australia, especially those close to urban areas, are under increasing pressure from industrial and tourism developments, and the associated infrastructure to support them. These shallow-water coastal and estuarine areas will also continue to be the focus of attention by the recreational and commercial fishing sectors. An understanding of the impacts of damage to key intertidal habitats will allow managers to minimise the adverse impacts and developmental degradation on Australia's fisheries resources.

There is currently no detailed information available on the specific effects of loss or damage to intertidal estuarine habitats on the animal assemblages that utilise these habitats, despite the recognised importance of the habitats and the benthic invertebrates to fisheries resources. Studies which have examined the effects of damage to subtidal habitats have shown important links to fisheries utilising these habitats (e.g. Sainsbury et al., 1993). Similar studies should be a priority for critical intertidal estuarine habitats. Although this project focuses on damage to intertidal habitats caused by bait-harvesting, the results of this work will be applicable to other sources of damage to these habitats, providing an important database establishing causal relationships between effects on the physical structure of the habitat and impacts on the associated animals.

Objectives

1. Assess the ecological impacts of commercial and recreational harvesting of yabbies and bloodworms on other components of the ecosystem.
2. Assess the impacts of bait-harvesting activities on the sustainability of populations of yabbies (Trypaea australiensis) and bloodworms (Marphysa sp.).
3. Develop a population assessment technique for yabbies and bloodworms.
4. Determine levels of recruitment of these species and assess whether harvesting affects recruitment.
5. Obtain estimates of the recreational harvest of these species.
View Filter

Species