182 results
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 1976-025
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

To further development of aquaculture of marron by testing a specially designed pond sited in the most climatically favourable location in Western Australia

Extensive research has been conducted on the growth cycle of marron, a type of freshwater crayfish. in Western Australia. The research suggests that the most favorable area for marron is near Cape Leeuwin. People interested in setting up an aquaculture facility for marron are advised to seek a pond...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA

Impoundment stocking strategies for eastern and northern Australia

Project number: 1998-221
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $589,325.00
Principal Investigator: Michael Hutchison
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries (QLD)
Project start/end date: 20 Jun 1998 - 27 Sep 2006
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Despite the large number of impoundments currently stocked in Queensland for recreational fishing, and the economic benefits resulting from this activity, almost no research has been conducted on developing strategies to maximise survival of stocked fry. Post-stocking surveys and creel surveys have given an indication of whether a given fishery is successful or not, but these surveys have not been designed to test any hypotheses on effective release strategies. To achieve maximum productivity at minimum cost freshwater fish stocking groups require reliable information that will assist them improve stocking procedures. This information will help stocking groups to be more cost effective in their operations by increasing the chances of stocked fish reaching a catchable size. To date impoundment stocking groups have been releasing fry without knowledge of whether different size classes of fry have different probabilities of survival. Similarly it is not known if point of release of stocked fry has any influence on survival rates. Properly conducted experiments which examine the relative survival of different size classes of fry and the influence of different release strategies on survival would be of immense benefit to recreational fishing groups in Queensland and other states. If for example small fry of one species (eg barramundi) were found to survive equally well as larger size classes, then it would make sense for the stocking groups to stock the cheaper smaller size classes. If larger size classes survive well, but smaller size classes have poor survival, then fish stocking groups will have better returns by stocking the more expensive larger size classes of fry. Similarly knowledge of whether point of release has any influence on survival for different stocked species will assist stocking groups to use their time and money efficiently.

It is clear from post-stocking and creel surveys that fry survive and grow better in some impoundments than others. A number of new dams are planned in various parts of Queensland. Knowledge of the environmental characteristics which influence the productivity and carrying capacity of impoundments will also benefit stocking groups by directing their efforts to productive locations or providing advice on actions which may enhance productivity or carrying capacity of impoundments. The current proposed project is a necessary first step to develop efficient stocking protocols and will lead to a follow up experiment/project examining in greater detail the success of stocked fisheries in a up to twenty impoundments. The subsequent project is expected to lead to predictions of the suitability of new impoundments for stocked fisheries and to strategies to improve the fisheries value of impoundments.

Objectives

1. To determine optimal stocking size and release strategies to maximise the survival of four fish species (golden perch, silver perch, Australian bass and barramundi ) in stocked impoundments.
2. Identify differences between impoundments that may influence the survival and growth of fish stocks.
3. Verify use of scale pattern analysis as a reliable means of identifying up to three fish stocks.
4. Ensure adequate replication of stocking strategies for barramundi, golden perch and silver perch.

Manual

Author: Bob Simpson Michael Hutchison Tom Gallagher Keith Chilcott
Manual • 2.10 MB
fishstockmanual.b.f.1102 (ed2) (003).pdf

Summary

Fish stocking is a valuable and widely used fisheries management tool. If managed well, a fish stocking program can improve the status of declining or threatened fish stocks, restore species diversity to a degraded waterway, and even create a fishery where there was none before. The positive image of thousands of small fish being released into a waterway ensures that fish stocking is equally popular among politicians, fisheries managers and the general community.

This manual provides guidelines to help plan and carry out fish stocking programs in northern and eastern Australian impoundments. It presents an introduction to the main biological and ecological concepts that determine the outcome of stocking programs, and provides community fish stocking groups with a protocol to help ensure the success of their stocking activities. 

Project products

Guide • 161.91 KB
f0140_fish_stocking_pamphlett2.pdf

Summary

The information in this document is taken from Fish stocking in impoundments: A best practice manual for eastern and northern Australia; Fisheries Research and Development Corporation Project 1998-221.

The information is based on research carried out in south-east Queensland, but can also be applied to fish stocking in impoundments in other parts of Australia. It should be regarded as general advice to assist groups or individuals in their fish stocking activities.

Guide • 254.95 KB
f0139_FAQ_glossary_aquacult.pdf

Summary

Although fish stocking has been carried out in northern and eastern Australia for some years now, there are still many unknowns regarding the best methods and approaches required to provide optimum results for anglers and for the environment. This document attempts to shed light on some of these unknowns, but given the highly variable conditions experienced in different regions and impoundments, and the complex interactions that occur between different combinations of fish species, there is a need to tailor stocking approaches to suit particular situations.

Despite these difficulties, it is possible to provide some answers to the questions that are commonly asked by people and organisations involved in fish stocking.

Presentation • 2.79 MB
Does size matter.ppt

Summary

Impoundment stocking strategies for Australian native species: Does size matter? was presented by Tom Gallagher and Michael Hutchison at the Australian Society for Fish Biology Annual Conference.

The ASFB Annual Conference was held in Cairns, August 14-17 2002.

Final Report • 2005-08-30 • 4.90 MB
1998-221-DLD.pdf

Summary

This project has provided scientifically validated information on optimal stocking sizes and optimal release strategies for four popular freshwater angling species. We now also have a better understanding of the impacts of different predators and impoundment conditions on stocking success. This information will enable community groups and fisheries managers to determine cost-effective stocking strategies and maximise survival of stocked fish. This information has been summarised in a user-friendly fish stocking manual.

By following this advice, stocking groups can increase survival of stocked fish by more than 10 times (depending on past stocking practices by each group), or ensure that they get the most cost-efficient result in terms of numbers of fish reaching legal size per stocking dollar. A copy of the stocking manual has been sent to every fish stocking group in Queensland, and also to peak angler representative bodies and fisheries management agencies in New South Wales and Victoria. The manual has also been made available in PDF format on the internet. The advice in the stocking manual, and outlined in this report, will lead to improved impoundment fisheries and associated economic benefits in those areas where it is implemented.

Our evaluation of the use of scales as tags has shown that scales do have potential as low-cost batch tags, but there are also limitations. Such tags are likely to be more reliable for fish stocked at larger sizes. Our research has proven the need for verification of scale patterns as tags through use of a secondary tagging system. If researchers recognise the limitations of scales and assess reliability of scales for each new species via secondary tagging, then costly research mistakes can be avoided in the future.

Keywords: Fish stocking, release size, release strategies, stocking strategies, batch tagging, visual implant elastomer (VIE) tag, coded wire tag, impoundment, lake, dam, Australian bass, silver perch, barramundi, golden perch, scale pattern analysis, Australia.

People

People Development Program: Visiting Expert – Paul Lumley

Project number: 2008-328.23
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $10,000.00
Organisation: Australian Society For Fish Biology Inc
Project start/end date: 5 Jul 2015 - 29 Nov 2015
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The ASFB, through our annual conference and network of members has a forum for exchange of information. For our 2015 conference we are proposing to support the attendance of Paul Lumley the Executive Director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) as a keynote speaker and organise some targeted workshops prior to the conference in Darwin (lead by NT Fisheries, Bo Carne and Charles Darwin University, Alison King) and Mildura (lead by Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre, Lee Baumgartner & Deb Bogenhuber).

Mr Lumley has been selected as our preferred keynote based on his extensive history working with Northwest US tribes on salmon issues, particularly in the Columbia River Basin. He previously spent 17 years with CRITFC working on biological issues associated with power stations, and has also assisted in fund raising and establishing a grant program for the four Columbia River treaty tribes. Mr Lumley has indicated availability and a preliminary commitment to attend and undertake proposed workshops and present Keynote.

ASFB has a commitment to increase engagement between ASFB members and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, within the scope of the society. We recognise that to support this involves improving opportunities for Indigenous people to engage in research, fisheries management and compliance and other commercial activities. There is a great deal of interest in the ability to develop and start new commercial initiatives that maintain ongoing Indigenous interests and concerns in the fisheries management and industry and environmental rehabilitation. Australian Indigenous experience in commercial fisheries has gained momentum, and many of our members have expressed an interest in learning from International First Nations and Indigenous peoples experience.

We have in principal support for this activity through Indigenous agencies and advisory groups, including the Fisheries Research and Development Corporations Indigenous Reference Group, Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, the Murray Lower Darling Indigenous Nations.

Objectives

1. Support shared exchange of knowledge between the experiences of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) in First Nations people involvement in Stock Enhancement and Species Restoration and Australian Indigenous communities through two targeted workshops in Darwin and Mildura.
2. Support further communication of CRITFC experiences in First Nation Peoples involvement through keynote presentation at the 2015 Australian Society for Fish Biology Conference is being held at UTS in Sydney on 11-14 October. This year it is being held in conjunction with the 5th International Symposium on Stock Enhancement and Sea Ranching. Topic 'Using indigenous fishing rights to stimulate restoration of fish populations: A case study of salmon populations in the Columbia River Basin'
People
PROJECT NUMBER • 1993-116
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

The second international symposium on abalone biology fisheries and culture

The First International Symposium on Abalone Biology, Fisheries and Culture was held in La Paz, Mexico in November 1989. In the closing session of that symposium it was decided to hold the second abalone symposium in Australia in 1993 or 1994. Subsequently, Hobart was chosen as the site and 7-11...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE TAS)
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 1984-011
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

The production of larval native fish in larval rearing ponds

Most marine and freshwater fishes depend on plankton for food during a period shortly after birth until they are large enough to switch to other prey. At the Inland Fisheries Research Station, Narrandera (NIFRS), native fish are spawned and the larvae transferred to rearing ponds for approximately...
ORGANISATION:
University of Adelaide
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 1983-038
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Development of barramundi (Lates calcarifer bloch) hatchery and farming techniques in Australia

The central aims of this project were to identify major practical constraints to the development of a commercially viable barramundi hatchery and farming enterprise in Northern Australia and to demonstrate that hatchery rearing of barramundi constituted a feasible alternative to the importation of...
ORGANISATION:
Sea Hatcheries Ltd
Adoption

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: conduct of a multi-jurisdiction simulation exercise focussed on health management in Australian aquaculture

Project number: 2003-669
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $92,196.00
Principal Investigator: Iain East
Organisation: Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
Project start/end date: 30 Aug 2003 - 31 Oct 2005
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The current program of simulation exercises conducted under the auspices of the Federal Budget Initiative is designed to provide individual jurisdictions with training in the management of aquatic animal disease emergencies. However, within Australia, both marine and freshwater environments cross State/Territory boundaries. The need for inter-jurisdictional co-operation in successful disease control and eradication has not previously been addressed. A current FRDC project, 2002/660 is providing training focussed on the operation of the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases, however, the aims and objectives of the current proposal are to develop cooperation at a technical and operational level rather than the strategic level addressed by project 2002/660.
The current proposal follows on from a previous project (2002/655) that involved:
1. Recruitment of stakeholders to the proposed exercise,
2. The development of the exercise documentation and plans,
3. Obtaining financial support from stakeholders

All of these objectives have been met. The project outlined in the current proposal will allow for the conduct of the exercise as planned. This project submission has been requested by the FRDC Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram.

Objectives

1. To conduct, in cooperation with a range of government and non-government organisations, a simulation exercise that will effectively address issues of inter-jurisdictional communication and cooperation in response to an emergency disease incident.
2. To enhance the capabilities of the States/Territories that share the Murray/Darling Basin in the area of management of aquatic animal disease incidents.
3. To heighten the awareness of these jurisdictions to the potential for incursions of emergency diseases.
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