147 results
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2019-036
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Implementation of dynamic reference points and harvest strategies to account for environmentally-driven changes in productivity in Australian fisheries

The need to adapt stock assessment methods and harvest strategies to explicitly and justifiably account for shifts in productivity has been recognised by the AFMA Resource Assessment Group for the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF), not least as a result of clearly evident...
ORGANISATION:
Pisces Australis Pty Ltd
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2015-018
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Do commercial fishery data reflect stock status in South Australia's Southern Garfish fisheries?

During the early 2000s, stock assessments highlighted considerable issues with the status of South Australia’s stocks of Southern Garfish (Hyporhamphus melanochir). This led to significant management changes that were implemented in 2005, which included the introduction of new...
ORGANISATION:
SARDI Food Safety and Innovation

Seafood CRC: Sydney rock oysters: overcoming constraints to commercial scale hatchery and nursery production

Project number: 2003-209
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $664,640.24
Principal Investigator: Wayne O'Connor
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)
Project start/end date: 29 Jun 2003 - 5 Sep 2008
Contact:
FRDC

Need

A systematic program of research and development is needed to enable reliable cost-effective hatchery production of Sydney rock oyster (SRO) seed to allow demonstrated benefits of triploid oysters and advances in SRO selection for growth and disease resistance. This R&D program incorporates relevant recommendations of the recent “Review of Hatchery Production Technology and Breeding Program for Sydney Rock Oysters (“Benzie et al., FRDC 2001/213). This review acknowledged that the potential benefits of solving SRO hatchery production problems far outweigh the likely costs. The R&D program also incorporates and integrates recommendations the of the NSW Fisheries – FRDC “Sydney Rock Oyster Hatchery and Nursery Health Workshop” held on the 8 th and 9th of August 2002 at Nelson Bay. Central among these recommendations were:
1 The need for a revision of hatchery procedures and the assessment/adoption of alternate algal, larval and spat rearing technology.
2 The need to elucidate the fundamental autecological (temperature and salinity) and nutritional requirements of SRO during early ontogeny, that have not yet been addressed and will be central to the production of the species.
3 The need for systematic and appropriate sampling procedures for the diagnosis of potential disease occurrences.

Independent of the species involved, there is a need to document the processes involved in developing techniques and strategies to culture otherwise intransigent species. This research will provide a unique opportunity to document the history of problems with SRO, the consultation undertaken, the strategies developed for SRO and the techniques for their implementation. This document, the FRDC final report for this research, would provide a reference for dealing systematically with hatchery based problems and will provide an array of monitoring and assessment protocols for other molluscs.

Objectives

1. To establish protocols for improved broodstock conditioning and handling, particularly to permit out-of-season spawning of selected oyster stocks.
2. To determine the effects of the key autecological factors (temperature and salinity) and nutrition on SRO embryos and larvae, to evaluate early larval survival and late larval growth in commercial hatcheries.
3. To trial economical, low cost alternative techniques for algal and larval and spat rearing to enhance commercial SRO production. In particular to establish alternative approaches for spat rearing including spat bubblers and field based nursery systems.
4. To systematically assess the major potential pathogenic or toxic factors that might contribute to larval and spat mortality.
5. To facilitate the establishment of a reliable commercial source of genetically improved SRO spat.

Final report

Author: Wayne O'Connor
Final Report • 2009-09-28 • 1.79 MB
2003-209-DLD.pdf

Summary

Objectives:

  • 1. To establish protocols for improved broodstock conditioning and handling, particularly to permit out-of-season spawning of selected oyster stocks.
  • 2. To determine the effects of the key autecological factors (temperature and salinity) and nutrition on SRO embryos and larvae, to elevate early larval survival and late larval growth in commercial hatcheries.
  • 3. To trial economical, low cost alternative techniques for algal and larval and spat rearing to enhance commercial SRO production. In particular to establish alternative approaches for spat rearing including spat bubblers and field based nursery systems.
  • 4. To systematically assess and monitor the major potential pathogenic factors that might contribute to spat mortality.
  • 5. To facilitate the establishment of a reliable commercial source of genetically improved SRO spat.
  • As a function of the early success of this program in overcoming hatchery production problems, two additional milestones were added with the objective:

  • 6. To assess the performance of selectively bred oysters at seven sites across NSW and then monitor the changes in physiological and reproductive condition of those oysters at 3 of those sites.
  • Tactical Research Fund: Information to support management options for upper slope gulper sharks (including Harrison's dogfish and southern dogfish).

    Project number: 2008-065
    Project Status:
    Completed
    Budget expenditure: $67,273.00
    Principal Investigator: David Wilson
    Organisation: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) ABARES
    Project start/end date: 31 Oct 2008 - 18 Feb 2009
    Contact:
    FRDC

    Need

    The ecological risk assessment process recently undertaken jointly by AFMA and CSIRO has identified that sharks generally, are high priority species which require focussed management attention. In the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) this is particularly the case for upper slope Southern and Eastern gulper sharks (including Harrison’s dogfish and Southern dogfish) which have been found to be severely depleted and have been nominated as threatened species under the EPBC Act. AFMA is now developing management responses to address these identified ecological risks, and there are a number of complimentary processes currently underway. These include the bycatch working group in the SESSF, which is currently preparing a bycatch work plan to be developed and implemented during 2008. AFMA is also establishing an expert shark and ray (Chondrichthyan) working group to develop appropriate management responses for these species across all fisheries. There is also a small working group in the South East Trawl Fishery (SETF) which is looking closely at the deepwater shark species of the lower slope and additional work is being undertaken to provide immediate management recommendations in relation to Harrison’s dogfish in particular. However, despite these various initiatives, there is a need to review available information on the upper slope gulper sharks (including species other than just Harrison’s dogfish) to improve understanding of levels of interaction and to provide advice on future management options.

    Objectives

    1. Review the success of management arrangements used elsewhere around the world to address the sustainability of fisheries catches involving similar upper slope low productivity shark species
    2. Consider the historical identification of Harrison's dogfish including catch statistics and scientific surveys.
    3. Investigate and improve estimates on the extent and nature of actual interactions with Harrison’s dogfish and other similar upper slope gulper sharks in all sectors of Australia’s SESSF
    4. Provide an analysis, with supporting rationale, for alternative management options for reducing the ecological risk to Harrison’s dogfish and other similar upper slope gulper sharks in Australia’s SESSF

    Final report

    ISBN: 978-1-921192-35-7
    Author: David Wilson
    Environment
    PROJECT NUMBER • 1995-014
    PROJECT STATUS:
    COMPLETED

    Indices of recruitment and effective spawning for tiger prawns stocks in the Northern Prawn Fishery

    In the mid to late 1980s NORMAC began to suspect that tiger prawn spawning stocks in the NPF may have been reduced by fishing to levels that reduced recruitment to the fishery. A vessel buy-back scheme and other effort reductions were introduced to reverse this trend but, by the mid-1990s, the...
    ORGANISATION:
    CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
    Environment
    PROJECT NUMBER • 2018-050
    PROJECT STATUS:
    COMPLETED

    Where did the Snapper go? Determining factors influencing the recovery of Snapper stocks on the west coast of Australia

    This report describes a collaborative project focused on Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) carried out between 2018 and 2021 by researchers from the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Flinders University, University of Adelaide, University of Western...
    ORGANISATION:
    Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
    SPECIES
    Environment

    Tactical Research Fund: Shark futures - a synthesis of available data on Mako and Porbeagle sharks in Australasian waters - current status and future directions

    Project number: 2011-045
    Project Status:
    Completed
    Budget expenditure: $69,533.00
    Principal Investigator: Barry Bruce
    Organisation: CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
    Project start/end date: 27 Dec 2011 - 31 Oct 2012
    Contact:
    FRDC

    Need

    The shortfin mako, longfin mako and porbeagle sharks have widespread distributions in temperate and tropical waters of all the world’s oceans. Makos are bycatch and by-product species of pelagic longline and gillnet fisheries where they are taken for their meat and high-value fins. They are also highly-prized recreational species in many regions. Makos have low productivity, typical of sharks that do not mature until reaching a large size, producing few young and where individuals are unlikely to reproduce annually. Risk assessments both nationally and in the Atlantic concluded that mako sharks are at the highest risk of all pelagic sharks. These species are listed by the IUCN as Vulnerable globally and Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean. Significant population declines in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic resulted in these species being listed under Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) in 2008 and concomitant listing under Australia’s EPBC Act in January 2010. This effectively meant that the target commercial or recreational fishing for these species was prohibited in Australian waters. In May 2010 the National Recreational Mako Shark Fishery - Management Forum identified the need for a study to identify and propose cost effective ways to fill key gaps in the collective knowledge of these species. In July 2010, after considerable debate, a legislative amendment was made to allow for the recreational fishing of mako and porbeagle sharks in Commonwealth areas despite the offence provisions under the EPBC Act. Commercial targeting of these species remains an offence, however, there are exemptions where they are taken as bycatch under accredited management plans. The Federal Environment Minister also directed DEWHA/SEWPaC to work with Fisheries Managers to provide a “more comprehensive information base on mako and porbeagle sharks for the future”. This project is a direct result of these needs.

    Objectives

    1. Identify and collate existing data sets on mako and porbeagle sharks in Australasian waters including data on the geographic distribution and magnitude of current and historical catch (commercial and recreational), demographic parameters, behaviour, movement patterns, habitat associations, diet and trophic interactions and impacts of fishing, including who holds these data.
    2. Identify and provide a national framework of coordination and cooperation for current and future research on mako and porbeagle sharks that will contribute towards improving understanding and reduce uncertainty in these parameters.
    3. Identify key gaps in our collective knowledge of these species and opportunities for sustained, long-term programs for data collection.
    4. Work with managers, policy makers, researchers as well as commercial and recreational sectors to identify cost-effective ways to address these gaps in a coordinated national and regional approach that aligns with the needs for management and policy.
    5. Improve communication and coordination between research providers, State and Commonwealth management agencies and the recreational and commercial sectors on data collection and data synthesis for these species to facilitate cost effective science-support for management and policy decision making.

    Final report

    ISBN: 978-1-4863-0341-0
    Author: Barry Bruce
    Final Report • 2014-08-13 • 21.95 MB
    2011-045-DLD.pdf

    Summary

    This project summarises the available information on the population biology of the shortfin mako, longfin mako and porbeagle sharks in Australasian waters and other parts of the world based on a workshop held at CSIRO Marine Laboratories, Hobart, Tasmania and via reviews of published literature. The report evaluates the available catch and effort data from the Australian fishery that takes the majority of mako sharks in Australian waters (the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery) and provides data summaries of catches from other fisheries in Australia and New Zealand. It also provides a series \ of progress reports on current research in the Australia-New Zealand region and the Pacific Ocean. Although available data do not indicate any evidence for significant declines in mako shark abundance, it is not possible to quantitatively assess their current status in Australasian waters. Mako and porbeagle sharks have a demonstrated vulnerability to the impacts of fishing in other regions and experiences in both the Mediterranean and Atlantic support that careful attention toward monitoring their populations elsewhere is required, including in Australasian waters.

    The workshop provided a highly successful construct to discuss data-sets and current research as well as facilitating collaborative partnerships between researchers, management agencies and
    stakeholders. It compiled a comprehensive information base on mako and porbeagle sharks in Australasian waters to support management and inform policy decisions into the future. These elements combined to form a useful framework from which not only to guide nationally coordinated initiatives for mako and porbeagle shark research, but also offer a model for addressing similar issues for other species with international cross-jurisdictional links that require a nationally coordinated approach to research and management.
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