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Investing in our future: stock assessment and the next generation

Project number: 2021-002
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $304,351.00
Principal Investigator: Cathy M. Dichmont
Organisation: Cathy Dichmont Consulting
Project start/end date: 31 Mar 2022 - 29 Jun 2024
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Need

Stock Assessment remains a key component of fisheries management. The pool of Australian scientists that practice in this field is well respected globally. However, this community is generally dispersed, both in terms of organisational structure and geography. Opportunities to share skills and common issues on a regular basis, including discussions on new developments in the field, are often lacking. Previous projects on stock assessors’ use of bespoke models versus packages have shown that lack of knowledge of available off-the-shelf packages and their specifications was a key roadblock to adoption of these methods. The new Stock Assessment Toolbox web-site (toolbox.frdc.com.au) goes some way to address this issue by providing a single repository for globally developed packages. Another barrier was knowledge on how to use these packages, which was partially addressed through subsequent courses on data-limited methods and the Stock Synthesis assessment framework. Although these incorporated advances in the field, there is still a large gap in terms of adoption – not only of packages but of new techniques, sharing our own advances with the world and vice versa. There is a need to understand the influencers (both human and in terms of scientific practices) in this field, both in Australia, and from the international world into Australia. This requires bringing past projects together and adding new skills to fisheries assessors to facilitate and further a strong sense of connection and a community of practice within the field, and with other related fields. This work is aimed at helping assessors gain and share skill and knowledge amongst each other through understanding their impediments and drivers. The project will create a roadmap for the next generation of assessors and methods.

Objectives

1. Keep the Stock Assessment Toolbox relevant through regular updates
2. Understand how stock assessment scientists gain and share their expertise
3. Facilitate transformative change by connecting assessment scientists with each other and others
4. Investing in the tools and people through training
Environment
Industry
Environment
Environment
Environment
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Genetic stock structure of commercially important deep sea crab species

Project number: 2020-014
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $20,000.00
Principal Investigator: Jason Kennington
Organisation: University of Western Australia (UWA)
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2021 - 29 Jun 2022
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Need

Two deep sea crab species crystal crab (Chaceon albus) and champagne crab (Hypothalassia acerba) are captured by both the West Coast Deep Sea Crustacean Managed Fishery (WCDSCMF) and South Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery (SCCMF). The greatest catches of these two species are landed by the WCDSCMF. As part of the MSC certification process for the WCDSCMF, information is required on the stock structure of (PI 1.2.3) and recent surveillance of this fishery identified; "…there is little information on the stock structure of crabs.... and this may weaken a stock assessment". Therefore information on the genetic stock structure will assist in the stock assessment of crystal crab and future MSC re-certification of the WCDSCMF. The information will also aid in the stock assessment and management of the SCCMF crab fisheries. The recent stock assessment of crystal crab in the SCCMF indicated an unacceptable level of stock depletion. Catches in this area have been highly cyclical unlike those on the west coast. This pattern is very similar to that of rock lobster and blue swimmer crab, whereby the main spawning stock resides on the west coast with large and consistent catches, while those on the south coast are sporadic with recruitment e.g. possibly only flowing down in strong Leeuwin Current years. These south coast areas are considered a resource ‘sink’. Irrespective of the similarities, the south coast deep-sea crab fisheries are still managed conservatively under the assumption of self-recruiting (they are not treated as sink populations). Determination of the recruitment linkages between the west and south coast fisheries will have marked implications on the management arrangement required for both fisheries.

Objectives

1. Determine the stock structure of the crystal crab Chaceon albus
2. Determine the stock structure of the champagne crab Hypothalassia acerba
3. Assess the implication of stock structures on the management arrangements required for both fisheries
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