The Macleay River is a typical oyster farming estuary in that it is impacted by poor water quality from time to time. In particular, the Macleay is an example of the range of water quality issues that can impact oyster farming, as in the past 2 years, it has been effected by: flooding, bushfire runoff, acid sulphate runoff, de-oxygenated water, QX disease, low salinity, and sewage spills. As in all NSW estuaries, it also has fluctuating levels of potentially harmful algal species occasionally.

Little water quality data exists yet for this estuary, despite the fact that it has suffered recent severe ‘black water’ events. This project will represent the first time that very detailed water quality information will be collected and analysed from this estuary, in order to determine predictive models to improve the ability of oyster farmers to respond to poor water quality events.

For this reason, this estuary will serve as a case study for the range of issues that can impact oyster farming in Australia. This site will be used as an example of an approach to managing water quality using high quality data. In addition, the Georges River estuary and the Hawkesbury estuary experience other issues and have active growth of Pacific oysters rather than Sydney Rock oysters. The Hawkesbury has experienced a large scale POMs outbreak which devastated industry. The Georges River has been an experimental site for oyster research by the NSW DPI and Universities for decades, and has an extensive collection of metadata associated with it.

Data from these three estuaries is appropriate and can be useful to oyster growers in Tasmania and South Australia, as we will examine the impact on water quality impacting a Pacific Oyster growing estuary, and because water quality issues such as impact these estuaries are typical examples of the issues impacting this industry nationally. Tasmanian and South Australian oyster farmers will benefit from the information about how a real time sensor network and associated biological data collection can be used to model water quality issues of concern to industry, as well as being used for industry regulatory purposes.

The topic of animal welfare in fisheries remains highly contentious and contested and there is a need to find both common ground and to understand and respect the diversity of views. Failure to do so represents a financial risk to wildcatch fisheries and aquaculture and some recreational fishing activities. Animal welfare issues continue be a community focus, and more focus is being placed on the welfare of fish and selected marine invertebrates (e.g. crustaceans and cephalopods). Active campaigns of various types and levels of organisation that oppose fishing activities are not uncommon and garner attention. This project aims to consolidate our knowledge of animal welfare issues of direct relevance to FRDC and its stakeholders and provide a way forward for future research investment that is tailored to FRDC's legislative remit and the needs of its stakeholders.

There has been a considerable number of publications globally that have tackled the topic and provided a diversity of perspectives on the issue. A single workshop and report are not going to unify thinking around the question. The workshop will have a starting point that the question “do fish feel pain” is an issue that there is a diversity of views on the topic, and the focus is on currently accepted best practices and continual improvement in those practices. The workshop will have a session that focuses on community perceptions and highlighting the legitimacy of considering the community perceptions.