The CRC has to date committed investment of $6.7M into research projects in its Future Harvest research theme which is broadly addressing the issue of fishing for profit targeting two major outputs within Program 1.
These two major outputs are:
1. Bioeconomic modelling for improved economic efficiency and the development of decision support tools.
Projects are underway in several key fisheries with key participants (SRL, ACA, WRL, Moreton Bay Trawl and the SA Prawn Trawl). This research engages with the leading national specialists in fisheries bioeconomic modelling and key industry stakeholders.

2. Stock enhancement (including ranching and translocation).
Projects in this area are focused on stock enhancement and stock recovery in abalone (WA), sea cucumber ranching (NT) and rock lobster translocation (Tas).

There are three additional projects slightly outside these main areas of focus. Each of these projects will deliver defined outputs and will target enhanced economic and efficiency outcomes in each fishery. However, it is unclear whether there is more that the CRC can achieve to deliver wider outcomes (for example, wider adoption of targets in fisheries governance based on economic theory, or the application of bioeconomic modelling in decision rules setting processes).
There is a need to review the proposed pathways to adoption of the outputs of the CRC projects and identify whether there are broader outcomes that the CRC can facilitate, the processes whereby these could be achieved and the principal constraints to this achievement.

The postdoctoral appointee will be located within the School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering (AME) at UniSA. The AME has a range of activities and expertise that will be of direct relevance to the postdoc position and the Seafood CRC.

AME has:-
- Recently launched a Master degree program in Logistics and Supply Chain Management for external delivery of the program.
- Need for industry based engineering projects for its final year mechanical engineering students and Masters by coursework students. Thus projects identified by the Seafood Productivity Engineer will be undertaken by final year students.
- A PhD research program which can tackle some very complex and long term engineering issues for the Seafood industry.
- Staff with expertise in energy reduction and efficient refrigeration for both storage and product transportation.
- Staff with expertise in robotics and machine vision for automation.
- Staff with interests in recycling and life cycle analysis.
- Extensive facilities for testing and evaluating equipment used in seafood processing, storage and transportation.
- A range of softwares for modelling of mechanical systems and technologies.
- Laboratory for product sorting, sizing and separation.
- Collaboration with engineers working in the seafood industry in Israel’s Agricultural Research Organisation.
- Track record of working with companies to develop solutions appropriate to the needs of industry.

Previous changes in fisheries management have had significant socio-economic impacts on Queensland fisheries (and likely on local seafood supply). E.g. the implementation of the RAP and GBRCMP implemented by the GBRMPA and EPA respectively in 2004 has resulted in over $80 million compensation being paid to fishers and related businesses to date. A more accurate measure of the extent of socio-economic impacts of the RAP is unavailable, however, due to the lack of established methodologies to monitor such changes, and lack of baseline socio-economic data prior to implementation of the RAP.
Management changes are planned for the near future for Queensland’s inshore fisheries in the form of a new ECIFF Management Plan, potential regional-based management (e.g. area closures), and a management plan for mud crab. Relevant fisheries stakeholders (QSIA and Sunfish) and managers (DPI&F) have expressed the need to collect baseline data prior to management change and to develop and implement methodologies that will allow monitoring of socio-economic changes following the implementation of these management initiatives. Such a methodology will involve selecting appropriate indicators of the socio-economic environment and the collection of baseline data outlining the current socio-economic trends for the recreational, charter and commercial inshore fisheries and seafood consumers. In addition, efficient methodology with which to undertake long-term monitoring of the appropriate socio-economic indicators needs to be determined. This research is also needed if appropriate and useful socio-economic indicators are to be included in a PMS for the inshore fishery. The proposed project will fulfil these needs, allowing the effects of changes in inshore fisheries management to be assessed in the future. Provision of baseline data will also assist in the implementation of any future management change, such as regional-based management and management plans for the mud crab fishery (which is not included in the ECIFF Management Plan).

In recent years a market has been established for live blue throat wrasse. The total catch has risen rapidly from less than 10 tonnes during the early 1990s to almost 60 tonnes in 1995/96. The number of fishers targeting wrasse has also increased with 50 Victorian fishers taking wrasse by hand-line during 1995/96 compared to less than 5 in 1989/90.. Given the life history of the species the possibility of rapidly over-fishing wrasse in Victoria waters cannot be discounted. A number of fishers who target the blue throat wrasse have already raised concern that in recent years catch rates have declined and the size of fish has decreased.

Currently there is no information available on the biology and population dynamics of blue throat wrasse in Victorian waters. In view of this there is a great need to further our knowledge and understanding of the species. To ensure that the fishery is sustainable, accurate information on the biology is required so that long term management strategies can be introduced.