Rural Safety & Health Alliance - A joint RDC initiative
People Development Program: 2014 International Travel Award - Kate Brooks
The practical integration of social and economic elements in assessments is important in Australia, and is also an international challenge. Recent research in Australia (2010/040 and the Integrated EBFM workshop held in March 2014) which contributes to developing this field should be shared internationally and used to leverage further knowledge. To this end, the applicant is recognised as one of the leads in this field in Australia and accordingly can bring benefit from developing further aligned international connections. There are events occurring in September and October 2014, being two sessions at the ICES conference and a workshop in Canada with the CFRN that provide unique opportunities to progress the development of integrated EBFM methodologies.
To maximise progress in this domain, it is necessary to draw together as many sources of knowledge and experience as possible. Consequently, participation in the activities proposed here and through the development of the Community Of Practice by the CFRN, FRDC and Australia's exposure will be increased to new and emerging approaches that can address the current integration challenge, while also profiling the already significant progress we have made in Australia.
Investigating drivers of environmental change in Pipe Clay Lagoon
Coastal lagoon systems in Tasmania form a fundamental part of coastal ecosystems. Healthy lagoons support local biodiversity, and play a key role in nutrient cycling and flood protection. They provide opportunities for sustainable aquaculture, fishing and tourism, while also being appreciated for their recreational amenity and cultural values. Sustainable management of coastal lagoons is essential to environmental and socioeconomic development.
There is limited information about the ecosystem drivers that are influencing the changes being observed in Pipe Clay Lagoon, leading to knowledge gaps in decision making tools and monitoring strategies required to identify and mitigate these changes. The proposed application is a multifaceted approach to investigate the environmental drivers of change in Pipe Clay Lagoon. The findings can then be used to provide valuable guidance for the management and conservation of other coastal lagoons in Tasmania facing similar challenges, providing a model for proactive monitoring and ongoing sustainability.
The FRDC has a responsibility to ensure that research is undertaken to assist in the management of fisheries and aquaculture resources for ongoing sustainability. The changes being experienced in Pipe Clay Lagoon will have implications on the availability and suitability of the lagoon as a sustainable aquaculture site. The planned approach and objectives of the application align with the FRDC’s R&D Plan for 2020-2025 through:
- Building people's capacity and capability
- Ensuring that resulting knowledge and innovation is adopted for impact through awareness of the needs of the ‘adopter’, local context and effective networking
- Continual improvement and collaboration of industry and community to deliver competitive advantage, healthier ecosystems and community support
- Provision of foundational information
Equally and importantly the application aligns with the NRM Strategy for Southern Tasmania 2030 for Pipe Clay Lagoon and similar systems in that wetland health is improved for socio-economically important systems by working with key partners and encouraging investment in monitoring, land and water management practices and on-ground works.
The enthusiasm of those engaged in the stakeholder consultation process was a strong indication of the need, interest and urgency of the application.
Benchmarking Australia's small pelagic fisheries science against world's best practice
This project is needed to address concerns expressed by stakeholder groups and the broader Australian community during the recent "super-trawler debate" that the current assessment and management framework for the SPF may have technical deficiencies and not be consistent with world's best practice.
This project is also needed because these concerns have the potential to undermine stakeholder and community confidence in other Australian fisheries for small pelagic fishes, such as the SASF.
A technical workshop is needed because it will provide an efficient and transparent process by which to benchmark the research and management frameworks of Australia's fisheries for small pelagic species against world's best practice and to identify opportunities for improving current approaches.
A stakeholder forum is needed to provide key stakeholders and the broader community with the opportunity and information required to objectively assess how Australia's fisheries for small pelagic species compare to other fisheries worldwide. This forum is a critical first step towards re-establishing stakeholder and public confidence in the assessment and management framework for the SPF. It is also needed to help maintain a social license to operate for other Australian fisheries for small pelagic species, such as the SASF.
Issues that have been identified as matters of particular stakeholder and public concern and that need to be addressed in both the technical workshop and stakeholder forum include:
1) options for increasing the reliability of estimates of spawning biomass obtained using the Daily Egg Production Method (DEPM);
2) opportunities to further reduce operational interactions with threatened, endangered and protected species;
3) potential for improving current approaches to assessment and mitigation of potential trophic effects on other components of the ecosystem;
4) innovative methods for reducing possible impacts of localised depletion on predatory species and other (especially recreational) fisheries that target small pelagic fishes.
Final report
Identifying and synthesizing key messages from projects funded by the FRDC Indigenous Reference Group
The IRG has raised a need to synthesise the key messages from previous projects that they have supported. In order to ensure that the data and information from these projects are accessible and easily understood for various audiences (includes Indigenous, commercial and recreational stakeholders, researchers, policy makers and the general public), the IRG has identified a need to create succinct materials that can be useful to those that seek to develop policy and stimulate community driven engagement.
Final report
- To gain an understanding of the materials and formats that policy makers and key fisheries organisations need in their use of research to develop policy.
- To improve general stakeholder awareness of the key research findings in of FRDC and IRG projects.
- To provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities with material that they can use in their engagement with government and non-government agencies.
- To develop succinct fact-sheets and a report that integrate the key messages of eight previous IRG projects in a user-friendly and culturally appropriate way.
- Indigenous fisheries
- Governance and management
- Legislation and policy
- Economic empowerment
- Capacity building