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Tactical Research Fund: a reporting framework for ecosystem based assessment of Australian prawn trawl fisheries

Project number: 2011-062
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $68,000.00
Principal Investigator: Stephen Mayfield
Organisation: SARDI Food Safety and Innovation
Project start/end date: 31 May 2012 - 31 Mar 2013
:
TAGS
Fishing Gear
Fisheries Management
Ecosystem
Awareness

Need

There is a growing need to establish fishing industries as environmentally sustainable within Australia and internationally. The needs stems from both an economic marketing aspect and a growing community expectation. It is also important for fishing industries to understand that they contribute to marine impacts on a broader ecological scale. Whilst the principles of Ecosystem Based Fishery Management (EBFM) have been established for over a decade, it is only in recent years that EBFM frameworks have begun to be developed and applied by Government agencies (e.g. Fletcher et al 2010, West Coast Bioregion of Western Australia).

The environmental impacts of benthic trawl fisheries require greater attention than most other fishing methodologies, primarily due to their impact on the benthic environment, by-catch species and associated communities. As a critical impactor on marine bioregions, it is important that future ecological research for benthic trawl fisheries is prioritised and conducted in a manner that fits within a broader EBFM framework.

Concomitantly, there is an increasing interest from fishing industries to seek third-party certification of environmental sustainability for eco-labelling of their products and subsequent market advantage. These Program's require fisheries to meet standards that are often higher than the levels required by the Commonwealth Government to meet conditions of the EPBC Act. Although such accreditations are accompanied by substantial documentation of management practices, it is difficult for non-accrediated fisheries to benchmark themselves against accredited "best practice" industries.

This project aims to develop a reporting framework for environmental assessment of prawn trawl fisheries in Australia. By using the Marine Stewardship Certification accredited Spencer Gulf Prawn Trawl Fishery as a case study, the report will provide other Australian prawn trawl fisheries 1) a benchmark of third party accredited environmental management, and 2) a tool for prioritising and conducting their own ecological research within an EBFM framework.

Objectives

1. Develop a reporting framework for environmental assessment of Australian prawn trawl fisheries following the principles of Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management
2. Using the Spencer Gulf Prawn Trawl Fishery as a case study, collate and analyse existing data/information to address the environmental impacts of prawn trawling on: bycatch/byproduct, TEPs, benthic habitats, and trophodynamics
3. Using the Spencer Gulf Prawn Trawl Fishery as a case study, identify priorties for future research to underpin Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-921563-70-6
Author: Stephen Mayfield and Simon Clark
Final Report • 2014-12-12 • 3.63 MB
2011-062-DLD.pdf

Summary

This Tactical Research Fund Project has been undertaken by SARDI Aquatic Sciences in response to the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery’s (SGPF) need for an ecosystem-based reporting framework to support ongoing Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. We reviewed the relevant literature to identify an appropriate reporting framework, assessed the data available for the SGPF, and its suitability for use in ecological assessment, developed a conceptual ecosystem-based assessment framework for the fishery and highlighted the research required (i.e. knowledge gaps) for full implementation. The approach developed would be of use to other prawn trawl fisheries that were seeking a transition from target-species to ecosystem-based assessments to underpin ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) and ecologically sustainable development (ESD).
 
There is worldwide recognition of the need to move beyond single-species fisheries management to a more comprehensive understanding of the impacts on the ecosystem in which fisheries operate. ESD concepts were expanded into a global action plan at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and ratified by countries including Australia, leading to the National Strategy for ESD and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999). EBFM facilitates ESD and has been recognised worldwide as having the potential to provide a mechanism for integration of ecosystem attributes into fisheries management. For EBFM to be effective, development of appropriate frameworks to integrate ecological and target species data are required.
 
Prawn fisheries are an important contributor to Australian fisheries production (17,000 t valued at $266 million in 2011/12; Skirtun et al. 2013). Given the evolving need to manage fisheries in a more ecologically sensitive manner, there has been increased environmental awareness of the biological impacts of trawling. Whilst these impacts are difficult to assess because of the complexity of the biological communities and frequent limited understanding of their variability, there is an opportunity to establish a framework for ecosystem-based assessment of the SGPF that could be broadly adopted across benthic prawn trawl fisheries in Australia.
 
The SGPF operates in Spencer Gulf in South Australia (SA), produces approximately 1,800 t of Western King prawns annually, and is the third most valuable prawn fishery in Australia ($30.3M in 2010/11) behind the Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery ($90M) and Commonwealth Northern Prawn Fishery ($62.2M).
 
The overall aim of this project was to develop an environmental reporting framework for Australian prawn trawl fisheries using the SGPF in SA as a case study. Our approach included (i) a review of relevant literature to identify an appropriate reporting framework; (ii) a review of data available for the SGPF, and its suitability for use in ecological assessment; (iii) development of an ecosystem-based assessment framework for the SGPF including identification and development of potential performance indicators; and (iv) the research required (i.e. knowledge gaps) to fully develop the necessary ecological performance indicators for full implementation.
 
Despite the substantial, diverse, often long-term data sets available for the SGPF, most of the data have been collected for stock assessment of the target species. This resulted in development of a conceptual, rather than a complete ecological assessment framework. Implementing ecological assessment in the SGPF requires further development of relevant performance indicators and reference points across each of the five key ecological components identified as important for fishery management – (i) habitats; (ii) ecosystems (ecological communities/trophodynamics); (iii) target species; (iv) non-target species including by-product and by-catch; and (v) threatened, endangered or protected species (TEPS) – and the development of a framework linking ecological and target species assessments (with decision rules to drive management decision making through the formal management plan for the fishery). While some potential performance indicators, reference points and decision rules have been developed through this project, successful implementation necessitates that these should be developed collaboratively. This process should include at least Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) Fisheries and Aquaculture, Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Fishermen’s Association (SGWCPFA), SARDI and the Conservation Council of SA (CCSA) and needs to recognise the considerable spatial and temporal (both inter-annual and seasonal) variation evident in the five key components across Spencer Gulf and the numerous potential impacts on the Spencer Gulf environment (e.g. other fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, harbours and wharfs, pollutants, climate change).

Environmental risk factors that may contribute to vibrio outbreaks - A South Australian case study

Project number: 2021-097
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $59,100.00
Principal Investigator: Stephen Pahl
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA)
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2022 - 30 Oct 2022
:
SPECIES
Pacific Oyster

Need

Vibrio parahaemolyticus can live in sediments and waters year-round and generally proliferates in the water column when water temperatures are greater than 14degC. V. parahaemolyticus are rarely isolated from seawaters below 10degC, though some cold-tolerant strains have been isolated overseas. The concentration of V. parahaemolyticus in the water column increases as the water temperature increases. Oysters naturally accumulate and depurate V. parahaemolyticus through filter-feeding, but once oysters are no longer underwater depuration can no longer occur and V. parahaemolyticus levels increase quickly unless the oysters are less than 10degC. Recent outbreaks in South Australia have been very unusual in that they have occurred in winter-spring. Other environmental factors including salinity, chlorophyll and turbidity have also been linked to vibrio prevalence, but relationships are inconsistent. Internationally some growing areas have established relationships between V. parahaemolyticus and other environmental parameters such as suspended matter, chlorophyll a and dissolved organic carbon, although this varies between areas and is not consistent.

Little is known around why outbreaks have begun occurring in Australia and Vibrios are an increasing risk to commercially produced oysters in Australia. The prevalence of vibriosis is globally linked to the effects of climate change, aging populations, dietary changes and improved detection methods. It is vital that all available relevant environmental data associated with these recent outbreaks is recorded and made available for future interrogations. The identification of data gaps and tools that could be used to identify and assess potential vibrio risk factors may help guide where additional effort is required to assist future understanding of this complex and emerging food safety issue in Australia. This project is important to help defend current demand, consumer trust and safety in oysters.

Objectives

1. To collate and record all available environmental conditions (pre- and post-harvest) associated with the recent vibrio outbreaks in South Australia
2. To review the environmental conditions which may have been risk factors contributing to the recent vibrio outbreaks in South Australia
3. To review available tools that could be used to identify and assess potential vibrio risk factors and any approaches for improved surveillance
4. Recommendations on data and information collection deficiencies related to the South Australian situation

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-876007-54-6
Authors: Stephen Pahl Navreet Malhi Hugo Bastos de Oliveira Alison Turnbull
Final Report • 2024-07-01 • 12.61 MB
2021-097-DLD.pdf

Summary

Vibrios are naturally occurring bacteria that are ubiquitous in fresh, estuarine and marine environments. Many Vibrio species are non-pathogenic, but some can cause disease in animals, and others are pathogenic to humans. People can contract vibriosis by consuming raw, undercooked or cross-contaminated seafood (predominantly oysters, crabs and shrimp) or exposing a wound to seawater. Bivalve molluscs, such as oysters, are a known vector for pathogenic bacteria as they are often consumed raw, and their filter feeding action concentrates bacteria within their tissues. Historically Vibrio parahaemolyticus has been rarely implicated in illnesses attributed to the consumption of Australian seafood. However, several recent outbreaks of gastroenteritis caused by V. parahaemolyticus in oysters have occurred in Australia.
 
An improved understanding of the environmental determinants was warranted to assist in future risk management considerations and food safety requirements. This report describes the results of the study undertaken which recorded the available and relevant environmental information and considered known risk factors relevant to V. parahaemolyticus that could be used for future investigations and to help underpin risk management considerations. The identification of data gaps and tools that could be used to identify and assess potential Vibrio risk factors may help guide where additional effort is required to assist future understanding of this complex food safety issue.
 
Vibrios are part of the normal microbiota of many oysters and are ubiquitous in many other aquatic products. Vibrios multiply in oyster tissues at temperature-dependent rates before, during and after harvest. Across the two outbreaks, three sequence types (ST36, ST50 and ST417) were identified from clinical isolates and only one sequence type (ST417) was isolated from oysters as part of investigations following the second outbreak. The environmental conditions, notably sea surface temperature, oyster basket temperature and salinity, during the onset periods of the two Vibrio outbreaks (February 2021 and September 2021) were conducive to the growth of V. parahaemolyticus. However, there were no evident climatological anomalies in the collated data sets that help to substantiate why these Vibrio outbreaks occurred in South Australia at these times given that there had not been any significant changes in oyster production, harvest and post-harvest practices. 
 
This project has also highlighted several data gaps. Poor traceability through supply chain hampered traceback investigations and the identification of the unique harvest date, harvest location, and subsequent production, harvest and post-harvest conditions was limited. There is no information publicly available on the levels of detection of V. parahaemolyticus in the implicated oysters. The occurrence of these two and similar recent Vibrio outbreaks in Australia demonstrates that vibrios are a risk that requires effective control mechanisms. A range of tools and approaches are available that could be used to identify and assess potential risk factors and improved surveillance. These tools include in-situ data collection, remote sensing of the environment, microbiological sampling and molecular diagnostics. 
 
Recommendations
1. In-situ environmental monitoring is improved through use of loggers in more growing and harvest areas.
2. Further work needs to be undertaken within the supply chain to ensure that legislated responsibilities on labelling, traceability and control of co-mingling are adhered to.
3. Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates should be collected during vibriosis events (clinical and oyster) and an Australian isolate collection curated and maintained.
4. A review and refresh of growers recall plans is necessary and growers should participate in simulation training of recall events to improve the practices supporting speedy recalls.
5. Open lines of communication between regulators and industry should be maintained to determine what type of data can be shared and when.
6. Authorities should implement timely closure of growing areas following multiple illnesses in line with ASQAP guidelines.
7. Food Safety Management plans should be reviewed and closely adhered to, especially if there are any future outbreaks.
8. Regulators should hold a post event review that includes industry and research representatives to strengthen working relationships and improve joint outcomes. 

Project products

Fact Sheet • 2025-01-15 • 388.29 KB
2021-097-summary.pdf

Summary

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a bacteria commonly found in estuarine and marine environments and can cause foodborne illness through the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood.
Scientific information on key pathogenic Vibrio species, their ecology, environmental risk factors and potential mitigation strategies were reviewed for two Vibrio parahaemolyticus outbreaks that were traced back to Pacific oysters produced in South Australia. The first outbreak commenced in March 2021 and the second outbreak started in September 2021.
A range of tools and approaches are available which can be used to identify and assess potential Vibrio risk factors and improved surveillance. These include local and remote-sensing of the environment, microbiological sampling and molecular diagnostics.
 
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2008-906
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Seafood CRC: Seafood trade and market access portal

The value of Australian seafood exports now exceeds $1 billion per annum and products are dispatched to various countries around the world (> 20 markets). To ensure Australian seafood can gain access to these markets it is necessary to demonstrate compliance with each country’s food safety...
ORGANISATION:
SARDI Food Safety and Innovation
TAGS
Training
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2018-176
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Refine the Southern Rock Lobster Cold Chain

What the report is about? The report aims to assist the Southern Rock Lobster (SRL) industry with refining the live export supply chain to China. Research has identified issues relating to the cold chain, particularly at the domestic air freight stage, and practical solutions have then been...
ORGANISATION:
KPMG Australia Melbourne
TAGS
Trade
SPECIES
Southern Rock Lobster
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 1999-351
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Australian prawn industry quality standard: development of a third party audited seafood industry quality standard for prawn vessels and processors incorporating food safety standards

APPA’s aim was to improve the image and value of Australian sea-caught prawns in international markets. In order to achieve this, the industry must ensure that it processes and offers consistent high quality and high value food. The customers must be able to recognise and reward the high...
ORGANISATION:
Australian Prawn Promotion Association (APPA)
TAGS
Wild Catch
SPECIES
King Prawns
Industry
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2016-177
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Phase 2: Traceability Systems for Wild Caught Lobster, via Sense-T and Pathways to Market

This document is the final report of the project (FRDC 2016-177) ‘Traceability Systems for Wild Caught Lobsters’. It has been prepared by researchers from University of Tasmania. Background The project ‘Traceability Systems for Wild Caught Lobster, via Sense-T and Pathways...
ORGANISATION:
University of Tasmania (UTAS)
TAGS
Wild Catch
SPECIES
Southern Rock Lobster

Compliance program evaluation and optimisation in commercial and recreational Western Australian fisheries

Project number: 2001-069
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $446,766.00
Principal Investigator: Tim Green
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Project start/end date: 29 Jun 2001 - 9 Jul 2008
:
TAGS
Wild Catch
Value Add
Sustainability
Profitability
Marketing

Need

There is a need for:
1. A national workshop to discuss issues generic to all State compliance programs, and to develop common compliance measures that may be adopted nationally.
2. The development of clear measures of compliance levels for each fishery sector in Western Australia in order to optimally allocated enforcement and educational activities.
3. Adaptive management techniques to measure the sensitivity of compliance to levels and type of enforcement and/or educational activity (including VFLOs in the recreational sector).
4. The development of new methodologies for improving the efficiency of delivery of compliance activities.

Objectives

1. To undertake data collection in order to measure the level of compliance and enforcement across the range of input and output managed fisheries in Western Australia, with a view to optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall compliance program.
2. In conjunction with representatives from national fisheries compliance groups, to develop national standards for the collection and reporting of fishery-specific enforcement activity levels and compliance rates (National workshop – see Method 2).
3. To determine how levels of enforcement and compliance vary spatially and temporally, including an examination of how the level and type of enforcement activity affects compliant behaviour. Planned management experiments will be used to assess how different levels of enforcement effort affect compliance outcomes within and between fisheries.
4. To examine the usefulness of Agency VFLO data for measuring trends in compliance, with a view to extending current VFLO data collection to include compliance-specific information.

Final report

ISBN: 1 921258 64 0
Author: Timothy Green
Final Report • 2010-04-06 • 7.59 MB
2001-069-DLD.pdf

Summary

This project provides a database that can be used to estimate trends in compliance rates for different regulations in different fisheries. This enables fisheries compliance officers and managers to make informed decisions on the priorities for applying limited resources to ensure that the fisheries are managed sustainably.

Keywords: Enforcement, compliance, deterrence, evaluation, co-management, database, Western Australia

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