There are increasing national and international pressures to manage fisheries according to the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD, e.g. Convention on Biological Diversity 1992; National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development 1992; Australia's Ocean's Policy 1998).

Implementing ESD for Australia’s fisheries means that research and management will need to focus increasingly on ecosystem effects. Recent assessments have shown that few data are available on the ecological effects of most fisheries.

These concepts and approaches are in the developmental stages and need to be better defined, applied and communicated.

This project meets four of the strategies within the FRDCs Natural Resources Sustainability Program:
(1) Interactions between fish and their ecosystems;
(2) Effects of fishing activities on fish and their ecosystems;
(3) Health of fish and their ecosystems; and
(4) fisheries and ecosystems management.

Funding this project would ensure FRDC involvement in this critical national initiative in fisheries research and management and extend the valuable long-term relationship between FRDC and ASFB.