In Australia and internationally catches of cephalopods are increasing which is a dramatic contrast to the trend of declining finfish fisheries worldwide. Industry meetings in Australia (Tasmania and Commonwealth) and internationally repeatedly identify the lack of information available about how to manage cephalopod fisheries. It is clear that we need to identify management strategies to use for short-lived species such as cephalopods. This symposium is explicitly focused on management and conservation issues that need to be addressed in the context of the short life-spans, limited reproductive period and fast growth typical of cephalopods.
The CIAC Symposia will provide a valuable forum to bring together expertise from a range of sectors including academics, fisheries researchers, and managers to addressing management and conservation issues.
Within the theme of “Cephalopod lifecycles: biology, conservation and management” there will be a series of sessions that will address issues related to cephalopods and their relevance in a broader marine biological framework particularly with respect to conservation relevant to coastal and ocean ecosystems.
Final report
The University of Tasmania was invited to host the 7th triennial symposium of the Cephalopod International Advisory Council (CIAC) in February 2006. This is the premier international cephalopod symposium attended by scientists, industry, and managers from around the world.
The ‘International Symposium on Cephalopod Lifecycles: biology, management & conservation” was held from February 6-10 2006 at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart, Tasmania. The symposium was attended by 181 delegates from 26 countries, with 179 abstracts submitted for oral or poster presentations. A total of 82 oral presentations were delivered.
In the tradition of CIAC symposia there was a single session, highlighting the generic interests of cephalopod biologists and the recognition that research of cephalopods has traditionally encompassed a range of biological disciplines.
The four days of oral presentations covered a range of areas relevant to cephalopod biology including; Movement & Migration, Systematic & Biogeography, Early Life History, Reproductive Biology & Ecology, Management & Conservation. Keynote speakers were invited to present topics in areas that were considered to be highly relevant to cephalopod biology and ecology, such as trophic linkages (Dr Yves Cherel) and fisheries management (Dr Marek Lipinski).
A poster session on one evening recognised the value of the presentation medium, with several posters employing technology to communicate concepts and ideas. The winning student poster employed 3-dimensional computer graphics to portray and explain the complex morphology of these soft bodied molluscs.
The Symposium was opened by the Governor of Tasmania, His Excellency, the Honorable Mr William Cox, AC RFD ED. In his welcoming address His Excellency highlighted the contribution that Tasmanian scientists and graduate students are making to cephalopod biology and particular how this science is being taken up by fisheries managers.
Worldwide catches of cephalopods are increasing; this contrasts with the trend of declining finfish fisheries worldwide. However, it is acutely evident that applying finfish management models to these unique molluscs is inappropriate. There is increasing need to develop new management models that are built upon the worldwide expertise of cephalopod biologists and fisheries managers. This symposium addresses the Australian Government’s national research and technology priority of ‘An Environmentally Sustainable Australia - Sustainable use of Australia’s biodiversity’.
Fisheries biologists and managers from Australia represented States (NSW, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania) and Commonwealth cephalopod fisheries, providing a useful perspective on the state of knowledge of these fisheries. Contributed talks from international fisheries biologists also provided recent and new approaches in modelling squid stocks and issues facing fisheries biologists in other countries.
Keywords: squid, cuttlefish, octopus, conference
Project products
One of the objectives of 2005-307 was to publish a special volume in an international journal that will provide a series of leading benchmark publications in the field of cephalopod biology and fisheries management.
A total of 41 publications were reviewed for inclusion in the special volume of Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, which can be found here.
