Project number: 2010-235
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $60,000.00
Principal Investigator: Russ Babcock
Organisation: CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date: 26 Apr 2011 - 29 Jun 2011
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Around Australia there are many species of sharks and finfish that range widely and even undertake
long-distance migrations for spawning or foraging. There is a need to better describe and understand
these aspects of the ecology and biology of these species in order to more effectively manage such
species across both single and multiple jurisdictions. These species cross various jurisdictional
boundaries (State and Commonwealth) and in this process are subject to a range of management
regulations which may potentially be simplified to best meet the needs of an overall stock management
approach. Recent developments in the acoustic tracking of marine species and the deployment of
national tracking infrastructure through IMOS/AATAMS* has provided an unprecedented opportunity to
provide this information, and to achieve synergies between fisheries research and management
organizations across jurisdictions as well as more efficient use of recent marine infrastructure
developments. This proposal will facilitate a national-scale coordinated approach among these
organizations regarding the key species that should be targeted for this type of research effort based on
their biology as well as the potential risks posed by conflicting jurisdictional management approaches.

* Integrated Marine Observing System/ Australian Animal Tracking and Monitoring System

Objectives

1. Facilitate communication that will enable the development of effective management of shared stocks of highly mobile or migratory species
2. Develop a consensus around knowledge gaps and research priorities in relation to the management of highly mobile or mirgratory species.
3. Determine whether movement data from a national acoustic tracking network would provide the required information in relation to identified knowledge gaps and research priorities

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-92186-66-5
Author: Russ Babcock

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