Residential Air Conditioning, Comfort and Demand Response in Australia. Rapid growth in residential air conditioning (AC) ownership will potentially undermine national energy efficiency and greenhouse reduction targets. Furthermore, residential AC is placing a strain on the national electricity system, especially during heat waves when electricity demand peaks. These AC-driven peak loads occur occasionally each summer, but increasing grid capacity to meet them represents a grossly inefficient in ....Residential Air Conditioning, Comfort and Demand Response in Australia. Rapid growth in residential air conditioning (AC) ownership will potentially undermine national energy efficiency and greenhouse reduction targets. Furthermore, residential AC is placing a strain on the national electricity system, especially during heat waves when electricity demand peaks. These AC-driven peak loads occur occasionally each summer, but increasing grid capacity to meet them represents a grossly inefficient infrastructure investment. This project will generate Australia's most comprehensive data set on exactly how, when, where, and why residential AC systems are being used. The outcomes will provide a solid platform on which national electricity demand management and AC greenhouse-gas mitigation strategies can be designed.Read moreRead less
Characterising The Impacts Of Warm Water And Other Stressors On The Boom-and-bust Cycle Of The Commercial Scallop
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$373,032.00
Summary
The commercial scallop (Pecten fumatus) fisheries in south-eastern Australia have long been characterised as boom-and-bust (Tracey & Lyle 2010). While historic overfishing has contributed to this (Young 1989), unpredictable cycles of alternating abundance and large-scale die-off characterise the species, particularly in the eastern portion of the region. For instance, there have been five sudden die-offs on the eastern side of the Tasmanian fishery (TSF) and Commonwealth fishery (BSCZSF) combine ....The commercial scallop (Pecten fumatus) fisheries in south-eastern Australia have long been characterised as boom-and-bust (Tracey & Lyle 2010). While historic overfishing has contributed to this (Young 1989), unpredictable cycles of alternating abundance and large-scale die-off characterise the species, particularly in the eastern portion of the region. For instance, there have been five sudden die-offs on the eastern side of the Tasmanian fishery (TSF) and Commonwealth fishery (BSCZSF) combined since 2005. Whereas, since most recently being fished in 2014, the scallop beds in the King Island region of the BSCZSF have been harvested each year due to predictable and constant recruitment and scallop conditioning. The relative difference in predictability between the regions likely lie with the changing nature of the EAC on the east coast bringing warm, nutrient-poor water to the east coast and the Leeuwin current bringing cold nutrient-rich water to the west coast, with these differences likely to be further exacerbated due to climate change. A case in point is the Tasmanian fishery, which after being closed for five years due to the stocks being depleted, opened in 2021 off Babel Island (east) only to find the bed had died-off only a few months post-preseason surveying. A sudden influx of warm water was likely the cause of the die-off, with beds in the eastern portion of both the BSCZSF and the Victorian scallop fishery (OSF) simultaneously suffering a significant loss of condition but not death (Semmens unpublished). In 2022, again a major die-off has impacted the TSF, with beds at White Rock (east) found to be dying off upon opening in late June. The unpredictability of these die-offs confounds management decisions, as a lack of understanding into the drivers of die-offs means that even if beds with commercially significant biomass are surveyed and opened, they may be lost before fishing begins. There is a clear need to understand these die-offs, determine if they can be predicted and adapt management such that it can be reactive and is tailored to the region in which the bed occurs (e.g., east vs west). Fitting management strategies to the fishing region also makes sense biologically, with the east and west portions of the species’ distribution displaying different life history features (e.g., spawning and settlement times, growth rates, etc; Semmens et al. 2019) and this may be a contributing factor to die-offs. This project will use a collaborative industry/management/research approach to investigate the factors causing mass die-off of scallop beds, characterising the impacts of stressors including fishery practices, such as the use of tumblers, survey method (e.g., dredge vs video) and environmental factors, such as location of beds, sea temperatures (considering both absolute temperature and rate of change) and food availability, and assessing them in a framework that fits management practices to the relative risk of loss of fishable stock. Developing an understanding of the factors driving mortalities will also enable evaluation of existing data capture capabilities to identify whether potentially harmful conditions can be identified before beds are lost. Where deficiencies are identified, new data collection techniques will be evaluated, including video surveying of closed regions (both permanent, e.g., MPAs, and fishery closures) to allow more flexibility in decision making around when an area should be fished. The outcome of this research will provide the evidence needed to develop a decision-making framework that will enhance the rapid response capabilities of management of scallop fisheries in the future, but also ensure that they fit the changing environment and region within which the stocks sit, improving the sustainability of this vulnerable industry.
Objectives: 1. Identify intrinsic stressors (e.g., surveying techniques (e.g., video vs dredge) and timing, location (e.g., east vs west) and timing of fishing, the use of tumblers, size limits of scallops, etc.) and extrinsic stressors (e.g., temperature, food availability, etc.) commonly faced within the Pecten fumatus fishery that have the capacity to negatively impact scallop condition and cause mortality 2. Experimentally evaluate the effects of intrinsic, extrinsic and synergistic stressors on scallop physiology, condition, and mortality 3. Opportunistically video survey and collect scallops for sampling from scallop beds exposed to adverse conditions and/or experiencing die-offs to corroborate experimental results against real-world results 4. Develop recommendations to monitor for, and respond to, environmental conditions that may drive scallop bed die-offs 5. Work with industry and management to co-design decision frameworks for the sustainable management of Commercial scallop fisheries, including designing regional-specific approaches to optimising fishing opportunity and maximising continuity of stock, including obtaining video survey data from closed areas that may support recruitment Read moreRead less
Re-considering sustainable building and design: a cultural change approach. This project will help reduce the 38 per cent of all Australian waste that is produced by the construction industry by addressing the role of the building procurement team in reducing resource usage and eliminating waste. The outcomes of this research will address National Research Priority 1, An Environmentally Sustainable Australia.
A high-speed light-weight embedded vision system for robotics and computer vision applications. Eyesight is the strongest sense for humans and much of the brain is dedicated to vision processing. This project aims to develop an analogous vision capability for small, dynamic robots: a small, light, camera that preprocesses the raw video data to provide higher level information to the robot.
Post-graduate Support To Develop Science To Support Red Sea Urchin Fisheries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$75,000.00
Summary
Red Sea Urchin is a recreational and commercial hand-collected species along the coast of south-eastern Australia. The species likely has long life spans, comparatively narrow environmental tolerances, and despite having planktonic larvae and ample habitat may have limited recruitment in southern NSW due to the cold intolerance of the larvae (Byrne et al., 2022). With climate warming and more favourable thermal conditions for larvae and adults, Red Urchins may increase along the NSW south coa ....Red Sea Urchin is a recreational and commercial hand-collected species along the coast of south-eastern Australia. The species likely has long life spans, comparatively narrow environmental tolerances, and despite having planktonic larvae and ample habitat may have limited recruitment in southern NSW due to the cold intolerance of the larvae (Byrne et al., 2022). With climate warming and more favourable thermal conditions for larvae and adults, Red Urchins may increase along the NSW south coast. Unfortunately, the demography, potential recruitment and connectivity of the species is not known.
The Red Sea Urchin resource has been supported by a SUTS closure network since 1994, but there is no long-term knowledge on how this affects populations or what protection it offers for the stock . Limited reproductive information means we are unable to estimate a suitable size at first capture for the species, and current fisheries management provisions may not sustainably maximise productivity . In addition, the impacts of ocean warming on Red Sea Urchin distributions remain unknown. The SUTS closures have recently been opened to harvesting of Centrostephanus rodgersii, thereby also affording an important opportunity to investigate potential ecological interactions between these two species.
The biological and ecological data gaps related to the Red Sea Urchin fishery must be addressed to support sustainable management of this resource over the long term, and ensure that the fishery remains productive, commercially profitable, and capable of supporting cultural and recreational fishing needs. This project will address biological and ecological knowledge gaps to support management of the Red Sea Urchin Fishery by:
• Characterising the Red Sea Urchin demography across SE Australia, including associated spatial variation such as that inside and outside SUTS closures ; • Estimating reproductive parameters (size, age, roe quantity and quality) for Red Sea Urchin in SE Australia, including associated spatial variation such as that inside and outside SUTS closures; • Quantifying ecological relationships between Red Sea Urchins (density, size) and environmental conditions (depth, substrate, relief, temperature) and with respect to co-distributed Long Spined Sea Urchin • Predicting the impacts of ocean warming on Red Sea Urchin populations with comparative data for the Long Spined Sea Urchin; and • Modelling larval dispersal potential of the Red Sea Urchin, particularly for larvae originating from within SUTS closures, to determine if they act as sources for adjacent fished areas .
Objectives: 1. Assess the long-term effects and status of SUTS closures on the size, densities and roe quality of theRed Sea Urchin; 2. Identify key habitats and distribution of the Red Sea Urchin through ecological relationships between the urchin and various environmental factors; 3. Determine if the SUTS closures may offer an advantage to the fishery by providing greater capacity to replenish adjacent reefs with larvae; 4. Predict the impacts of ocean warming on Red Sea Urchin populations 5. Assess the effects of harvesting Longspined Urchin in SUTS closures on the Red Urchin, Spiny Urchin, Turban Shells, Abalone, and Kelp Read moreRead less
Developing A Kimberley Aboriginal Mud Crab Fishery
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$736,621.00
Summary
The commercial mud crab fishery in WA has yet to develop to its full potential due to a limited understanding of the mud crab resource, a lack of capacity, isolation from markets, and the logistical constraints of the remote and challenging environment of the Kimberley region. The development of Aboriginal fisheries is a high priority for DPIRD and FRDC, and this proposal to promote the Kimberley Aboriginal mud crab fishery aligns directly with this strategic objective. The project also addresse ....The commercial mud crab fishery in WA has yet to develop to its full potential due to a limited understanding of the mud crab resource, a lack of capacity, isolation from markets, and the logistical constraints of the remote and challenging environment of the Kimberley region. The development of Aboriginal fisheries is a high priority for DPIRD and FRDC, and this proposal to promote the Kimberley Aboriginal mud crab fishery aligns directly with this strategic objective. The project also addresses key priorities adopted by the WARAC and WAFIC, such as the development of Aboriginal and under-utilised fisheries in WA. The project represents a 2-way capacity building opportunity between Aboriginal people and DPIRD staff, with data generated during this project on species biology, spatial distribution and relative abundance informing future stock assessments to improve certainty around the sustainability of the WA mud crab resource. Specifically, the project will:
• use applicable and demonstrative scientific outcomes to develop participative management approaches for the Kimberley mud crab fishery that aim for fairness through prescribed fishery controls (trap allocations, harvest strategies etc.) (Fair and secure access to aquatic resources).
• increase learning and sharing between Traditional Owners and DPIRD through identifying, documenting and promoting Aboriginal fisheries management systems and fishing practices. Identify a suitable working model for the Indigenous mud crab fishery in the Kimberley which is culturally informed and reflects the relative abundance of the available mud crab resource. (Best practises and production systems).
• improve connection of Traditional Owners in the Kimberley region with mud crab fishing initiatives that promote economic opportunities (Growth for enduring prosperity).
• strengthen the association across Traditional Owner groups, commercial and recreational mud crab fishers, FRDC and DPIRD to maximise cooperative partnerships that promote greater inclusiveness, creative thought and solution seeking to support the economic viability of the Kimberley mud crab fishery (A culture that is inclusive and forward thinking).
• promote relationships and communications between stakeholders and the Kimberley community through transparent decision-making tools and best practice fisheries management that ensures a fair distribution of economic and societal benefits from the Kimberley mud crab resource (Community trust, respect and value).
Objectives: 1. Determine the biology and distribution of mud crab species (Scylla serrata and S. olivacea) in King Sound and Cambridge Gulf areas of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. 2. Determine the relative abundance of mud crabs within and between sites in King Sound and Cambridge Gulf across different habitat types (mangrove creeks vs channels vs mud flats) and tidal cycles (spring vs neap). 3. Transfer of mud crab commercial fishing methods, western scientific techniques, and traditional knowledge between Traditional Owners and DPIRD for future commercial application, through collaborative research surveys, DPIRD-led On-Country workshops and a related DPIRD-CRCNA Aboriginal Fishing and Aquaculture project (2022-24). Read moreRead less
Assessment Of The Interactive Effects Of Climate Change, Floods And Discard Stress On The Commercially Important Mud Crab (Scylla Serrata) And Blue Swimmer Crab (Portunus Armatus) - Postgraduate
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$75,000.00
Summary
Environmental conditions and chemical contaminants present in natural environments influence the physiology and body condition of marine species (Lloret, Shulman et al. 2014, Champion, Hobday et al. 2020, Bolin, Schoeman et al. 2021, Butcherine, Kelaher et al. 2021). Understanding these relationships may enable fishers to avoid fishing at times or in locations when survival or resource quality are compromised. Assessing how extreme levels of environmental variation that prevail in estuarine syst ....Environmental conditions and chemical contaminants present in natural environments influence the physiology and body condition of marine species (Lloret, Shulman et al. 2014, Champion, Hobday et al. 2020, Bolin, Schoeman et al. 2021, Butcherine, Kelaher et al. 2021). Understanding these relationships may enable fishers to avoid fishing at times or in locations when survival or resource quality are compromised. Assessing how extreme levels of environmental variation that prevail in estuarine systems, in conjunction with associated inputs of key agricultural chemicals affect the survival, physiology and flesh quality of the commercially valuable giant mud and blue swimmer crabs is required to develop this capacity. Further, netted gears (including gillnets, trawls and traps) are used to target (or incidentally catch) giant mud and blue swimmer crabs in NSW estuaries, but these are poorly selective for minimum legal sizes (Leland, Butcher et al. 2013), resulting in massive proportions of individuals (e.g. up to > 50 %) being discarded with at least some physical damage (typically missing appendages; Leland, Butcher et al. 2013). This project will integrate the effects of major rain fall events with associated inputs from agricultural run-off and simulated discarding to gain an in-depth understanding of how environmental change, land-use and discarding impacts the study species. Objectives: 1. Provide the opportunity for a post-graduate research student to work with industry and managers, gain exposure to stakeholder’s perspectives on the issue and undertake high-quality research that results in the production of scientific outputs. 2. To correlate physiological indicators in giant mud and blue swimmer crabs with water quality parameters in different catchments during run-off events 3. To assess the synergistic effects of low salinity, pesticides simulated discarding on biochemical stress biomarkers in giant mud and blue swimmer crabs 4. To assess the effects of agricultural run-off and reduced salinity during flooding on the condition, texture and appearance of flesh from harvested giant mud and blue swimmer crabs. Read moreRead less
Reducing Impacts On Threatened, Endangered, And Protected Species In The Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$688,074.00
Summary
This research aims to reduce the ecological impacts of the Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery (QECOTF) on non-target species including sea snakes and small elasmobranchs, improve animal welfare outcomes of Threatened, Endangered and Protected Species (TEPS), promote safer handling practices among fishers that interact with these species, and collect data that is needed and currently unavailable to assess ecological risk. This approach addresses the priority listed in the most recent FRDC ....This research aims to reduce the ecological impacts of the Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery (QECOTF) on non-target species including sea snakes and small elasmobranchs, improve animal welfare outcomes of Threatened, Endangered and Protected Species (TEPS), promote safer handling practices among fishers that interact with these species, and collect data that is needed and currently unavailable to assess ecological risk. This approach addresses the priority listed in the most recent FRDC call for proposals “Reduce threatened, endangered, and protected species bycatch in the Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery”. This research aligns with Outcome 2 (Best practices and production systems) of the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. The proposed research also aligns with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals including number 14: Life below water; and 12: Responsible consumption and production. Conditions of the QECOTF’s WTO accreditation, which allows for the export of product generated by the fishery, require the mitigation of ecological risk posed to those species at intermediate or high risk, as determined in previous risk assessments. Specifically, sea snakes and small elasmobranchs (skates, rays and small demersal sharks) have been identified as two components of trawl discards that are prone to elevated levels of risk due to interaction with the QECOTF. The federal government, through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), have stipulated that continued export accreditation is contingent upon reducing the risk posed to these catch components. More importantly, the removal of WTO accreditation will likely lead to greater scrutiny of fishing practices within the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP). Lack of further action to reduce risks to TEPS may result in restrictions in access to trawl grounds within the GBRMP, which will lead to significant economic hardship for trawl fishers.
The key outcome of this research will be a reduction in the ecological risk posed to TEPS (sea snakes, skates, rays, and small demersal sharks) by the QECOTF. This research aims to reduce catch rates of TEPS through the introduction of efficient bycatch reduction devices and strategies. The project will also lead to improvements in the accuracy of risk assessments through the collection of data that are necessary to assess risk. Estimates of escape and post-trawl survival, along with basic life history information, are lacking for all but a few TEPS, and this research will go some way to rectifying this issue. These data will be collected by fishers as part of a pilot crew member observer program (CMOP), where interested fishers will be trained in species identification and data collection. This will provide fishers with direct involvement in the collection of data used to assess risk, which is likely to increase the confidence in the outputs of risk assessments on which the data are based. To further reduce ecological risk, project staff will develop protocols that aim to improve the handling, welfare and post-release survival of TEPS; whilst improving the safety of fishers interacting with potentially dangerous TEPS (e.g. sea snakes and rays).This is particularly important for sea snakes, which are usually grasped by the tail and flung overboard, which is a practice that is harmful to the sea snakes and is likely to lead to low post-trawl survival.
Objectives: 1. Quantify the effect of bycatch reduction devices on sea snakes in Queensland’s trawl fishery and facilitate the uptake of these devices by industry. 2. Develop strategies to reduce the number of threatened skates, rays and demersal sharks caught by prawn trawls in southern Queensland. 3. Implement a pilot crew-member observer program to train interested fishers in collecting valuable information on threatened species including sea snakes, skates, rays, and sharks. 4. Develop protocols for the safe handling of sea snakes, skates, rays and sharks that improves post-trawl survival. Read moreRead less
Rethinking housing: network analysis for digital collaboration. This project aims to understand persistent housing sector supply problems through analysis of digital collaborative practices. This project expects to generate new knowledge for an emerging housing digital economy using interdisciplinary network theory and data visualisation techniques. The housing sector has long been criticised for shortcomings in affordability, efficiency, quality, social and environmental responsiveness and appr ....Rethinking housing: network analysis for digital collaboration. This project aims to understand persistent housing sector supply problems through analysis of digital collaborative practices. This project expects to generate new knowledge for an emerging housing digital economy using interdisciplinary network theory and data visualisation techniques. The housing sector has long been criticised for shortcomings in affordability, efficiency, quality, social and environmental responsiveness and appropriateness of offerings. Expected outcomes include enhanced housing supply professionals' capability, improved knowledge among public/private sector decision makers responsible for housing supply and development of new digital collaborative behavioural theoretical and practical frameworks for the sector.Read moreRead less
Housing energy efficiency transitions. This project aims to provide an analysis of housing retrofit and its links with household energy costs. It includes householders across eight global urban sites, as well as the businesses that supply retrofit services. The project will analyse the retrofit experience of both energy poor and other households, providing an internationally significant evidence base. Outcomes include a robust empirical evidence base on the implications of retrofit for househol ....Housing energy efficiency transitions. This project aims to provide an analysis of housing retrofit and its links with household energy costs. It includes householders across eight global urban sites, as well as the businesses that supply retrofit services. The project will analyse the retrofit experience of both energy poor and other households, providing an internationally significant evidence base. Outcomes include a robust empirical evidence base on the implications of retrofit for households to tailor actions that will shape the lives of residents in Australian households.Read moreRead less