SCRC: PhD : Managing Fisheries To Maximise Profits By Understanding And Reducing Variable Costs Of Fishing
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
There are several reasons that targeted research on the variable cost of fishing is warranted as part of the bioeconomic activities of the theme. First, some fisheries regulations have evolved over long periods with lower fishing costs, a revision of these could increase the profitability of the fishery and may be necessary to ensure economic viability into the future. Secondly, fuel is one of the largest variable cost factors in most fisheries and has proven to be highly volatile in price over ....There are several reasons that targeted research on the variable cost of fishing is warranted as part of the bioeconomic activities of the theme. First, some fisheries regulations have evolved over long periods with lower fishing costs, a revision of these could increase the profitability of the fishery and may be necessary to ensure economic viability into the future. Secondly, fuel is one of the largest variable cost factors in most fisheries and has proven to be highly volatile in price over the last few years; extensive evidence suggests that fuel prices will continue to rise at rates significantly faster than most other costs. Third, the economic flows from fuel consumption tend to provide a lower contribution to GDP than other variable costs such as labour (due to the export nature of the cost); consequently disproportionate increases in fuel prices may result in a lower fishery contribution to GDP.Read moreRead less
Feasibility Assessment Of Commercial Production Of Two Important Shellfish (abalone And Scallops)
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Feasibility of culturing abalone using existing facilities and existing longline technology; examine the economic feasibility of a scallop farming venture based on traditional methods of culture
SESSF Industry Development Subprogram: Alternative Fuels For Fishing Vessels
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$137,291.91
Summary
With most of Australia's fish stocks at fully fished or overfished status, there is reduced opportunity for increasing economic returns from larger catches or unexploited resources. As a result, the fishing industry is looking for opportunities to increase its profit margins by reducing the cost of fishing. Generally, fuel is the one single highest operating cost to fishing vessels, accounting for up to 50% of the operating costs of a fishing vessel in Australia.
The Australian (and Ne ....With most of Australia's fish stocks at fully fished or overfished status, there is reduced opportunity for increasing economic returns from larger catches or unexploited resources. As a result, the fishing industry is looking for opportunities to increase its profit margins by reducing the cost of fishing. Generally, fuel is the one single highest operating cost to fishing vessels, accounting for up to 50% of the operating costs of a fishing vessel in Australia.
The Australian (and New Zealand) Fishing Industry requires assistance in becoming a more efficient user of energy. Some forms of fishing, such as trawling, expend more fuel per kg of fish landed compared to passive methods such as longlining and trap fishing. In all cases however, rising fuel prices impinge on the profitability of the operations, and ultimately put their viability in jeopardy; this has reach a critical situation for many operators in Australia.
The R&D plans and strategies of all advisory bodies to the FRDC contain high priority goals to achieve FRDC’s Industry Development goal (planned outcome):, The commercial sector of the Australian fishing industry is profitable, internationally competitive and socially resilient. This investigation into alternative fuels for the fishing industry, some of which also achieve lower greenhouse gas emissions, has the intention of improving the economic viability of fishing enterprises and shifting the industry towards a more secure position with respect to future fuel needs.
Objectives: 1. Demonstrate the feasibility of Marine Gas Oil (or other lower cost distillates) in fishing vessel engines, as a cheaper form of petroleum based diesel fuel. 2. Investigate the technical feasibility of fishoil as a biofuel source related directly to the activities of the industry. 3. Evaluate LPG as a relatively user friendly option with established supply chain, and detail the required technology in the context of fishing vessels. 4. Evaluate natural gas (LNG, CNG) as a prospect for significant fuel cost savings, and detail the required technology in the context of fishing vessels. Read moreRead less
Increased Economic Efficiency For The Western Rocklobster Fishery Through Improved Pot Design
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$135,453.72
Summary
Given the current cost-price squeeze, the WA FRAB and the WRL Industry have highlighted business improvement/cost competitiveness within the fishing industry as a priority for research. For the WRL fishery, this situation has resulted primarily from a relatively static beach price for lobster and increasing fuel, labour and other input costs. A major driver for input costs in this fishery is the number of pot lifts, which is currently about 10 million annually, equating to a total cost of ~$60 m ....Given the current cost-price squeeze, the WA FRAB and the WRL Industry have highlighted business improvement/cost competitiveness within the fishing industry as a priority for research. For the WRL fishery, this situation has resulted primarily from a relatively static beach price for lobster and increasing fuel, labour and other input costs. A major driver for input costs in this fishery is the number of pot lifts, which is currently about 10 million annually, equating to a total cost of ~$60 million (average cost per potlift - $6.00). This is one area where input costs may be reduced.
The fishery currently has strict controls on the pot characteristics to maintain equity among participants and to ensure exploitation rates remain constant. By improving the catching efficiency of the pots the same annual landings could be achieved with a far lower number of pot lifts. For example, an increase in the fishing efficiency of a lobster pot by 10-20% would reduce pot lifts by 10-20% and return to the industry a minimum cost saving in excess of $3-6 million annually. An industry based working group will aim to develop more efficient pots which will provide additional cost savings in fuel and bait usage.
The decision to use more efficient pots could be undertaken at an individual fisher level, but this requires robust conversion rates for any modified design(s) to ensure that the integrity of the fishery's input based management system is not compromised.
Objectives: 1. To provide industry with the blueprint(s) of one or many pots that catch target size western rocklobster in a more efficient manner 2. To provide industry with estimates of the cost savings that would be achieved in the the WRLF through the adoption of a more efficient pot 3. To optimise the economic efficiency of industry stakeholders without adversely affecting the exploitation rate Read moreRead less
SCRC: Optimising External Colour In Farmed Crustaceans, Using Penaeus Monodon As A Model Species.
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Consistency of colour as well as overall colour intensity are essential elements to seafood product acceptability, marketability and dollar value. This is particularly true for the deep red colour of cooked crustaceans. Farmed crustacean species commonly have suboptimal colour consistency and/or colour intensity. There is an industry driven need to therefore optimise colour consistency and intensity of farmed crustacean product.
Farmed crustacean colour is enhanced by a critical but cos ....Consistency of colour as well as overall colour intensity are essential elements to seafood product acceptability, marketability and dollar value. This is particularly true for the deep red colour of cooked crustaceans. Farmed crustacean species commonly have suboptimal colour consistency and/or colour intensity. There is an industry driven need to therefore optimise colour consistency and intensity of farmed crustacean product.
Farmed crustacean colour is enhanced by a critical but costly feed additive, the carotenoid astaxanthin. The increased outlay in production is offset by gains in market value of between $2 to 5 / kg, in the case of prawns. To achieve consistent premium colour grade scores, our most recent research in penaeid prawns and hard-shelled lobsters showed that the cooked colour of the animal is not related solely to the total carotenoid content of the animal, but it is essential for the carotenoid to be bound with high levels of a colour protein called crustacyanin (CRCN).
To expand our scientific knowledge in this area, future research needs to extend beyond carotenoid inclusion levels in diets, and begin to explore natural variation in abundance of this novel colour protein complex or simple methods that can increase the protein abundance and enhance colour. This baseline information will support the development of commercial procedures that maximise crustacean colour consistency and intensity, allowing farmers to maximise product quality, price, marketability and acceptability.Read moreRead less
SCRC: PhD 5.04 Assessing The Costs And Benefits Of Changing Fishing Practices In The Southern Rock Lobster Fishery (Dr Bridget Green; Student Tim Emery)
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
There currently is concern in SRL fisheries about the status of inshore stocks. Catch has declined in a number of areas, despite improvements in catch rates. For example, in Northeastern Tasmania, catch is at record lows, yet CPUE has failed to climb. Inshore stocks on western Tasmania are now receiving historically high levels of effort, due in part to change in shot rotation practices. Further, it is unclear whether the extra effort in these practices is adequately recorded in estimates of C ....There currently is concern in SRL fisheries about the status of inshore stocks. Catch has declined in a number of areas, despite improvements in catch rates. For example, in Northeastern Tasmania, catch is at record lows, yet CPUE has failed to climb. Inshore stocks on western Tasmania are now receiving historically high levels of effort, due in part to change in shot rotation practices. Further, it is unclear whether the extra effort in these practices is adequately recorded in estimates of CPUE. There has been a recent increase in potting effort, commonly referred to as double night fishing, whereby fishers set and haul their pots twice a night, compared to the standard practice of emptying pots once at dusk and/or once during the day. Currently we have no data on the composition of the catch in double night shots, and what proportion of captured lobsters are handled and released, and what consequence this handling has on production from the fishery.Read moreRead less
Implementation Of The National Recreational And Indigenous Fishing Survey
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$821,947.06
Summary
Equitable fisheries management requires an information base on all extractive and non-extractive users of the resource. This has been well implemented for the commercial fishing sector where legislated catch and effort returns are standard practice. However, many inshore fisheries incorporate a significant recreational sector and efforts to collect comprehensive data from this sector have generally been ad hoc, responding to critical management needs rather than an orderly, routine monitoring ....Equitable fisheries management requires an information base on all extractive and non-extractive users of the resource. This has been well implemented for the commercial fishing sector where legislated catch and effort returns are standard practice. However, many inshore fisheries incorporate a significant recreational sector and efforts to collect comprehensive data from this sector have generally been ad hoc, responding to critical management needs rather than an orderly, routine monitoring program.
Although increased research effort has been allocated to recreational fishery data collection, a national assessment of the sector has not recently been attempted. The only previous national survey in Australia was conducted in 1983 by PA Management Consultants. Their results drew widespread attention to the scale and economic impact of recreational fishing in Australia and, although subject to some criticism, are still cited today despite the passage of 15 years.
An urgent need therefore exists to produce relevant and up to date recreational fishery statistics. The adoption of the National Policy by SCFA and MCFFA recognises this need and has provided the impetus for the work of the Steering Committee to date, and for this application to implement the National Survey. The primary focus of the Survey is to collect nationally consistent and comparable data on catch, effort, participation rates, demographics, economic activity, attitudes and awareness covering all aspects of ‘non-commercial’ fishing. These comprehensive datasets will then be available for incorporation into stock assessments of the nation's fisheries and resource allocation decisions.
In addition to the telephone / diary survey of the general population, two other components of the overall Survey are being designed – development of a survey of indigenous communities and of international visiting fishers. While these latter components will have different value to each State and Territory, the combination of recreational, indigenous and international fishing data will provide a comprehensive picture of non-commercial fishing, and allow exhaustive analysis of the extractive sectors of Australia’s fishing resources. Objectives: 1. To determine the participation rate in recreational fishing nationally, by States and Territories and regionally, and profile the demographic characteristics of recreational fishers 2. To quantify catch and effort of the recreational fishing sector nationally, by States and Territories and, where appropriate, regionally 3. Collect data on expenditure by the recreational fishing sector nationally and regionally. 4. To establish attitudes and awareness of recreational fishers to issues relevant to their fishery 5. To quantify fishing activity by indigenous fishing communities (where significant) in terms of participation, catch and effort and attitudes 6. To quantify fishing activity of overseas fishers in terms of participation, effort and attitudes Read moreRead less
Seafood CRC: Optimising Business Structures And Fisheries Management Systems For Key Fisheries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$154,070.00
Summary
The main causes of these major DECLINES IN FISHERY PERFORMANCE are substantial decreases in real prices (prawns, abalone), large increases in costs (all sectors) and, in a few cases, significant reductions in stock size and productivity (rock lobster).
In many fisheries major improvements in economic performance will only be achieved through MAJOR AND INTEGRATED CHANGES in operational procedures, business structures and resource management systems.
Inertia and active to resi ....The main causes of these major DECLINES IN FISHERY PERFORMANCE are substantial decreases in real prices (prawns, abalone), large increases in costs (all sectors) and, in a few cases, significant reductions in stock size and productivity (rock lobster).
In many fisheries major improvements in economic performance will only be achieved through MAJOR AND INTEGRATED CHANGES in operational procedures, business structures and resource management systems.
Inertia and active to resistance to change, within both government and industry, currently impede the implementation of the CULTURAL SHIFT that is required to revive the CRC’s ecologically-sustainable, but FINANCIALLY-CHALLENGED fisheries.
Major, integrated changes and cultural shifts require a clearly articulated VISION FOR THE FUTURE.
Convincing vision statements require EVIDENCE.
This project will provide the information that is needed for industry and government to develop the joint VISION STATEMENTS that are required to chart a clear pathway to a more profitable future for each selected CRC fishery.
Critical INFORMATION NEEDED TO UNDERPIN EACH VISION STATEMENT that this project will provide includes:
1. Objective assessments of the key FACTORS LIMITING FISHERY PERFORMANCE;
2. Comprehensive evaluations of the OPTIONS FOR INCREASING PROFITABILITY;
3. Clear advice about the COMPLEX AND INTER-RELATED CHANGES TO operational procedures, business structures and resource management systems that are required ACHIEVE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN FISHERY PERFORMANCE;
4. A clear PATHWAY TO ADOPTION that recognises the inertia and resistance to change within government and industry that must be overcome for these MAJOR AND INTEGRATED CHANGES to be implemented.
Objectives: 1. Assess the performance and identify impediments to wealth creation in selected CRC fisheries 2. Describe and evaluate innovative systems that have been established to improve the performance of successful fisheries worldwide. 3. Identify practical opportunities for overcoming impediments to wealth creation and improving the performance of selected CRC fisheries. Read moreRead less
The Determinants of Australia's Productivity Performance. Productivity growth is the key to increasing prosperity for all Australians. The scholar will survey the theoretical and empirical literature pertinent to explaining trends and cycles in the productivity of the Australian economy over the past thirty years. The scholar will then select specific areas for focused research which will lead to academic papers and the submission of a PhD thesis.