Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL120100108
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,849,770.00
Summary
Surrogate ecology: when and where can it work to improve environmental management? New empirical analyses and new ecological theory will be used to discover where, when and how to best apply surrogates. New capacity will be built in surrogate ecology and the results used to significantly enhance the effective management and monitoring of environments and biodiversity both in Australia and worldwide.
Development Of Alternative Fishing Practices For The Harvesting Of Wild And Re-seeded Scallop Beds In Tasmania
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Determine efficiency of beam, triple & prawn trawling methods for harvesting scallops. 2. Investigate different in efficiency & bottom damage between sputnik dredge & Japanese keta-ami dredge. 3. Study dredge & trawl net behaviour using CSIRO underwater surveillance equip
Seafood CRC: Quantifying Physiological And Behavioural Responses Of Cultured Abalone To Stress Events
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$102,545.04
Summary
It is desirable for any primary producer to understand the health and welfare of their stock. This will ultimately enable optimal production and return on investment.
The challenge in any aquaculture system is ‘observing’ the physiological and behavioural responses associated with environment, production and other stressors; all factors that impact on the animal health and welfare and so overall production efficiency. Suboptimal health is often associated with culturing conditions, an ....It is desirable for any primary producer to understand the health and welfare of their stock. This will ultimately enable optimal production and return on investment.
The challenge in any aquaculture system is ‘observing’ the physiological and behavioural responses associated with environment, production and other stressors; all factors that impact on the animal health and welfare and so overall production efficiency. Suboptimal health is often associated with culturing conditions, and this is predicted to become more prevalent and unpredictable with a changing climate. There is therefore an immediate and long-term need to overcome the 'observation' challenge.
How do we know if conditions are optimal, and the observed performance efficient and sustainable? Generally for aquaculture species, such as molluscs, it is through measurements of growth rate and survival, equating to biomass produced, rather than on metabolic and behaviour observations on the animal, that are difficult to observe and poorly understood. Therefore there is limited information available for optimising the commercial environment from the animal’s perspective.
Sub-optimal conditions lead to stress, and there are multiple (observed and unobserved) stressors or stress events within a commercial growout system, the impact of which on an abalone’s physiology is poorly understood. Measurement of an animal’s response to stress is usually retrospective of the event and via invasive sample collection (an additional stressor).
This proposal is taking advantage of the development of a new research tool (“biologger”) for the in-situ measurement of physiological and behavioural parameters to gain an understanding of the response of the abalone to a range of commonly experienced and predicted stressors in a commercial system. This research will provide knowledge for refining farm management protocols, and in the longer-term for developing real-time bio-monitoring of farm management protocols.
Objectives: 1. To determine the physiological coping ranges and responses of temperate abalone to various environmental and production stressors measured under controlled laboratory conditions. 2. To attempt to monitor in-situ farmed temperate abalone under commercial conditions to identify and understand the key physiological and behavioural responses to a variety of production stessors 3. To develop preliminary algorithms to enable interpretation of data from biologgers in the context of physiological and behavioural response to identified stressors 4. To identify any potential applications of existing biologgers to improve current farm management protocols Read moreRead less
Oysters Australia IPA: Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) – Closing Knowledge Gaps To Continue Farming C. Gigas In Australia
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$463,700.00
Summary
POMS, caused by OsHV-1, has devastated C. gigas farming in two estuaries in NSW. Australia’s other growing areas are free (survey 2011). Expert opinion is that the virus will spread, but the time frame is unpredictable; TAS and SA are at great risk. Research to find a solution to continue farming is an immediate priority to protect the ~$53M pa industry.
Farming C. gigas in the face of POMS requires improvements in both husbandry and genetics. Genetically resistant stock will not be av ....POMS, caused by OsHV-1, has devastated C. gigas farming in two estuaries in NSW. Australia’s other growing areas are free (survey 2011). Expert opinion is that the virus will spread, but the time frame is unpredictable; TAS and SA are at great risk. Research to find a solution to continue farming is an immediate priority to protect the ~$53M pa industry.
Farming C. gigas in the face of POMS requires improvements in both husbandry and genetics. Genetically resistant stock will not be available commercially until 2018, with partial resistance (POMS R&D Coordination Committee report).
Improved husbandry is needed at all stages of the production cycle. It is addressed by this application, which builds on research in FRDC projects 2011/053 and 2012/032 that led to breakthroughs in understanding the epidemiology of POMS: mortality can be completely prevented in hatcheries using relatively simple water treatments, and reduced by 50% in adult stock (but not juveniles) by raising the growing height. However, many growers do not have infrastructure for this.
In June 2014 industry stated it would benefit from information about consistency of seasonal infection, changes in the virus, hatchery biosecurity, and whether spat can be certified free from infection.
Growers at SAOGA August 2014 reiterated that they urgently need a strategy for juvenile grow out and rack and rail systems that can't easily be elevated.
Priorities were confirmed in a face to face meeting with TORC members on 28th August 2014. Objectives were reviewed by Oysters Australia R&D committee on 1/12/14, and modified accordingly, leading to this full application.
This project fits within the FRDC 2015 Environment Priority 5: development of robust methodologies for investigation of mollusk disease outbreaks; integrated health management for commercial molluscs, which flow from priorities of the Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram. Objectives: 1. To determine methods for the conditioning/husbandry of spat and juvenile oysters to obtain survival after exposure to OsHV-1 based on improved scientific understanding of exposure, pathogenesis, immunity, tolerance or latency 2. To confirm i) the consistency of seasonal patterns of POMS, ii) the periodicity of infection within season, iii) inter-estuary temperature variation, and iv) predict POMS seasonal behaviour. 3. To identify changes in OsHV-1 DNA sequence over time (2010-2016) to understand infection and disease patterns 4. To investigate the mechanisms of survival of Pacific oysters after exposure to OsHV-1, including assessment of exposure dose and using biosensors 5. To determine whether water treatments prevent OsHV-1 infection of spat or merely prevent mortality, and whether they can be applied for biosecurity of hatchery effluent 6. To describe an integrated disease control strategy based on complementary use of genetically resistant oysters (when available) and husbandry methods throughout the production cycle: hatchery-juvenile-growout to market 7. To build capacity in aquatic animal health for Australian industry through training a post graduate student Read moreRead less
Aquafin CRC - Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Subprogram: A Whole-of-ecosystem Assessment Of Environmental Issues For Salmonid Aquaculture
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$1,101,828.00
Summary
The salmonid aquaculture industry depends on a healthy and suitable marine environment to maintain production and profitability. Over recent years, the industry has faced a number of environmental challenges, including algal blooms, jellyfish swarms, warm waters and high salinities. Salmon farms remain a significant point source of nutrients into the marine environment. While stocking densities in Tasmania are generally lower than overseas, and expansion of the industry is currently curtailed, i ....The salmonid aquaculture industry depends on a healthy and suitable marine environment to maintain production and profitability. Over recent years, the industry has faced a number of environmental challenges, including algal blooms, jellyfish swarms, warm waters and high salinities. Salmon farms remain a significant point source of nutrients into the marine environment. While stocking densities in Tasmania are generally lower than overseas, and expansion of the industry is currently curtailed, it is still important to establish a carrying capacity which fosters a healthy and productive industry and protects marine environmental values.
Evaluation of this combination of issues and risks constitutes a significant scientific challenge. System-wide environmental effects such as the frequency and composition of phytoplankton blooms and jellyfish swarms, and possible effects on benthic communities may affect industry production and profitability. Equally, regulators and the public need assurance that marine ecosystems will not undergo unacceptable environmental change as industry develops. Industry and managers require a capability to resolve and predict environmental response to changes in offshore ocean inputs, changes in catchment loads, and effects of the industry itself. Advances in observation technologies, in scientific understanding, and in modelling capability are needed to underpin both long-term planning and short-term operational decisions. The goal here is for the CRC to work with industry and regultors to provide an environmental information and prediction system which allows each to manage environmental risk.
DPIWE has expressed a particular need to understand nutrient budgets in salmon-growing areas to assess how many fish can be grown. Salmon farmers have expressed a specific industry need for early warning of the advent of a phytoplankton bloom, and early warning of the likely level of threat of the bloom. Within the confines of the budget and logistical constraints we will attempt to meet both needs.
Objectives: 1. 1. Identification, characterisation and modelling of the key oceanographic and ecological features of the Huon Estuary and D'Entrecasteaux Channel and how these may affect or limit salmon cage farming, together with an assessment of possible industry responses. 2. Inventory of the sources of nutrients in this region, including those from salmon farms, their spatial and temporal variation, nutrient cycling, and impacts on pelagic and benthic production. 3. Definition of the factors driving the phytoplankton ecology of this region, especially interactions among phytoplankton and zooplankton (including jellyfish) 4. Determination of the role of carbon remineralisation in sediments with nutrient release into the water column in relation to the varying spatial and temporal environmental conditions 5. Design of a new monitoring system and adaptive management strategy for use by industry and DPIWE together with definition of associated indicators and standards Read moreRead less
A Quantitative Assessment Of The Environmental Impacts Of Mussel Aquaculture On Seagrasses
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$260,147.00
Summary
Apart from a growing interest in aquaculture activities in Australia, there is a need to identify the impacts associated with those activities, in order to protect the marine ecosystem. This is a high priority for Australian environmental regulators who are unlikely to allow additional aquaculture activities in the absence of knowledge about possible environmental impacts.
Gaps in our knowledge on the effects of aquaculture impacts on seagrasses and on ways to protect and restore sea ....Apart from a growing interest in aquaculture activities in Australia, there is a need to identify the impacts associated with those activities, in order to protect the marine ecosystem. This is a high priority for Australian environmental regulators who are unlikely to allow additional aquaculture activities in the absence of knowledge about possible environmental impacts.
Gaps in our knowledge on the effects of aquaculture impacts on seagrasses and on ways to protect and restore seagrasses were highlighted in a recent review commissioned by FRDC (Butler and Jernakoff 1999). Potential impacts on seagrass meadows include the effects of reduced light and increased nutrient levels. Other issues of importance include the responses of seagrasses to perturbations and the time taken for seagrasses to recover from these impacts. Unless regulators can be confident that shellfish longline aquaculture does not significantly impact areas such as seagrass meadows, it is unlikely that the industry will be able to utilise these potentially suitable areas for expansion and development. Therefore, there is an urgent need to obtain this information and that it has the power to assist environmental regulators in knowing the level of impact, or lack thereof, when making decisions regarding the development of additional aquaculture leases.
Specific needs for the research are formed by the following questions:
- Can mussel farming be conducted over seagrass beds without impact? - Are the impacts of mussel farming reversible over time if aquaculture activities cease in a particular area (e.g. through site rotation)? - Is the extent of impact of mussel farming on seagrasses the same throughout the year (i.e. seasonal influences)? - Are the rates of impact and recovery from potential impact from mussel farming compatible with available adaptive management options?
There is thus a need to undertake research to:
- Provide managers and regulators with appropriate data on the likely consequences of siting mussel leases on or near seagrass communities so they can make informed decisions - Provide quantitative data on the a) physical changes and b) biological changes to the seagrass habitat as a result of longline mussel aquaculture provide recommendations on management options to minimise seagrass disturbance from longline aquaculturel - Provide data that allows mussel aquaculture to develop in an orderly and sustainable manner - Provide a tool for future management decisions on the interaction of aquaculture and seagrass Objectives: 1. To resolve environmental issues concerning the sighting of longline bivalve culture over seagrass. 2. Provide data that demonstrate that mussel farming can develop in an ecological sustainable manner. 3. Provide a foundation of management practices for mussel farming over seagrass. 4. Provide government agencies with the information that allows them to measure change to the seagrass environment relating to mussel culture. 5. Provide a model that has application nationally to allow the needs and objectives of longline bivalve farming to be met in similar locations around Australia. 6. Provide a definitive tool that ensures agencies can make decisions on the acceptability of longline aquaculture to be located over seagrass. Read moreRead less
Understanding Shelf-break Habitat For Sustainable Management Of Fisheries With Spatial Overlap.
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$514,126.62
Summary
The need for this project was identified by fishery managers and industry and addresses high priority strategic research areas identified by both state and national fisheries organisations. It is research that targets a high priority need across Australian fisheries: understanding the effects of fishing activities on fish and their ecosystems. The need for research is compounded in shelf-break habitats due to: (a) scarcity of basic information about shelf break habitats, (b) slow growth of many ....The need for this project was identified by fishery managers and industry and addresses high priority strategic research areas identified by both state and national fisheries organisations. It is research that targets a high priority need across Australian fisheries: understanding the effects of fishing activities on fish and their ecosystems. The need for research is compounded in shelf-break habitats due to: (a) scarcity of basic information about shelf break habitats, (b) slow growth of many species in this region implying less resilience to impacts, (c) interaction effects between different sectors that may compound impacts.
The research need on addressing interaction between different sectors will be specifically addressed here in relation to the interaction between trawl and crab trapping sectors. This interaction between different fishing sectors is not unusual and is likely to be repeated in the future – work conducted here will assist in providing a template for resolution.
Understanding shelf-break habitat for sustainable management of fisheries with spatial overlap was identified as the number 1 research priority for Tasmanian crustacean research by both DPIWE and representatives of the Tasmanian crustacean fishing industry at the Tasmanian Crustacean Research Advisory Group.
The project focus is also consistent with strategies developed by the Commonwealth agencies involved in management of industries based around the shelf-break: the Commonwealth Government and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia (AFFA). It is targeted to the FRDC program of Natural Resource Sustainability through the strategies of “Interactions between fish and their ecosystems” and “Effects of fishing activities on fish and their ecosystems”. Objectives: 1. Define and map key habitats on the shelf edge (~80-180 fm) at key locations around Tasmania where fisheries using different gear types interact. 2. Evaluate their resistance and resilience to impact from fishing gears based using the semi-quantitative 'Ecological Risk Assessment' framework 3. Detail the distribution of exploited shelf-edge species in relation to habitat features 4. Evaluate ecosystem links within habitats based on trophic, temperature and current-flow data 5. Evaluate using video to obtain stock assessment information such as abundance, sex ratio, condition and size of target species, primarily the giant crab Read moreRead less
Integrating satellite observations into environmental accounts. Accounting for biomass, water and ecosystem helps to manage and protect Australia's natural capital. Existing data provide only limited information, but this project will build on recent advances in satellite observation and model-data fusion technology to produce national accounts with unprecedented detail, for each year since 1990.
A new-generation flood forecasting system using observations from space. Floods are dangerous and expensive, costing Australia more than any other cause of natural disaster. This project will use satellite measurements of soil moisture and rainfall along with computer models to improve the Bureau of Meteorology’s predictions of floods in rivers. Better flood forecasts will reduce costs and save lives.
Mapping And Distribution Of Sabella Spallanzanii In Port Phillip Bay
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$66,250.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. Describe habitat requirements of Sabella in the Geelong Arm and map the distribution of the worm Sabella spallanzanii in Port Phillip Bay during 1995 2. Determine whether there have been changes to fish communities in regions of Port Phillip Bay affected by Sabella 3. Identify the significance of S spallanzanii in the diets of fish species in Port Phillip Bay. 4. Describe the distribution, breeding cycles and larval duration of all exotic species found in Por ....Objectives: 1. Describe habitat requirements of Sabella in the Geelong Arm and map the distribution of the worm Sabella spallanzanii in Port Phillip Bay during 1995 2. Determine whether there have been changes to fish communities in regions of Port Phillip Bay affected by Sabella 3. Identify the significance of S spallanzanii in the diets of fish species in Port Phillip Bay. 4. Describe the distribution, breeding cycles and larval duration of all exotic species found in Port Phillip Bay in their natural habitats, from published sources. Read moreRead less