Determination Of Patagonian Toothfish Age, Growth And Population Characteristics Based On Otoliths
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$22,850.00
Summary
Data on fish age are essential to determine the production of fish stocks. Collection of age structure data early in the history of a fishery are particularly important to determine the natural mortality rate of a population. Data relating to the age structure of populations and growth rates can also be applied to the identification of stocks. Annual estimates of population age structure are employed to identify population responses to exploitation and environmental variability and can be use ....Data on fish age are essential to determine the production of fish stocks. Collection of age structure data early in the history of a fishery are particularly important to determine the natural mortality rate of a population. Data relating to the age structure of populations and growth rates can also be applied to the identification of stocks. Annual estimates of population age structure are employed to identify population responses to exploitation and environmental variability and can be used to develop more data intensive methods of population assessment (eg Virtual Population Analysis). Otoliths are the structures employed most often to estimate age of fishes and validation research at the ANU indicates that toothfish otoliths are suitable for this purpose.
A "stock" is the basic unit of management in most fisheries and identification of these units is a prerequisite to accurate assessment and effective management. There are no data on stock structure for Patagonian toothfish. As a result, we have no knowledge regarding the potential impacts of toothfish exploitation outside the AFZ on toothfish stocks within the AFZ.
Knowledge of toothfish biology is extremely limited. Given the lack of baseline biological data, it would be difficult to identify possible responses of toothfish stocks to exploitation or differences in life history characteristics among putative stocks. Identification of changes in basic life history characteristics such as age or size at maturity and timing of ontogenetic migrations are important to management of fish species within both a stock and ecosystem context. Objectives: 1. Validate otolith-based age estimates for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides). 2. Establish routine age estimation procedures for Patagonian toothfish. 3. Determine growth rates for Patagonian toothfish. 4. Determine age structure of the toothfish populations from the AFZ surrounding Macquarie Island and other localities 5. Determine age structure from successive years of sampling to identify possible shifts in age structure or inconsistencies in the application of the age estimation method. 6. Liaise with groups involved with modelling the dynamics of toothfish populations. 7. Apply otolith morphometrics and otolith chemistry to discrimination of possible toothfish stocks. 8. Establish an inter-agency (international) program to determine if there is variation in the interpretation of toothfish otolith sections 9. Publish reports for immediate stock assessment and management purposes and peer-reviewed articles in international journals for dissemination of results. Read moreRead less
Objectives: 1. The workshop will provide training in general pathology of molluscs and crustacea. It will also focus on characterisation of major disease in these animals. 2. It is envisaged that this training will provide a sound sufficient basis for further development of expertise in Australian workers within the local setting
Determination Of Biological Parameters Required For Managing The Fishery For West Australian Dhufish
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$183,803.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. Determine the age and size composition and growth of Dhufish. 2. Determine the location and period of spawning of Dhufish. 3. Determine the habitats occupied by Dhufish and whether these change with size and maturity. 4. Determine the age and size at which sexual maturity is attained. 5. Determine the fecundity of Dhufish and whether this species spawns more than once in a breeding season.
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Enhancement Of Emergency Disease Management Capability In The Queensland Department Of Primary Industries And The Redclaw Crayfish (Cherax Quadricarinatus) Industry
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$11,755.00
Summary
Few major disease incidents have occurred in Australian aquaculture, and as a result, State/Territory departments and industries have relatively little experience in incident management for emergency aquatic animal diseases. No jurisdiction to date, has conducted a large scale response to eradicate an exotic disease in aquaculture, and thus expertise in these areas is limited. In the absence of real-life emergency events to provide "on-the-job" training, simulation exercises provide a practica ....Few major disease incidents have occurred in Australian aquaculture, and as a result, State/Territory departments and industries have relatively little experience in incident management for emergency aquatic animal diseases. No jurisdiction to date, has conducted a large scale response to eradicate an exotic disease in aquaculture, and thus expertise in these areas is limited. In the absence of real-life emergency events to provide "on-the-job" training, simulation exercises provide a practical alternative to expose staff to aspects of emergency management.
The need for these exercises can be summarised as follows: 1. Both government and industries have relatively little experience with real emergencies 2. In some jurisdictions, there are no emergency plans extant and there is a lack of clarity about the roles and responsibilities of various individuals and departments especially where fisheries are managed separately from terrestrial animal industries. 3. The lack of previous disease incidents has lead to complacency within several industries 4. Lack of experience with emergency management will invariably lead to a delayed response to a disease emergency, and that in turn may lead to a greater spread of the disease, loss of Australia's disease free status and severe impacts on export industries.
All simulation exercises are initiated by requests from clients - both industry and government. Both the QDPI and the redclaw crayfish industry have requested the proposed exercise and actively support this proposal. The proposed exercise has also attracted interest from the NSW Department of Fisheries, the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries and the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries, all of whom have requested to send observers to the exercise. Objectives: 1. To examine and test the skills and abilities of the participants in group problem solving and decision making skills. 2. To increase the participants' knowledge of the communication routes to be used in an emergency disease response by working through a scenario which mimics a real emergency situation. 3. To improve the participants' ability to manage tasks by prioritising a number of competing demands during the operational phase of an emergency response. 4. To increase participants' understanding of the operational effects of specific requests to field staff operating at infected premises. 5. To familiarise participants with operating practices on a redclaw crayfish farm and to enhance the identification of methods of disease control applicable to this industry. 6. To identify key issues for future development of emergency management in a range of subjects including planning, communication, staffing and resourcing. Read moreRead less
In Situ Time-stamping Of Abalone Shells To Determine How Abalone Stocks Can Be Aged.
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$249,980.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. This project will determine the timing and regularity of the calcite layers deposited under the spire of abalone shells, through extensive field based tagging and "timestamp" marking of abalone. 2. We propose to achieve objective 1 for populations of blacklip abalone at three sites in Victoria, three sites in Tasmania and one site in New South Wales; and also for populations of greenlip abalone at two sites in South Australia. 3. We aim to determine how to interpre ....Objectives: 1. This project will determine the timing and regularity of the calcite layers deposited under the spire of abalone shells, through extensive field based tagging and "timestamp" marking of abalone. 2. We propose to achieve objective 1 for populations of blacklip abalone at three sites in Victoria, three sites in Tasmania and one site in New South Wales; and also for populations of greenlip abalone at two sites in South Australia. 3. We aim to determine how to interpret the layers in abalone shells, how reliable such interpretations are, and how layer formation may vary between localities. 4. We will use this information to determine the age distribution of abalone at a number of sites. 5. We aim to be able to predict where and how layers can be used to age abalone in stocks in Southern Australia. Read moreRead less
Otolithic Age Determination Of Mature Southern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus Maccoyii)
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Collect otoliths from SBT >130 cm. Determine time & periodicity of otolith band formation, hence seasonal & yearly growth rates. Validate otolith age determination methods developed from juvenile SBT for mature SBT. Age determination method independent of
Direct Otolithic Ageing Of Southern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus Maccoyii (Castlenau), Exploited By The Australian Fishery
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Validate CSIRO-developed otolithic ageing techniques. 2. Determine timing & periodicity of otolith check formation, hence growth season at different ages & geographical areas. 3. Method to partition into age classes independent of modal analysis & that derived from growth curves ex tag data
BCA - Ecologically Sustainable Development Of The Fishery For Patagonian Toothfish (Dissostichus Eleginoides) Around Macquarie Island: Population Parameters, Population Assessment And Ecological Interactions
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$5,445.45
Summary
The Patagonian toothfish fishery is expanding worldwide and it may play a pivotal role in the development of an Australian fishing industry in the Southern Ocean. The recommended TAC for toothfish in other Southern Ocean regions was revised upwards by the 1996 CCAMLR scientific committee. For example, in the CCAMLR area 58.5.2 (primarily the AFZ around Heard and McDonald Islands) a TAC of 3800 metric tonnes of toothfish was set. As a result considerable national and international interest in the ....The Patagonian toothfish fishery is expanding worldwide and it may play a pivotal role in the development of an Australian fishing industry in the Southern Ocean. The recommended TAC for toothfish in other Southern Ocean regions was revised upwards by the 1996 CCAMLR scientific committee. For example, in the CCAMLR area 58.5.2 (primarily the AFZ around Heard and McDonald Islands) a TAC of 3800 metric tonnes of toothfish was set. As a result considerable national and international interest in the fishery is expected.
Given the conservation value of Macquarie Island it is expected that operation of the fishery will be closely scrutinised -- the scrutiny is already clear at the national ( MACSAG, AFMA, DPIE and conservation groups) level. Development of the Macquarie Island fishery provides a great opportunity as a demonstration project to illustrate that fishery development can be achieved while protecting conservation values -- a demonstration of Ecologically Sustainable Development in action. Furthermore, much of what will be learnt will also be relevant to the emerging Heard Island toothfish fishery.
To date little research has been done to establish the basic biological parameters of the toothfish necessary to develop sound management policies. As recognised by both the Macquarie Island Fish Stock Assessment Group and the Sub-Antarctic Ecosystem Assessment Group there is a real need to develop a comprehensive program of research which not only addresses basic biological parameters such as age and stock structure, but also examines the distribution and abundance of this species so that effective management of the fishery can proceed. As the Macquarie Island area is likely to be sensitive to possible ecosystem changes brought about by a developing fishery, there is also a need to understand where toothfish 'fit into' the broader offshore Macquarie Island ecosystem, and likely ecosystem effects. Objectives: 1. Determine the key population parameters (age validation, growth, age of maturity, mortality of fished cohorts, and population structure after age validation), distribution, movements and relative abundance of the Patagonian toothfish around Macquarie Island. 2. Assess the usefulness of DNA micro satellite markers for determining stock structure. 3. Assess the biological and physical oceanographic effects on catch rates, toothfish availability, and interactions between the fishery and non-target species. 4. Assess the magnitude and composition of the fishery bycatch, and identify the food chain linkages between the fishery, the toothfish, the main bird and mammal species. 5. Develop population models for the Patagonian toothfish fishery and provide strategies for developing and managing the fishery. Read moreRead less