Filling The Knowledge Gaps To Recover Tasmania's Favourite Recreational Fishery - Southern Sand Flathead
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$3,289,049.00
Summary
Given the significant management changes that are likely to be made, there is a critical need to ensure that, model assumptions and knowledge gaps are addressed to predict recovery trajectories more accurately, and more effectively evaluate management strategies. These actions should be taken with the values and aspirations of recreational fishers at the forefront.
Implementing new management settings, which will be significantly more restrictive than current catch and size limits, wil ....Given the significant management changes that are likely to be made, there is a critical need to ensure that, model assumptions and knowledge gaps are addressed to predict recovery trajectories more accurately, and more effectively evaluate management strategies. These actions should be taken with the values and aspirations of recreational fishers at the forefront.
Implementing new management settings, which will be significantly more restrictive than current catch and size limits, will require a coordinated and collegial engagement and awareness program to minimise loss of social licence and political risk. Stewardship is a recognised component of improving societal practices across a range of areas. Improving stewardship through knowledge brokering has great potential to complement and enhance regulatory initiatives designed to protect ecosystem function through sustainable resource management. The strength of stewardship over regulatory initiatives is the genuine drive of individuals to contribute to improved societal norms through a learned and shared understanding of the benefits of the activity that is being advocated for. On the other hand, regulatory approaches can be met with a degree of skepticism and resistance due to a lack of understanding of the purpose of the regulations and a natural resistance of being ‘told what to do’. However, with increased marine literacy, compliance to and acceptance of regulatory policies can be increased. Effective communication, engagement and stewardship programs are increasingly recognised as mechanisms to enhance marine literacy and deliver positive behavioural change through engaged and interactive programs. This project will include a sector led stewardship program and a suite of communication and engagement initiatives by all co-investigator agencies (Government, Recreational Fishing Peak Body and research) with effective management and delivery of these initiatives facilitated by coordination groups.
Objective 1. Model development
Methods to assess sand flathead population status (biomass relative to limit and target reference points) and fishing pressure (fishing mortality relative to natural mortality) have recently been advanced through FRDC project 2020-005. These methods now include a combination of classic assessment approaches (e.g., the von Bertalanffy growth model and catch curve analyses) as well as more recent methods to estimate relative biomass (e.g., LBSPR and LBB estimation approaches). However, all assessment approaches developed to date are equilibrium-based. Here, the size-frequency distribution of a sample is compared to a theoretical prediction of the species’ size frequency distribution’ in the absence of fishing. These equilibrium-based models assume that populations are at a stable state and do not change significantly over time. They are also based on the principle of maximum sustainable yield and are used to determine the maximum number of fish that can be harvested sustainably. While equilibrium-based models are useful for setting sustainable harvest limits, temporal models are more appropriate for evaluating the long-term impacts of management strategies and predicting future changes in fish populations by explicitly considering the progression of cohorts from small to large size classes.
Temporal models are based on the idea that populations are constantly changing over time in response to various biological and environmental factors, including fishing pressure. These models simulate the dynamics of the population over time and can be used to evaluate and monitor the impacts of different management strategies. Evaluating fisheries management strategies using temporal population dynamic models involves building mathematical models that simulate the population dynamics of the targeted fish species over time. These models incorporate various biological and environmental factors that influence the population, such as growth rates, mortality rates, and fishing pressure. By manipulating the input parameters, the models can simulate the effects of different management strategies on the fish population, allowing for the evaluation of various scenarios. These models can provide valuable information on how different management strategies might impact the population, enabling managers to make informed decisions to achieve desired conservation or 'value maxima' objectives. Overall, temporal population dynamic models are the best tool for evaluating fisheries management strategies and for supporting sustainable management decisions.
Objective 2. Understanding spatial connectivity of population
It is likely that sand flathead are relatively resident (Tracey et al., 2020), but effective spatial management and understanding of stock recovery rates will require a better understanding of stock connectivity. This will be used to assist the spatially explicit components of the models proposed in this project. To understand sand flathead movements and space-use, we will use population genetic tools as well as passive tagging. There is some evidence that sand flathead move into deeper water during spawning season (Tracey et al., 2020). Through a tagging study, this project seeks to better understand spawning migrations as well as get a better understanding of the location of important spawning areas.
In addition to tagging, a genetic assessment will be undertaken to determine if Tasmanian sand flathead populations are genetically distinct. Processes such as genetic drift can lead to significant divergence of genetic signals between demographically isolated groups (i.e., stocks). This component of the study will test a number of possible stock scenarios for sand flathead across Tasmania to determine the level of connectivity between regions. Stock scenarios will be tested using Next-Generation Sequencing technology and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers.
Objective 3. Understanding phenotypic variability and potential impacts of fishery-induced evolution.
The identification of phenotypic variability both within and between sand flathead populations has added significant complexity to the sand flathead rebuilding strategy. Despite an overall decline in mean individual size, populations of both large and fast-growing individuals remain (Bani and Moltschaniwskyj 2008, Fraser et al 2022). This represents a unique opportunity to determine the impacts of fishery-induced evolution and identify the factors that influence individual growth rates, performance and vulnerability to catch. This information will be necessary for a potential fisheries enhancement program and in parameterising assessment models that predict species recovery. The proposed study will therefore assess several physiological and behavioural parameters relevant to energy use and uptake between individuals from ‘high’ and ‘low’ performing populations. It’s likely that variations in physiological traits like metabolism and swimming performance may translate to different capture vulnerabilities between phenotypic groups.
Individual sand flathead will be collected from multiple populations and measured for a range of physiological parameters such as metabolic rate, aerobic scope, appetite, growth, digestive efficiency, thermal tolerance, swimming performance, recovery rate, capacity for acclimation and behavioural traits like boldness/aggression. Through this assessment, we aim to gain a better understanding of specific traits that have contributed to the decline in overall performance observed in fish from some regions and identify associated impacts from fisheries induced evolution. The findings of this study will therefore be used to inform sustainable fishing practices that contribute to the conservation and restoration of depleted populations of sand flathead in Tasmania. This understanding may also allow us to identify desirable traits for promotion in potential stock enhancement programs to enhance the recovery and future sustainability of this species and also included as a variable in stock assessment and MSE models.
Objective 4. Education, Communication, Engagement and Stewardship initiatives
DNRET, IMAS and TARFish are all currently contributing to education, communication and engagement around Sand Flathead research and management. DNRET have developed the ‘Flathead For the Future’ education, communication and engagement program and will continue to evolve and deliver this initiative as an in-kind contribution to this broader application. IMAS have been working with both DNRET and TARFish to develop publicly available and digestible material explaining the current research and knowledge of Sand Flathead and the need for management intervention.
Part of the funding requested through this application will facilitate the development of a stewardship program led by TARFish with a coordination group comprising stewardship subject matter experts, two TARFish board members and two members of this project team to ensure continuity and linkages with the wider project (one from DNRET and one from IMAS).
All the education, communication, engagement and stewardship initiatives will be guided by the results/outcomes of the initial research findings of Objective 6, outcomes of FRDC project (2021-116: Recreational fishers in Tasmania: understanding experiences, behaviours, drivers, communication needs and change factors) and the IMAS project (DNRET funded) which is currently being finalised titled ‘Understanding flathead fishers to develop acceptable management options and maximise the effectiveness of stewardship initiatives’. The DNRET project aims to better understand flathead fishers to 1) develop management settings that are widely acceptable; and 2) inform the development, promotion and targeting of engagement and outreach activities. The stewardship program will also be guided by insights from the success of the Tuna Champions program (FRDC projects: 2017-123 & 2021-086). The TARFish stewardship program will complement the DNRET ‘Flathead for the future’, which focuses on increasing marine literacy on the needs for the proposed/implemented management regulations (policy acceptance). The stewardship program will be a sector led initiative focusing on an outcome of societal behavioural change (social norms) to enhance the welfare of the fish and fish stocks.
Objective 5. Experimental testing of communication, engagement and stewardship program outcomes
An important component of this study is testing the effectiveness of the education, communication, engagement and stewardship initiatives. This will be done using a range of metrics but the central assessment method will be a field framed behavioural experiment run by staff at the Utas Behavioural Sciences Laboratory. The objective of the framed field behavioural experiment is to comprehensively test and analyse the behavior patterns and decision-making processes of recreational fishers in order to gain a deeper understanding of their actions, motivations, and potential impact on fish populations and ecosystems but also understand how their values can be incorporated into effective fisheries management. Through this experiment, we aim to gather valuable insights into the factors that influence fishers' behavior, such as catch preferences, angling techniques, adherence to fishing regulations, and environmental considerations. The findings from this research will inform evidence-based fisheries management strategies and contribute to the sustainable conservation of aquatic resources while promoting the recreational fishing experience.
We will subject the different outcomes of the stewardship program to rigorous scientistic testing to ensure their effectiveness. Candidates for testing include all outcomes including website and video content, messaging for print and social media and branding elements. The purpose of the education, communication, engagement and stewardship initiative research is to develop audience-appropriate and targeted messaging and content. These outcomes are promising candidates for effective interventions. However, the effectiveness of these outcomes is an empirical question. Adoption requires establishing an appropriate evidence base for their effectiveness. In particular, any proposed interventions need to be tested in the specific environment in which they are to be deployed, including the context of their use and the demographics and characteristics of the targeted population.
Objectives: 1. Further development of bespoke and contemporary assessment models for sand flathead including spatially explicit and temporally dynamic length-based models and individual based models to facilitate a robust management strategy evaluation. 2. Thoroughly assess the connectivity, movement and relatedness of sand flathead stocks through population genetics assessment, and a comprehensive passive tagging program, including the engagement of a number of recreational anglers as citizen scientists. 3. Identify the phenotypic drivers of growth between fast and slow growing populations of sand flathead to understand the magnitude of impact from a stunted population, inform assessment models and conduct a feasibility assessment project for stock enhancement. 4. Develop and implement a collegial multi-faceted education and engagement initiatives as well as a stewardship program to run in parallel to traditional management interventions to enhance social license and increase recovery time by voluntary measures to encourage the reduction of fishing mortality. 5. Deliver a framed field behavioural experiment to test and analyse the behaviour patterns and decision-making processes of recreational fishers to gain a deeper understanding of their actions and motivations to facilitate effective value based sustainable fisheries management. Read moreRead less
Snapper Science Program: Theme 1 - Biology And Ecology
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$1,982,523.00
Summary
A comprehensive understanding of the general biology and ecology of any fishery species is fundamental to determine its response to exploitation and inform appropriate fishery management. Despite the significant body of research into the biology of Snapper, there remain considerable knowledge gaps regarding the underlying factors that drive interannual variation in juvenile recruitment and the demographic processes that maintain populations. Furthermore, there is uncertainty in how these process ....A comprehensive understanding of the general biology and ecology of any fishery species is fundamental to determine its response to exploitation and inform appropriate fishery management. Despite the significant body of research into the biology of Snapper, there remain considerable knowledge gaps regarding the underlying factors that drive interannual variation in juvenile recruitment and the demographic processes that maintain populations. Furthermore, there is uncertainty in how these processes will be influenced by changing environmental conditions associated with climate change. As such, understanding drivers of recruitment variability was identified as one of the highest research priorities for Snapper at the most recent National Workshop (FRDC Project No. 2019-085; Cartwright et al. 2021). Given the strong relationship between episodic recruitment and fishery production described above for the SG/WCS and GSVS, this recommendation was also strongly endorsed by fishery researchers, managers, and industry stakeholders in SA (Drew et al. 2022).
This research proposal has been developed to address four research priorities: • To understand the biological and environmental factors that affect recruitment of Snapper in SA and evaluate the potential influence of climate change. • Provide a contemporary understanding of stock structure for Snapper on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula to inform the appropriate spatial scale for fishery management. • Develop a contemporary series of biological parameters for each stock of Snapper in SA to be used as inputs in the stock assessment model. • Evaluate changes in the physical environment that may affect Snapper recruitment.
Consequently, Research Theme 1 – Biology and Ecology involves four projects: 1.1 Investigating recruitment variability and evaluating the potential effects of climate change for Snapper in South Australia 1.2 Contemporary demographic processes and stock structure for Snapper on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula 1.3 Review of biological parameters for Snapper in South Australia 1.4 Benthic habitat survey for Gulf St Vincent.
1.1 Investigating recruitment variability and evaluating the potential effects of climate change for Snapper in South Australia The population dynamics and fishery productivity for Snapper in SA are fundamentally driven by highly variable interannual recruitment, i.e., the number of age 0+ juveniles that enter the population each year (Fowler et al. 2017, Fowler and Jennings 2003). As such, a relative index of annual age 0+ juvenile abundance would be a powerful, fishery-independent tool to predict future trends in fishable biomass. To address this need, a recent project was undertaken to identify the most appropriate sampling methodology for age 0+ Snapper in SA’s gulfs and to develop a pre-recruit index (FRDC Project No. 2019-046). The first component of the present study involves the continuation of annual surveys for age 0+ Snapper for each stock to monitor trends in juvenile recruitment. The surveys will be repeated annually at the recognised nursery areas for each stock, i.e., northern Spencer Gulf (NSG) for the SG/WCS and northern Gulf St Vincent (NGSV) for the GSVS (Fowler et al. 2017). In addition, age 1+ juvenile Snapper will be sampled from annual fishery-independent surveys for the Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent prawn fisheries, which will provide further information to determine relative year class strength.
The second component of the study involves investigating the relationships between environmental parameters and recruitment. The datasets for juvenile abundance will be considered with annual population age structures to develop a time series of recruitment for the two stocks (i.e., late 1960s to 2020s). Long-term time series of environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, productivity, wind stress) will be developed and compared to the time series of recruitment for each stock. In conjunction with the pre-recruit index, understanding the environmental influences that drive recruitment variability would provide even greater predictive capability to forecast trends in recruitment and fishable biomass, particularly under changing environmental conditions associated with climate change.
The third component of the study will investigate the potential effects of environmental change for Snapper in SA. Using the environmental datasets previously developed, a high-resolution oceanographic model for SA will be hindcast to determine the intensity of local environmental change and identify potential climate ‘hot spots’. The model will then be forecast with different climate change scenarios to predict changes in ocean conditions over the next 5, 10, and 50 years. Based on the physiological tolerance ranges for Snapper spawning and larval development, these predictions will be used to evaluate potential shifts in the availability of suitable environmental conditions for Snapper in SA. Such responses will be considered in terms of potential implications for future trends in recruitment and fishable biomass.
1.2 Contemporary demographic processes and stock structure for Snapper on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula There are three recognised stocks of Snapper in SA waters: the SG/WCS, the GSVS, and the Western Victoria Stock (WVS) (Fowler 2016, Fowler et al. 2017). The population of Snapper on the West Coast of Eyre Peninsula (WC) is a regional component of the SG/WCS. It is hypothesised that in most years, the WC population is replenished by local demographic processes that maintain the population at a relatively low level. However, episodically in years of exceptionally strong recruitment in northern Spencer Gulf (i.e., 1991, 1997, and 1999), the WC population is replenished through the density dependent emigration of fish of a few years of age that disperse from northern Spencer Gulf, through southern Spencer Gulf and to the WC. These fish then remain on the WC for the remainder of their lives.
As a consequence of the prolonged period of poor recruitment in northern Spencer Gulf since 1999 and the subsequent depletion of the population in Spencer Gulf, it is unlikely that this density dependent movement from Spencer Gulf to the WC has occurred to a major extent for a number of years or will occur until the Spencer Gulf population has recovered. Furthermore, age structures for the WC developed in 2020 and 2021 showed that only a very small number of fish from the strong 1997- and 1999-year classes in northern Spencer Gulf remained in the population, and there were several other year classes in the age structures for the WC that were not present in northern Spencer Gulf (Drew et al. 2022). Consequently, there is a need to understand the relative contributions of local population processes and emigration from northern Spencer Gulf to the WC population. This is particularly important following the regionalisation of the fishery through the Marine Scalefish Fishery (MSF) Reform (Smart et al. 2022).
This study will investigate the contemporary demographic processes that maintain the population of Snapper on the WC through the regional comparison of population age structures, elemental chemistry of otoliths, and population genomics. The findings will provide insight into the relative contributions of local recruitment and emigration to the WC population, that will be compared to the existing conceptual model of stock structure for Snapper in SA (Fowler 2016, Fowler et al. 2017). The proposed study will build on several previous projects that have investigated the stock structure of Snapper in SA (i.e., FRDC Project No. 2002-001, FRDC Project No. 2012-020, ARC Linkage Project No. LP180100756).
1.3 Review of biological parameters for Snapper in South Australia The biology of Snapper in SA has been studied over the past 40 years, with particular focus on northern Spencer Gulf (e.g., Jones 1981, 1987, McGlennon 2003). Since 2000, a weekly market sampling program has been undertaken by SARDI researchers that has provided biological data for Snapper caught by commercial fishers across SA. The sampling program has been augmented with periodic trips to regional areas, research cruises, and targeted research projects. Since the closure of the SG/WCS and GSVS in November 2019, biological samples from the two stocks have been accessed through a targeted sampling program which involved contracting commercial fishers. The data collected through these projects and programs is maintained in a MS Access database which currently contains biological information (i.e., capture date, location, length, weight, sex, reproductive stage, and age) for >27,000 Snapper and length information for >75,000 individuals.
This study will investigate potential changes in the biological characteristics of Snapper throughout SA over the past 40 years in response to temporal changes in environmental conditions and stock abundance. This will involve spatial and temporal comparisons of length, age, growth rate, and length at maturity for Snapper from each region of SA. The study will also consider various approaches to estimate natural mortality. A key output of the study is a summary of contemporary biological parameters for each stock of Snapper in SA that will be incorporated into the stock assessment model (‘SnapEst’).
1.4 Benthic habitat survey for Gulf St Vincent Snapper utilise a diversity of different benthic habitats throughout its life history, ranging from soft sediments that are favoured by recently settled juveniles to high relief structures that act as aggregation sites for spawning adults. As a result of the significant interannual variation in recruitment observed for Snapper in SA and the subsequent development of a pre-recruit index, there is particular interest in the spatial distribution and relative abundance of benthic habitats that act as nursery areas for age 0+ juvenile Snapper. In order for the pre-recruit index to provide reliable estimates of annual recruitment, it is essential that the key areas which support 0+ Snapper are sampled consistently each year.
In the recent project to develop a pre-recruit index (i.e., FRDC 2019-046), sampling for 0+ juvenile Snapper was targeted at the hypothesised nursery areas for each stock, i.e., northern Spencer Gulf (NSG) for the SG/WCS and northern Gulf St Vincent (NGSV) for the GSVS (Fowler et al. 2017). For NSG, the sampling design was informed by the results of annual surveys in the region from 2000 to 2010, which identified a strong relationship between the spatial distribution and abundance of 0+ Snapper and localised areas of soft, silty benthic substrate (Fowler and Jennings 2003, Fowler et al. 2010). There were no previous surveys for 0+ Snapper in NGSV, and therefore sampling locations were determined by the presence of suitable benthic substrate from existing habitat studies (Shepherd and Sprigg 1976, Tanner 2002). However, from 2021 to 2023, the catches of age 0+ Snapper in NGSV were very low in each annual survey and it cannot be determined if this reflected poor juvenile recruitment in these years, or if key nursery areas were not adequately sampled.
The aim of this study is to quantify the spatial distribution and relative abundance of benthic habitats in GSV, with particular emphasis on localised areas of soft substrate that may support age 0+ juvenile Snapper. The study will use towed underwater video and particle size analysis of sediment samples to quantify habitat types at ~150 sites throughout GSV following the methods recently applied in Spencer Gulf (FRDC 2020-002; Grammer et al. in prep.). The spatial distribution and relative abundance of benthic habitat types identified in this study will be compared to previous surveys in 1964-69 (Shepherd and Sprigg 1976) and 2000-01 (FRDC Project No. 1998-208; Tanner 2002) to assess changes in benthic habitats in GSV over the past 50 years, and how such changes may relate to trends in recruitment and stock abundance for Snapper over this time.
Objectives: 1. Quantify the abundance of age 0+ Snapper in northern Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent to provide relative estimates of recruitment for 2024, 2025, and 2026. Examine the otoliths of these fish to improve the understanding of early life history processes. 2. Evaluate the relationships between environmental parameters and recruitment variability for Snapper in South Australia and evaluate the potential effects of environmental change on spawning and recruitment. 3. Determine the contemporary demographic processes that maintain Snapper populations on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula, i.e., local recruitment vs. emigration from adjacent regional populations, and to use this information to assess stock structure. 4. Assess possible changes in key biological parameters of Snapper for each stock in South Australia in response to temporal changes in environmental conditions and stock abundance. 5. Quantify the spatial distribution and relative abundance of benthic habitats utilised by juvenile Snapper in Gulf St Vincent and assess potential changes over the past 50 years. Read moreRead less
Addressing Uncertainties In The Assessment And Management Of Queensland East Coast Spanish Mackerel
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$1,026,558.00
Summary
As one of the most prominent species sold in northern Queensland fish shops, Spanish mackerel is iconic to seafood consumers as well as commercial, recreational, and charter fishers. However, a recent assessment of the Queensland East Coast stock raised significant concern about its sustainability, with a spawning biomass estimate below 20% of unfished levels (Tanimoto et al. 2021). Historical analyses indicate a substantial contraction of the spawning aggregations of Spanish mackerel in North Q ....As one of the most prominent species sold in northern Queensland fish shops, Spanish mackerel is iconic to seafood consumers as well as commercial, recreational, and charter fishers. However, a recent assessment of the Queensland East Coast stock raised significant concern about its sustainability, with a spawning biomass estimate below 20% of unfished levels (Tanimoto et al. 2021). Historical analyses indicate a substantial contraction of the spawning aggregations of Spanish mackerel in North Queensland, with those off Cairns being extirpated in the 1990s (Buckley et al. 2017). Previous stock assessments have also shown a trend of declining abundance over the last 20+ years (Welch et al. 2002, Campbell et al. 2012, O'Neill et al. 2018). This historical sustained decline, combined with the recent low biomass estimates, raise substantial uncertainty over the continued viability of the fishery.
This stock assessment result indicates the need to rebuild the stock in line with State and National policy objectives to reduce the number of overfished stocks. The high social and economic importance of Spanish mackerel in Queensland has led to significant public debate around uncertainty in the stock assessment, and the issue being debated in Queensland State Parliament.
As a result, key research gaps need to be addressed to increase the precision of future assessments and reaffirm stakeholder confidence in the stock assessment process. This project aims to address the following research gaps highlighted by the stock assessment: (1) determine the feasibility of using a CKMR method for estimating abundance of Spanish mackerel, (2) quantify cryptic mortality from shark depredation and post release survival, (3) improve catch and effort standardisation by better adjusting for potential hyperstability occurring at spawning aggregations and make the catch rate robust against potential management change, (4) assess the influence of key environmental variables on abundance and recruitment variability. This project will inform more accurate Spanish mackerel stock assessment, thereby increasing stakeholder confidence in line with Outcomes 4 and 5 of the FRDC R&D Plan (‘optimising benefits for the Australian community through fair resource sharing based on evidence-based management’ and ‘transparent decision-making tools that demonstrate best practice in fisheries management’). The project will also directly address the high priority research needs identified by the Queensland Spanish Mackerel Fishery Working Group. Objectives: 1. Determine the feasibility of a fisheries-independent CKMR-based approach to estimate absolute abundance of the Queensland East Coast Spanish mackerel stock 2. Quantify shark depredation rates (percentage of catch lost) across the fishery and provide an estimate of post-release survival 3. Improve the fisheries-dependent index of abundance through the application of Effort Signature techniques and increase its robustness to future management changes 4. Identify and quantify the effect of key environmental conditions on recruitment rates, year class strength, and abundance of Spanish mackerel in Queensland East Coast waters Read moreRead less
Status Of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) Reports 2020, And Further Development Of The SAFS Production And Dissemination System
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$1,383,901.12
Summary
The current application is to produce the SAFS reports in 2020 and address strategic issues outlined above. In order to ensure the continuation of SAFS beyond 2020, it is essential for jurisdictions to develop ownership of the reports and to embed SAFS processes in core business, and for efficiencies in production and report management to continue to progress. A parallel project to develop jurisdictional reporting services is also underway to assist jurisdiction develop their jurisdictional chap ....The current application is to produce the SAFS reports in 2020 and address strategic issues outlined above. In order to ensure the continuation of SAFS beyond 2020, it is essential for jurisdictions to develop ownership of the reports and to embed SAFS processes in core business, and for efficiencies in production and report management to continue to progress. A parallel project to develop jurisdictional reporting services is also underway to assist jurisdiction develop their jurisdictional chapters. As documented in the independent audit of SAFS 2016 (FRDC project 2016-143), the process of compiling SAFS on a co-operative basis between FRDC, Australian government agencies and all fisheries jurisdictions has led to greater joint collaboration, as well as transfers of methodologies and processes, to deliver higher quality and more credible stock status reporting which can be accessed nationally and internationally, as well as assisting in policy decisions regarding changes to particular fisheries management arrangements and in research priorities. Primary drivers for National reporting of the SAFS include: (i) the State of the Environment Report 2011, i.e., ‘lack of a nationally integrated approach inhibits effective marine management’; (ii) a recommendation of the House of Representatives Inquiry into the Role of Science for Fisheries and Aquaculture (Netting the Benefits Report 2012), i.e., ‘producing national status report regularly’; (iii) the Australian Fisheries Management Forum national statement of intent, i.e. a key outcome of ‘Goal 1’ is the National Status of Australian Fish Stocks Report; (iv) the National Fishing and Aquaculture Strategy 2015–20, i.e., ‘Goal 1’ of this strategy will be partially measured by an increased number of fisheries assessed as environmentally sustainable in the Status of Australian Fish Stocks Reports (this includes reducing the number of stocks assessed as uncertain); (v) the FRDC RD&E Plan 2015–20, i.e., key targets for deliverables against National Priority One include (i) “Increase the number of species to 200 in the national Status of Australian Fish Stocks Reports” and (ii) “Reduce the number of species classified as ‘undefined’ from the current figure of approximately Objectives: 1. Continue to develop a set of robust and consistent national stock status reports and a strong sense of report ownership by jurisdictions 2. To produce a fifth edition of the SAFS reports in 2020 3. Increase the number of species in SAFS to provide a comprehensive coverage of species of interest to stakeholder groups that will refer to the reports for information on sustainability and management success. 4. Reduction in the number (percentage) of species classified as 'undefined' where possible using data-poor assessment methodology Read moreRead less
Developing A Cost-efficient Stock Assessment Program For Southern Calamari Fisheries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$496,827.00
Summary
Southern Calamari are important to multiple commercial and community fishery sectors in SA. Southern Calamari are now managed using a TACC for the commercial MSF and have specified resource allocations for recreational, Aboriginal/Traditional, Charter Boat, GSV prawn and SG prawn fisheries. However, the current assessment program does not capture the importance of this species and cannot support the level of management required. The primary outcome of this project will be to develop an assessmen ....Southern Calamari are important to multiple commercial and community fishery sectors in SA. Southern Calamari are now managed using a TACC for the commercial MSF and have specified resource allocations for recreational, Aboriginal/Traditional, Charter Boat, GSV prawn and SG prawn fisheries. However, the current assessment program does not capture the importance of this species and cannot support the level of management required. The primary outcome of this project will be to develop an assessment program for Southern Calamari in SA that can be used to assign stock status and provide TACC setting advice to fisheries management.
Like many cephalopod assessments, the current SA Southern Calamari assessment is basic as scientific advances have not occurred at the same rate as advances for finfish or crustacean assessment methods. Therefore, the successful development of an assessment program for Southern Calamari in SA would provide a valuable scientific contribution to several other Australian squid fisheries as they often encounter similar assessment difficulties
Overcoming key knowledge gaps and incorporating information on environmental drivers will be a key focus of this project, in order to develop an assessment that accounts for the full complexity of cephalopod population dynamics. However, there are limited resources to undertake an assessment in SA as the commercial MSF has a low gross value product (GVP) but has high assessment needs across several species. Therefore, a cost-effective assessment program must be developed to allow for its regular application, which is necessary for short lived species such as Southern Calamari.
The proposed project will address two FRDC strategic plan outcomes (Growth for enduring prosperity, and best practices and production systems) by developing a best practice assessment program that can be applied for Southern Calamari in SA and be extended for use in other fishery jurisdictions. An assessment program that provides confident management advice, such as TACC setting, will maximise resource use across all sectors by establishing a robust stock assessment that increases certainty in stock abundance and allows sustainable fishing strategies to be developed.
Objectives: 1. Review global cephalopod assessments to identify potential assessment methods for Southern Calamari and how environmental variables could be incorporated. 2. Evaluate the suitability of available fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data from the SG and GSV prawn fisheries to develop recruitment indices. 3. Develop Southern Calamari growth models for SG and GSV and evaluate the influence of environment on seasonal growth rates. 4. Outline the most suitable and cost-effective assessment program option for Southern Calamari in SG and GSV Read moreRead less
Towards Healthy And Sustainable Freshwater Fish Populations – Assessing Genetic Health Of Priority Fish Species To Inform Management
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$793,355.00
Summary
There are at least four clear needs supporting the proposal, and these are separated below.
1) Genetic health is important for healthy fisheries. A genetically healthy population has good natural recruitment, connectivity to adjacent populations to promote gene flow, sufficient genetic diversity (this relates directly to adaptive potential) and low inbreeding. If genetic health is eroded, populations are less resilient to anthropogenic and natural impacts, affecting their persistence o ....There are at least four clear needs supporting the proposal, and these are separated below.
1) Genetic health is important for healthy fisheries. A genetically healthy population has good natural recruitment, connectivity to adjacent populations to promote gene flow, sufficient genetic diversity (this relates directly to adaptive potential) and low inbreeding. If genetic health is eroded, populations are less resilient to anthropogenic and natural impacts, affecting their persistence over the long term.
2) Public investment to support healthy fisheries is significant. There is continuing extensive investment in native fish protection and enhancement, including more than $13B to the MDB under the Basin Plan to restore populations and recover ecosystem function. The relative outcomes of these efforts need to be evaluated to ensure the greatest benefits from public investment.
3) Fish stocking is a key component of recovery efforts. Millions of hatchery fish have been stocked throughout Australian waterways in the last two decades. There are limited data on the impacts of stocked fish on the genetic health of wild populations, but our recent FishGen research indicates issues with using closely related and inbred broodfish within hatcheries.
4) The project will help maintain and improve the genetic health of Australia’s fisheries assets. By providing hatcheries with information to maximise the genetic health of stocked fish, the work will minimise negative impacts on wild populations. This includes (i) informing on minimum population size and geographic location for broodfish sampling to capture appropriate wild genetic diversity, and (ii) identifying the best broodfish combinations within and across hatcheries to avoid inbreeding and promote health of stocked fish. This will help to build natural genetic resilience so that populations can adapt to rapidly changing environments under climate change.
The work will promote the long-term sustainability of wild fish populations in freshwater ecosystems by protecting the genetic integrity of wild populations. This will contribute to realised economic benefits for recreational and commercial fishing, tourism, cultural and mental-health in communities in regional Australia.
Objectives: 1. Advance and improve hatchery practices to ensure high quality broodfish are stocked to maintain the genetic health and persistence of wild fish populations. 2. Use genomic and other existing complimentary datasets (stocking records, otolith microchemistry, telemetry) and advanced analytical approaches to track the movements of stocked golden perch, Murray cod and silver perch from their released locations and to inform the Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS). Read moreRead less
Status Of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) Sixth Edition
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$1,236,740.00
Summary
The proposal is for the production of the sixth edition of the SAFS reports. SAFS is Australia's only coordinated, national-scale stock-status reporting framework, and as such is a critical driver of jurisdictional collaboration and strategic processes. The current application is to produce the SAFS reports in 2023 and address strategic issues outlined above. In order to ensure the continuation of SAFS beyond 2023, it is essential for jurisdictions to develop ownership of the reports and to embe ....The proposal is for the production of the sixth edition of the SAFS reports. SAFS is Australia's only coordinated, national-scale stock-status reporting framework, and as such is a critical driver of jurisdictional collaboration and strategic processes. The current application is to produce the SAFS reports in 2023 and address strategic issues outlined above. In order to ensure the continuation of SAFS beyond 2023, it is essential for jurisdictions to develop ownership of the reports and to embed SAFS processes in core business, and for efficiencies in production and report management to continue to progress. A parallel project to develop jurisdictional reporting services is also underway to assist jurisdictions develop their jurisdictional chapters. As documented in the independent audit of SAFS 2016 (FRDC project 2016-143), the process of compiling SAFS on a co-operative basis between FRDC, Australian government agencies and all fisheries jurisdictions has led to greater joint collaboration, as well as transfers of methodologies and processes, to deliver higher quality and more credible stock status reporting which can be accessed nationally and internationally, as well as assisting in policy decisions regarding changes to particular fisheries management arrangements and in research priorities. Primary drivers for National reporting of the SAFS include: (i) the State of the Environment Report 2011, i.e., ‘lack of a nationally integrated approach inhibits effective marine management’; (ii) a recommendation of the House of Representatives Inquiry into the Role of Science for Fisheries and Aquaculture (Netting the Benefits Report 2012), i.e., ‘producing national status report regularly’; (iii) the Australian Fisheries Management Forum national statement of intent, i.e. a key outcome of ‘Goal 1’ is the National Status of Australian Fish Stocks Report; (iv) the National Fishing and Aquaculture Strategy 2015–20, i.e., ‘Goal 1’ of this strategy will be partially measured by an increased number of fisheries assessed as environmentally sustainable in the Status of Australian Fish Stocks Reports (this includes reducing the number of stocks assessed as uncertain); (v) the FRDC RD&E Plan 2020–25, enabling strategy V (tracking and reporting on sustainability of fish stocks and performance of fisheries). Objectives: 1. To produce a sixth edition of the SAFS reports in 2023. 2. Reduce the number (percentage) of stocks classified as "Undefined" where possible, using data-poor or other acceptable methods. 3. To increase the capacity of FRDC and all participating jurisdictions to recognise equivalence between SAFS and other jurisdictional stock-status reporting schemes and streamline reporting accordingly. 4. To expand the SAFS stock-classification framework to include enhanced stocks. 5. Review methods and processes to move the criteria for sustainable from the limit reference point to the target reference point Read moreRead less