Research for near shore species
Submitted by Colin Hay on Thu, 2011-10-20 08:50
Fisheries Minister Norman Moore said the new grant follows nearly two years of research into herring and tailor stocks in the West Coast Bioregion by the Department of Fisheries.
“These two species are critical to recreational anglers, especially in the metropolitan area,” Mr Moore said.
“The additional funding will allow similar information for whiting on the West Coast, as well as extending work to the South Coast to provide a complete picture of the status and connectivity of the near shore stocks in Western Australia’s temperate waters.”
Research so far has involved researchers from the Department of Fisheries working with key stakeholders, including Recfishwest and the WA Fishing Industry Council, to collect data and set up sampling programs for these species.
The work will include modern micro-chemical and genetic techniques being applied to determine the connectivity of West Coast and South Coast stocks of these popular species and the link between adults and juvenile fish to explore whether predictive forecasting of relative abundance is possible.
The Minister said similar partnerships with non-departmental groups and key stakeholders would also be a feature of the extension of this project to complete the assessment of whiting stocks.
“There are significant social, economic and ecosystem benefits from the State’s near shore fishery stocks and assets, so to ensure these benefits are maintained for future generations we need to know more about these species, which are regarded as the life blood of recreational fishing,” the Minister said.
Research for near shore species
Portfolio: Fisheries
- Research to examine status of critical recreational fishing stocks
- Funding injection boosts extension of first stock assessment of critical species
- Science to lead continued sustainable management for future
A project examining the stock status of species vital to recreational fishing has received $250,000 funding from the State Government’s Natural Resource Management (NRM) strategy.
Fisheries Minister Norman Moore said the new grant follows nearly two years of research into herring and tailor stocks in the West Coast Bioregion by the Department of Fisheries.
“These two species are critical to recreational anglers, especially in the metropolitan area,” Mr Moore said.
“The additional funding will allow similar information for whiting on the West Coast, as well as extending work to the South Coast to provide a complete picture of the status and connectivity of the near shore stocks in Western Australia’s temperate waters.”
Research so far has involved researchers from the Department of Fisheries working with key stakeholders, including Recfishwest and the WA Fishing Industry Council, to collect data and set up sampling programs for these species.
The work will include modern micro-chemical and genetic techniques being applied to determine the connectivity of West Coast and South Coast stocks of these popular species and the link between adults and juvenile fish to explore whether predictive forecasting of relative abundance is possible.
The Minister said similar partnerships with non-departmental groups and key stakeholders would also be a feature of the extension of this project to complete the assessment of whiting stocks.
“There are significant social, economic and ecosystem benefits from the State’s near shore fishery stocks and assets, so to ensure these benefits are maintained for future generations we need to know more about these species, which are regarded as the life blood of recreational fishing,” the Minister said.
Fact File
- $660,000 in NRM funding in July 2009 for research of near shore species stocks
- A report on stage 1 of the project is being independently peer-reviewed before release
Minister's office - 9422 3000
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snappermiles
Posts: 2100
Date Joined: 05/11/10
well personally i think they could spend the money more wisely
like on the start up of a duhfish breeding program! why would you waste so much money on fish that are plentiful?? just my opinion!
ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS EXCEPT YOU AND ME! AND IM NOT SO SURE ABOUT YOU!
quindieselbrad
Posts: 329
Date Joined: 01/09/10
agreed snappermiles. wot a
agreed snappermiles. wot a waste.....
Catchn dhuies off the smell of an oily rag :)
championruby
Posts: 459
Date Joined: 20/01/11
As a LB fisher I have to
As a LB fisher I have to disagree. More people are able to target these species, so why shouldnt we get a clearer picture of their vulnerability to overfishing. As the old grant was 660000 this 250000 actually looks like a reduction in spending. A program to breed slow growing demersal fish seems like more of a waste to me, and would cost a shitload more then a quarter of a mill. Probably cost that much just to research it's viability, let alone start a program up.
quindieselbrad
Posts: 329
Date Joined: 01/09/10
research proved the snapper
research proved the snapper need protecting and so do demersal bottom fish, i would be very surprised if they ever put a ban on herring and whiting lol considering their abundance compared......i spose without reseach we wouldnt know if whiting or dhuie needed protecting so i take back wot i said about it being a waste.
Catchn dhuies off the smell of an oily rag :)
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Release programs are
Release programs are expensive, much better off managing natural recruitment for demersals.
Herring recruitement is actually really patchy, historically catches have varied a lot, can't see how knowing more would be bad, and they know even less about tailor than herring.
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
agree till
obviously with the herring being a food source for alot of larger migratory species ie salmon and a food source for a wide range of other species its going to have an effect on the whole food chain.
Those mackies we had this year metro were definately smashing the chopper tailor around the place. If there is nothing to eat you wont find them
roberta
Posts: 2773
Date Joined: 08/07/08
Think Fisheries could
spend the money better by researching, documenting,, being on board, how many fish that are in the two month ban the professionals take. Heard the pro in Leeman caught 60 dhuie's in a 48hr fish, yes he has a limit of tonnage but how many were full of eggs etc. Find it disgusting that the pros can go catch what they like in the amatuer's ban and then the government has the cheek to ban us saying we are the ones raping the ocean???????
Ginger Tablets Rock
joe amato
Posts: 731
Date Joined: 21/12/08
all these comments good
all these comments good,but roberta is spot on about what the proffessionals are doing to the dhuies at this time of year during the demersal ban, reseach money should be also spent on farming and releasing dhuies into the wild,not feeding them
pellets but natural foods,so they know how to hunt etc,jmo