People development program: 2014 FRDC International Travel Award - Sean R. Sloan
The need relates to extension of the national harvest strategy guidelines to international fisheries management and science agencies and the exchange of information and knowledge in relation to the work being undertaken in other parts of the world on fishy harvest strategies.
People development program: 2014 FRDC International travel award - Ruth Eriksen
Harmful algae pose a serious threat to human health, with significant economic implications for aquaculture and wild-harvest sectors. The IOC Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms (2013) identified “likely intensification of problems associated with eutrophication and stress on coastal marine ecosystems”. Priorities identified included “developing and enhancing expertise for monitoring purposes”, and ”the pivotal role of taxonomy in scientific research, monitoring and management activities” related to HAB events.
Recent Paralytic Shellfish Toxins (PST) events in Tasmania affected many seafood sectors (wild harvest and aquaculture), resulting in an estimated wider economic loss of $25 million, and on-going risks to trade. Industry and regulators highlighted the need for timely and accurate identification of potentially harmful species, and the value of phytoplankton testing as a cost-effective predictive early-warning tool. Identifying the presence of HAB species typically triggers further levels of testing, and/or active management strategies to reduce risk. The PST Review (FRDC 2012/060) defined international best practice, including access to “technically competent laboratories, and laboratory scientists and taxonomists.” The review specifically identified the IOC training course, and the importance of proficiency testing programs for analysts and laboratories involved in phytoplankton identification and research. Taxonomists need to be familiar with all potentially toxic species, especially in light of changing environmental conditions, and range expansions of marine species.
SafeFish have indicated that contemporary information on IOC standards and protocols are urgently needed to develop standardised methods for counting and identification, and ASQAAC ranked this as the highest priority at its recent meeting (April 2014).
People Development Program: 2014 International Travel Award - Kate Brooks
The practical integration of social and economic elements in assessments is important in Australia, and is also an international challenge. Recent research in Australia (2010/040 and the Integrated EBFM workshop held in March 2014) which contributes to developing this field should be shared internationally and used to leverage further knowledge. To this end, the applicant is recognised as one of the leads in this field in Australia and accordingly can bring benefit from developing further aligned international connections. There are events occurring in September and October 2014, being two sessions at the ICES conference and a workshop in Canada with the CFRN that provide unique opportunities to progress the development of integrated EBFM methodologies.
To maximise progress in this domain, it is necessary to draw together as many sources of knowledge and experience as possible. Consequently, participation in the activities proposed here and through the development of the Community Of Practice by the CFRN, FRDC and Australia's exposure will be increased to new and emerging approaches that can address the current integration challenge, while also profiling the already significant progress we have made in Australia.