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.

Following several discussions with Ms Gallichan, we now have a very good understanding of the research outcomes TARFish is seeking to achieve. These are:

• A rich understanding, from a marketing perspective of the segments that make up the recreational fishing market in Tasmania.
• The attitudes and behaviours (particularly recreational fishing behaviours) of these segments and the associated demographics and geographics that will enable TARFish to target those segments that have the propensity to become TARFish members together with the associated services that would appeal to prospective members.
• The extent and nature of segment usage of ‘competitors’. In this sense competitors are considered to be other recreational activities that existing and prospective TARFish members undertake such as golf, archery, etc.
• The brand preferences of existing and prospective TARFish members for a selected range of products and services that will enable TARFish to build a convincing business case to attract sponsorships.

As part of our background investigations, we have reviewed a number of relevant studies with perhaps the most relevant being the ‘2017-18 Survey of Recreational Fishing in Tasmania, J.M. Lyle, K.E. Stark, G.P. Ewing & S.R. Tracey, November 2019’. We understand an update to this study is expected to commence in October 2022. There are also several similar studies that have sought to segment recreational fishing that have been done in other locations, including a market segmentation of Virginia Resident Freshwater Anglers in the US (McMullin et al. 2001), segmenting anglers by lifestyles, lake types and management preferences in Michigan (Christopher Simoes 2014), and, more locally, anglers in The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Kyle and Sutton 2010). Older studies such as Potts’ (1992) study on recreational boaters and Adams’ (1992) segmentation of a recreational fishing market demonstrate the usefulness of understanding recreational fishing activity via correlation analysis to more effectively enhance and manage the sector. Of particular use and relevance is the ‘Take Me Fishing’ Segmentation undertaken in 2019 that developed recreational fishing and boating profiles such as ‘Family-Focused Relaxers’, ‘Active Social Families’, ‘Uncommitted’, ‘Avid Adventurists’, ‘Lukewarm Occasionalists’ and ‘Leisure time enjoyers’ in a study that was funded by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) in the United States. This segmentation helped to not only define key profiles but was also able to estimate growth potentials of both the fishing and boating sectors; understand substitution activities (what they were doing instead of fishing and boating, which included camping, visiting parks, picnicking or hiking), key communication preferences as well as barriers for growth, e.g., not having enough time, preferring other activities, or not having the relevant skills or expertise and feeling clueless about how to get started. This project will draw on this approach, as well as our combined years of experience in undertaking segmentation studies in other market sectors, to address FRDC’s objective to design effective social and marketing approaches and communication strategies to support sustainable fisheries management.

It is clear to us that TARFish is seeking a ‘marketing’ outcome as opposed to an academic treatment to meet the business objectives of TARFish. Our considered opinion based on years of experience in undertaking similar studies, is that our proposed market segmentation, using the methodology, described below will deliver on the outcomes TARFish is seeking. It is cost effective and provides a robust evidence-base for decision making.

The first step for the project will be to host an inception meeting with the consulting team and any other key stakeholders (e.g. members of TARFish board) to establish and agree on the project scope and goals, including refining and defining the intended outcomes as listed outcomes.

The remainder of the method is broken down into the following steps/activities, which is inclusive of several mid-project workshops to meet with and debrief with key members of the team and ensure the project is on track to meet the required objectives (and/or to problem solve any issues, including identifying new opportunities, that arise during the course of the study):

Stage 1. Inception meeting with project investigators and any other identified key stakeholders [All team – including consulting and client groups]. This first meeting is important to crystallise the research objectives and ensure the project is aligned with TARFish business priorities and strategies.

Stage 2. Literature Review [Jane Gallichan, Hudson Howells, Action Market Research,]. The scope of any additional desktop research will be discussed and agreed at the inception meeting. A review of the IMAS reports and any other background information will be conducted, including identifying access to additional databases (e.g. recreational fishing licence holders) and/or fishing/tourism association, clubs and societies.

Stage 3. Workshop 1 and Primary Research Phase 1 – Survey of TARFish members and initial backbone segmentation [Jane Gallichan, Hudson Howells & Action Market Research with input from Power Stats]. Finalise quantitative questionnaire and gain access to sample of licence holders subsequent to feedback from project steering committee, including a workshop to review and discuss the attitudinal statements that will inform the backbone segmentation

Stage 4. Workshop 2 and Primary Research Phase 2 – Survey of Recreational Fishers in Tasmania and expanded segmentation. [Jane Gallichan, Hudson Howells & Action Market Research, Power Stats]. Present results of initial backbone segmentation and gain input and review on these before getting underway with wider recreational fishers’ survey.

Stage 5. Undertake segmentation analysis, develop recreational fishing profiles. [Hudson Howells, Power Stats].

Stage 6. Draft report on results of client surveys [Hudson Howells, Action Market Research, with input from Jane Gallichan].

Stage 7. Finalise report after feedback from wider client team [Hudson Howells, Action Market Research, with input from Jane Gallichan].

The tropical waters of northern Australia contain unique and diverse aquatic species that are adapted to the seasonally variable climate. Many species rely on seasonal river flows to move, forage, reproduce and fulfil critical life history stages, particularly in ephemeral rivers which become disconnected in the dry season. River flows and harvest are known to influence both freshwater and marine fish and fisheries. However, river flows have been modified in several tropical catchments by water abstraction and development of water storage infrastructure for agriculture and drinking water. Additionally, there is increasing pressure to develop new water resource infrastructure in northern Australia. A large and disparate body of literature exists that has documented the relationships between tropical fish species and the seasonal variations in river flow. Production of several commercially, recreationally, and traditionally important tropical aquatic species is linked to flow, suggesting that these may be at risk from the multiple pressures of water abstraction and harvesting, warranting the need for a synthesis of current knowledge on water abstraction impacts and identification of knowledge gaps for targeted future research.

We will address this priority task through the delivery of a stakeholder targeted synthesis of current knowledge on the impacts of water abstraction on tropical aquatic species by a team of recognised experts who have worked extensively on the flow dependence of tropical aquatic species in northern Australia. Through this synthesis, we aim to increase stakeholder understanding of water abstraction impacts on aquatic species.

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.

Fish are totemic and a primary food source; and so are part of the deep cultural, spiritual and economic connections Aboriginal communities have to their waterways that are part of ‘Country’. Cultural knowledge tells us that when there’s more water availability cultural fishers experience increased total catches and greater diversity of target species, and they fish more (e.g. increase in recreational and subsistence fishing). These narratives also suggest that as a result of these improved cultural fishing opportunities, there are flow on socio-economic benefits to household budgets, diets of communities, social behaviours and mental health and well-being.

Water is sacred and living; and central to the cultural, social and spiritual identity of Aboriginal people, as well as to their livelihoods. Conceptual models underpinning western water management frameworks and decision making do not incorporate Aboriginal/First Nations socio-cultural complexity, local knowledge and governance arrangements. These are critical – Aboriginal/First Nations people have strong connections with fish, water, rivers and knowledge to contribute to planning, as well as a fundamental right to participate. Water and fish are central to the way of life, two-way knowledge and planning frameworks will support reciprocity in engagement and participation.

Two-Eyed Seeing Frameworks (Ganma, Yolgnu for two-ways) provide a way forward for cultural fishery assessments supporting equitable and sustainable access to shared resources. In this framework, knowledge systems (western and cultural) contribute in parallel, on an equal footing, and both serve as evidence bases to produce an enriched picture of mutual understanding. Application of this framework can empower Aboriginal communities to participate more equitably and negotiate by using their science and values and providing a method for inclusion.

The overall objective of this proposed project is to empower Aboriginal communities through application of a “Two-Eyed seeing framework” (Reid et al. 2020) to participate more equitably and negotiate for cultural fishing practices and water allocation and management. This project will define the cultural fishery and quantify the socio-economic value of cultural fishing in two NSW river regions, and assist communities to identify water management needs for key cultural fish species to support ongoing planning and negotiations. It will improve our current fishery and water management by providing a pathway for cultural fisheries and cultural science to be included. Overall, it will increase our current knowledge of fish and fisheries, by bridging the gap between cultural science and western science practitioners and knowledge holders to share understandings, insights and skills. The application and extension of this framework to a national project will be considered for future use in addressing cultural fishery allocations and management.