Potential transition of shark gillnet boats to longline fishing in Bass Strait - ecological, cross-sectoral, and economic implications
Developing a positive cultural attitude towards the capture and release of sharks and rays
Recently, PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture (PIRSA F and A) identified the need to develop a recreational fishery- and research-supported program that combines new communication strategies and evidence-based CoP development to disseminate information relevant to supporting the management of recreational fisheries for sharks and rays. The priority identified was to improve education and awareness among the recreational fishers in relation to ethical capture, handling and release practices for sharks and rays. Examples of this approach were undertaken in the United States (NOAA), Australia (TAFI and SARDI) and Hawaii (NOAA), where recreational groups have contributed to research activities to assess PRS and use the information to educate other fishers about specific issues related to fisheries for shark species. This proactive approach could be applied to shark and ray species that are priorities for management and taken as bycatch, or targeted by recreational and gamefishing anglers across southern Australia. Correspondence with research colleagues in Victoria and NSW, and fishery stakeholders, identified a need to review, improve and rationalise guidelines for capture, handling and release of sharks and rays, and highlighted data gaps for key species. A field-based quantitative study of the PRS of selected target priority species will be designed during a workshop in 2019, led by SARDI and CSIRO, with support of a linked FRDC-funded project (2018-042) in Victoria (Monash University). The overarching aim is to inform the development of capture, handling and release guidelines and CoPs for sharks and rays that apply to the range of fishing situations across southern Australia. The SARDI and Monash-based projects address region-specific needs and will co-manage the workshop (See suppl. letter). This will include engagement between government agencies, NGOs, and fishers to understand the relative susceptibilities of target species to handling, and expected impacts of gear configuration on PRS.
Research outcomes of the broader project will be coupled with public and fishery feed-back strategies (e.g. expansion of a tagging program) to address the management and perception issues.
Report
Improving Outcomes of Fisher Interactions with Sharks, Rays, and Chimaeras
We address an FRDC priority to address fisher behaviour to improve the outcome following capture of sharks and rays in Victoria, foster greater environmental stewardship in Victorian fishers.
In Victoria, rapidly rising numbers of recreational fishers in faster boats equipped with accurate navigational aids, is creating new pressures on some chondrichthyan species. Our partner VRFish has survey data showing that a large proportion of Victorian recreational fishers lack knowledge on how to handle and release rays and the requirements to release them unharmed, demonstrating a clear need to provide suitable education. There is need to develop best-practice protocols that ensure the high survival of released animals and the safety of the fishers handling them, that also meet community expectations on the humane treatment of these animals, especially in light of recent media and public concern. Recreational fishers are very supportive of education and awareness strategies (VRFish survey data), so we will address the need to provide them.
To achieve better outcomes for captured chondrichthyans, there is a need to improve fisher behaviour and practices by acquiring information on current practices and to use our expert knowledge of the range of responses to capture and handling by these species. This will provide the basis for developing the best capture and handling protocols to be adopted by fishers. To promote community uptake of improved handling practices and increased survival on release there is a need to produce, provide and distribute these protocols to recreational and professional fishers in Victoria, to assist them in adopting best-practice through behavioural change and to encourage greater environmental awareness and stewardship. Extension programs are needed to engage the wider community and support educational programs about recreational fishing.