The lack of knowledge on fundamental fisheries biology, uncertainty in stock structure, population dynamics, and cross-sectoral harvest levels, means that current stock assessments are unequipped to reliably determine stock status or inform recommended biological catches (RBCs), and that management of the resource occurs within a high degree of uncertainty. These EXCEPTIONAL INCREASES IN HARVEST and UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING SUITABLE RBCs create an URGENT NEED TO DEAL WITH THE SUBSTANTIAL KNOWLEDGE VACUUM FOR THIS RESOURCE. Without this improved knowledge, the reasonable assessment of the status of the resource, estimation of appropriate harvest levels, harvest strategy development, implementation of appropriate management, and informed decision making on how best to utilise the resource, will continue not to be possible. Furthermore, environmental variability and species-habitat-fishery interactions are likely to impact stock dynamics and biomass, which in turn affects the magnitude, profitability, and social outcomes derived from the resource. Thus, efficient exploitation and effective management of the resource within a harvest strategy framework cannot occur without: 1) spatial definition of likely management units (stock structure); 2) estimates of stock biomass within those units; 3) estimates of basal population parameters and some appreciation of the influence of environmental stochasticity on resource productivity; and, 4) an appreciation of resource access across sectors. There is likely potential for further development in this fishery, to satisfy growing markets for the species both locally and abroad, but this will never be realised until these information needs are met.
Project number:
2021-003
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure:
$685,927.00
Principal Investigator:
Matt D. Taylor
Organisation:
NSW Department Of Primary Industries Port Stephens
Project start/end date:
2 Oct 2022
-
29 Mar 2026
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
SPECIES
1. Identify stock structure for Estuary Cockle across NSW
2. Design appropriate fishery-independent survey methodologies to support both priority research objectives, and ongoing monitoring of stock biomass
3. Characterise basal population parameters and spatial and temporal patterns in biomass and recruitment, within a broader context of environmental drivers and species-habitat interactions
4. Improve knowledge on recreational, aboriginal and IUU harvest of the resource
5. Integrate information on biology, ecology, harvest, stressors, impacts, and current/future management arrangements into an Ecological Risk Assessment framework, to define future management, compliance, and communication priorities
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2021-053
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT
Building capability in food safety in Australian shellfish
1. Understand the training needs to support the continued development of Australian shellfish industries covered by ASQAP
ORGANISATION:
University of Tasmania (UTAS)
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2010-304
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
Impact of management changes on the viability of Indigenous commercial fishers and the flow on effects to their communities: case study in NSW
1. Case study of indigenous commercial fisheries focussing initially on NSW as a basis for a national study
ORGANISATION:
Southern Cross University (SCU) Lismore Campus