FRDC Board visits Hunter region, Sydney
The FRDC Board recently travelled to Port Stephens in the New South Wales Hunter region for its April Board meeting and had field trips in the local area and in Sydney. This was the Board’s first regional trip since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
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In Port Stephens, presentations were made to the Board by local representatives of the Indigenous, wildcatch and recreational fishing and aquaculture sectors.
NSW Professional Fishers Association Chief Executive Officer Tricia Beatty presented on strategic priorities for local wildcatch fishing, and Phil Duncan of Alluvium Consulting gave a presentation on the importance of the involvement of Indigenous people in leadership and decisions about the environment because of their intrinsic knowledge of the landscape and water.
Insights and research suggestions were presented by local recreational fishing representatives Bob Baldwin of the Australian Fishing Trade Association, local recreational charter fishing operator Paul Lennon, and fishing commentator John Clarke.
Field visits included the Commercial Fishermen’s Co-Operative at the Nelson Bay Marina, the Nelson Bay Fish Market and the Port Stephens Fisheries Institute. The tour of the institute was led by Senior Principal Research Scientist Wayne O’Connor and included the new nutrition facility and research hatchery, and the refurbished oyster hatchery.
On the final day, the Board toured the Sydney Fish Market and spoke to Paul Bagnato, a Sydney-based commercial fisher. There were also presentations from Simon Rowe, Program Manager for Environment from OceanWatch; and John Susman, Director of Fishtales. These were followed by a visit to the seafood outlet in Harris Farm Markets at Drummoyne, where Seafood Industry Australia Chief Executive Officer Veronica Papacosta discussed retail trends, and a tour of the Shimano warehouse, hosted by Colin Tannahill, Managing Director of Shimano Fishing Australia.
The next regional FRDC Board meeting is planned for Darwin in June. f
Abalone stock assessment workshop
The Western Abalone Divers Association (WADA) and Victorian Fisheries Authority recently held the annual Western Zone Stock Assessment and Quota Setting Workshop in Port Fairy, Victoria. The fishery is the only one in Australia to run a stock assessment that is fully delegated to the sector, now in its fourth year.
WADA presented its assessment of abalone stocks in the Western Zone of Victoria, and recommendations were finalised for the total allowable commercial catch for Greenlip Abalone (Haliotis laevigata) and Blacklip Abalone (Haliotis rubra rubra).
WADA presented FRDC Managing Director Dr Patrick Hone with an award in recognition of FRDC’s support for the association, particularly in response to abalone viral ganglioneuritis, including projects to rebuild abalone populations, assist the fishery to recover and help re-establish quotas.
FRDC has also funded projects on the use of underwater remote-operated vehicles and a mobile phone app reporting tool to collect data. f
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Rob’s leadership journey
Rob Fish will join Cohort 29 of the Australian Rural Leadership Program when it begins later this year. FRDC will sponsor Rob’s participation in the ARLP. Rob is based in Ballina, New South Wales, and has been operating his own fisheries consultancy for the past 20 years. His current work is focused on fishers and government agencies to improve fisheries management.
Rob says the chance to join the ARLP feels “a little surreal” after the past two years. “But I am genuinely excited about the opportunity. The ARLP is Australia’s most in-depth experiential leadership development program and will give me an amazing opportunity to grow my leadership skills and be part of a network of rural leaders across regional and remote Australia.” f
