Project 4.8.4 - Evaluation of the impacts from industry and community uses on inshore biodiversity
Project Leader: Dr Andrew Tobin, James Cook
University
Project 4.8.4 will evaluate the impacts on
inshore biodiversity arising from industry and community
uses. Fishing is the primary extractive use of inshore marine
species by industry and the wider community, but currently the
ecological, social and economic sustainability of this use and
associated impacts on the inshore biodiversity is unknown.
This Project will directly address the key MTSRF goal of
sustainable use and management of natural resources by providing an
understanding of the current and potential industry and community
uses of inshore biodiversity and natural resources with respect to
ecological sustainability and provide information and options to
assist managers, industry and communities to optimise the use of
biodiversity resources and minimise adverse impacts where they
occur.
Specifically, this Project will provide a report on the
ecological effects of the GBR Zoning Plan on inshore biodiversity
resources and a report on strategies to better mitigate the
environmental impacts of the inshore finfish fishery, particularly
impacts on sharks and other vulnerable species. This Project
also directly supports the MTSRF Mission to facilitate
capacity-building for sustainable environmental management and
environmental management research by incorporating and fostering
postgraduate research within the Project.
Key objectives of this Project are to:
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Characterise the industry and community use of inshore
biodiversity;
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Evaluate the effects of current management arrangements, in
particular the GBR Zoning Plan, on industry and community use of
inshore biodiversity resources;
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Derive biological parameters, determine stock structure and
identify critical habitats for key inshore species, in particular
sharks, used by industry and the community;
-
Evaluate the impacts of industry and community use on key
inshore marine species, such as sharks, within the GBRWHA by
identifying vulnerable species or species groups and assessing
potential risks; and
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Assess potential strategies to mitigate the impacts of industry
and community use on inshore resources within the GBRWHA.
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Project 4.8.4 JCU Simpfendorfer, C. (2008) June Milestone Report This milestone report outlines the results of the first year of commercial fisheries observer surveys. In total 91 days of commercial inshore fishing was observed. The results indicate a wide range of shark and fish species are caught by commercial fishers. Key shark species include blacktip, spot-tail, scalloped hammerhead, milk and whitecheek sharks. All of these species are currently the focus of life history investigations by students as part of this project. Key fish species include grey mackerel, threadfins (blue and king), barramundi and many others. [pdf 270.4 kb]
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