Theme C: Governance and the socio-economics of releases
21. STOCK ENHANCEMENT AND RESTOCKING IN AUSTRALIA AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FINFISH, PARTICULARLY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Neil Loneragan1, Greg Jenkins2, Matthew Taylor3
1Centre for Fish, Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Murdoch University, South St, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150
2Challenger Institute, Western Australia
3University of New South Wales, Australia
n.loneragan@murdoch.edu.au
In this study, we synthesise information on marine and estuarine restocking/stock enhancement programs in Australia and evaluate potential opportunities for stock enhancement, particularly in Western Australia. In Australia, the scale of restocking and stock enhancement programs in marine environments has been low relative to those of other countries, particularly Japan, China and the United States. However, since the early 1990s, a number of government and industry organisations and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation of Australia, have made significant investments in research and development programs for the release of a variety of species. The scale of these research programs has varied from releases of tens of thousands of individuals (greenlip abalone Haliotis laevigata, barramundi Lates calcarifer and mulloway Argyrosomos japonicus), hundreds of thousands (tiger prawns Penaeus esculentus and black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri) to millions (eastern king prawns Penaeus plebejus). These research and development programs, although not yet evolving to major release programs, have resulted in increased knowledge of the population dynamics and ecology of released species and the development of bio-economic and energetic models to better plan and evaluate enhancement.
Currently, research and development activities are continuing in New South Wales (mulloway and eastern king prawns), Queensland (barramundi) and Western Australia (black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri and greenlip abalone Haliotis laevigata). Furthermore, Victoria is developing a plan for releasing juveniles in estuarine and marine environments and South Australia has developed a policy for marine and estuarine stock enhancement. Policies on stock enhancement are being considered for development in New South Wales and Western Australia.
The development of policies for stock enhancement in many of the Australian states has been a result of increasing coastal populations and fishing pressures in major urban centres. Interest in marine stock enhancement has increased in recent years, particularly from recreational fishers and the establishment of recreational fishing licenses in some states is providing a funding mechanism for enhancement programs. In Western Australia, major developments of energy resources are taking place in the sub-tropical and tropical marine environments, and this includes massive increases in infrastructure support e.g. ports and housing. Developers are required to purchase environmental offsets as part of the development process and funds from the offsets are being considered for the establishment of artificial reefs and stock enhancement programs. The Department of Fisheries WA lead a delegation to South Korea and China to explore the potential application of technology for artificial reefs and enhancement to be applied in Western Australia. Future opportunities and prospects for stock enhancement in Australia will be discussed.
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