Australia: fisheries related R&D projects around the country gets AUD $30 million – Fishupdate.com
Australia: fisheries related R&D projects around the country gets AUD $30 million Published: 24 April, 2006
THE Australian Government is to invest around $30 million into new fisheries related research and development projects around Australia, Australian Minister for Fisheries Senator Eric Abetz has announced. “These projects demonstrate the Australian Government’s commitment to maintaining Australia’s leading position as a seafood producer and consumer country where decisions are made using the best scientific data available,” the Minister said. “The seafood industry is Australia’s fourth most valuable food-based primary industry with a landed value of more than $2 billion a year. This investment will help secure its future. “The projects funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) cover the spectrum of Australian fisheries”.
Examples of projects funded include:
· almost $2 million to bolster southern rock lobster stocks in Tasmania through improving spatial management
· $230,000 on a project that will help the western rock lobster industry gather global lobster intelligence and become more competitive in the world market
· $1.1 million to help ensure the future of one of Australia’s most iconic species — the Murray cod — in the Murray Darling Basin
· $230,000 on a project that aims to develop a national environmental management and accreditation system for commercial recreational fishing competitions
· almost $1 million to help the Sydney rock oyster industry develop a Sydney rock oyster resistant to QX-disease.
· $1 million to examine aspects of year-round supplies of farmed Australian southern bluefin tuna
· $110,000 extension of the Northern Territory Extension of the Genetag project to conduct additional research and sampling of northern Spanish mackerel stocks.
“It is not only big-ticket projects that get funded,” said Senator Abetz. “The key to FRDC investment is research that aims to make a difference irrespective of the cost.
“It is particularly pleasing that a majority of the projects are partnerships between industry and researchers, with the Government, through the FRDC, helping deliver real results.”
The Minister said that the $30 million in fisheries research and development funding announced today provides for new projects to ensure fisheries are developed in an ecologically sustainable manner, and that the commercial sector of the fishing industry remains profitable and internationally competitive.
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