Sean Sloan, PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy Director, said the event, funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, will benchmark Australia’s fisheries science for small pelagic species against the world’s best.
“In South Australia, SARDI, a division of PIRSA, conducts research on the population dynamics and ecology of Australia’s small pelagic fishes – those living in open oceans rather than inland waters – including sardine, blue mackerel and Jack Mackerel for both Commonwealth and State fisheries,” he said.
“The South Australian sardine fishery is recognised internationally in terms of how it is managed and assessed, but it is always worth looking for ways to do things better.
“The technical workshop is an opportunity to look at the research and management methods of other fisheries of similar types from around the world and compare how Australia’s small pelagic fisheries stack up against world’s best practice and identify any opportunities for improvement.”
World experts from the US, Spain, Chile, Portugal, Netherlands, Greece and Australia will share their knowledge of modern technologies and methods used for stock assessment, to protect marine species and ecosystems and set sustainable harvest limits for small pelagic species from around the world.
Conservationists and recreational fishers have been invited to join these top world scientists, industry representatives and fisheries managers in collaborative discussions in a forum later this week.
Forum convener, SARDI finfish principal scientist Associate Professor Tim Ward, said the combined workshop and forum would provide an opportunity for Australian scientists, managers and stakeholders to talk with world-renowned experts about how small pelagic fishes can be harvested in ecologically and socially responsible ways.
