Recommendations for Marine Park zoning released
Independent reports from the Expert Scientific Panel and Bioregional Advisory Panels for zoning within the Commonwealth marine protected area network have been released by the Minister for the Environment and Energy, the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP. According to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences the zoning as proclaimed in 2012 would have […]
Fin Fingers?
Contemporary understanding was that an ancient group of fishes called jawless fishes (which still exist today) evolved into five different groups of fishes these being; placoderms (now extinct), spiny sharks (also extinct), fin-ray fishes (modern fishes), cartilaginous fishes (sharks and rays) and lobe-fin fishes. One group, the lobe-ray fishes evolved into tetrapods that became the land animals like […]
Productivity Commission Release Draft Report
The Productivity Commission (PC) is the Australian Government’s review and advisory body on policy, regulation, social and environmental issues. Its role is to recommend policies in the long-term interest of the community. The PC has recently released its draft report on marine fisheries and aquaculture. Appointed by the Federal Treasurer, the enquiry aimed to find economic efficiencies, […]
Postie Bike Caught by Trawler
Jack Parkhill from the Miranda Bay couldn’t believe his eyes when they hauled their seine net and instead of flathead found a Postie Bike. The bike was caught in 100m of water 50 miles east of Lakes Entrance. We think the bike is a Honda CT90 Trail 90 which was manufactured between 1966 and 1979 […]
Eating fish . . .it’s not a guilty pleasure
Preliminary estimates in the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2016 report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) show that people are eating more than twice as much fish as they did in the 1960s. The average world per capita apparent fish consumption was 9.9 kg in the 1960s and preliminary estimates indicate it will […]
Fish of the day: The Moonfish
The Moonfish (Lampris guttatus) sometimes called an Opah, is a large discoid (disk like) and deeply keeled fish with an attractive form and a conspicuous coloration. They can reach a maximum length of 2 m and weight of 270 kg. The one pictured left was picked up this winter […]
Searching for school shark pups in South Australia
Matt McMillan is a PhD candidate working on school shark (Galeorhinus galeus) at the University of Adelaide. He needs your help to find school shark pupping grounds that may exist in South Australian waters. School shark numbers declined in the 1990s and conservative total allowable catches (TACs) have been set to help them recover. School […]
Fish of the Day: Cookie Cutter Shark
Today’s fish of the day is Isistius brasiliensis, the Cookie-cutter shark. Found throughout the world’s deep oceans and growing to only 50 cm long, this tiny shark packs a surprisingly nasty set of teeth. It can open its jaws almost 90 degrees forming its mouth into a suction-cup. Though no-one has […]
New Industry Liaison Officer
Danait Ghebrezgabhier has been appointed as the new AFMA-SETFIA Liaison Officer. Her arrival follows Andrew Trappett’s departure after a successful 15 month tenure. Danait has worked at AFMA since 2009, has come from a zoology background and has experience working in compliance planning, research administration and several fisheries. She is currently studying towards a Masters of Applied Science in […]
Trawl fishermen united in use of new technology to save seabirds
Fishermen call to mandate use of new technology to reduce effects on seabirds The South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association (SETFIA) and the Great Australian Bight Fishing Industry Association (GABIA) are excited to announce that we have developed world leading technology that reduces interactions between trawlers and seabirds by up to 96%. Furthermore, plans are in […]