| The
Commonwealth Government's
Fisheries Research and Development
Corporation (FRDC) has announced funding of
$22.8 million for new research and development projects.
FRDC Chairman, Mr Denis Byrne, announced details of the
2002-2003 funding round today.
"Australia's fishing
industries - including the $2.4 billion dollar
commercial fishing industry and the five million strong
recreational sector - will benefit from funding
allocated to more than 70 projects," Mr Byrne said.
"Projects funded this
year reflect the industry and governments' commitment to
ensuring the sustainability of Australia's fisheries
resources, developing leadership within industry and
building on previous success to deliver national
benefits.
"Among these is a
groundbreaking R&D project to develop a genetic
fingerprinting method to improve the accuracy of fishery
harvest monitoring, which underpins stock
sustainability, catch rates, incomes and recreational
values.
"It is estimated that
25-30% of all Australians fish recreationally spending
over $2.9 billion annually. It is an important industry
from a social, economic and environmental perspective
and FRDC is strongly committed to working with the
industry to ensure its sustainability for the future,"
he said.
"To this end we are
funding innovative ways to measure and analyse data from
recreational fisheries and incorporate them in
management regimes. Murdoch University researchers have
taken up the challenge to improve collection and
interpretation of recreational data as part of the stock
assessment process and to incorporate the results in
ecosystem-based management as it evolves.
"Our R&D funding directly
benefits all Australians," Mr Byrne said. As part of
FRDC's continuing drive to learn and communicate more
about the health benefits of Australian seafood a
project will investigate whether increased seafood
consumption can reduce the need for anti-hypertensive
drugs for people who are both hypertensive and
overweight. The project builds on the wealth of health
benefits research already funded by the organisation.
"FRDC has also funded a
project to assist the rapidly expanding prawn farming
industry to domesticate black tiger prawns. Prawn
farmers have identified this initiative as critical to
their future competitiveness. The Australian Prawn
Farmers' Association, in partnership with researchers
from CSIRO, the Queensland Department of Primary
Industries, the Australian Institute of Marine Science
and Australia's leading prawn hatcheries to attempt to
achieve this formidable goal.
"Once again FRDC will
also sponsor Australia's premier aquaculture conference.
Aquafest Australia 2002 "Meeting the Challenge" will be
held in Hobart from 19-22 September. Topics include risk
management, future R&D funding, new technologies, stock
health, commercial and regulatory issues, public health
and nutrition.
The FRDC is responsible
for planning, investing in and overseeing fisheries R&D
and facilitating the dissemination, adoption and
commercialization of the results. The FRDC is a
statutory authority of the Commonwealth Government
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry -
Australia.
Contact:
Kylie Paulsen, Communications Manager - Extension, Ph
0438 630 491
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