SeaNet September 2012 - OceanWatch Australia

SeaNet Update
OceanWatch Australia Newsletter
Spring 2012
The SeaNet program is OceanWatch Australia’s
commercial fisheries environmental extension
service, funded under the Commonwealth
Government’s Caring for our Country program.
The program seeks to improve the sustainability
of Australian fisheries and introduce conservation
behaviours and new technology to the industry.
The SeaNet program is the only dedicated
extension program operating within the seafood
industry.
Welcome to the spring 2012 newsletter of
OceanWatch Australia
Please send this newsletter to all your
network contacts. Anyone wishing to receive
future copies of the newsletter directly can
email Eduardo at ocean@oceanwatch.org.au
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In this issue:
• Editorial
• SeaNet Program
• Tide to Table program
• Seafood Industry Partnerships in
Schools project
• NSW Oyster Environmental
Management Systems project
Editorial
From the Chair – Brad Warren
New director
Dave Pollard recently retired from the
Oceanwatch board of directors. Dave’s
involvement started in 2003, we actually
joined the board on the same day! His
background in fisheries science has been
utilised by OceanWatch in a number of ways,
particularly providing input and advice in the
final reporting process for the recent NSW
beach seine project, as well as providing
technical information for numerous
submissions on behalf OceanWatch and the
seafood industry. All of OceanWatch’s
directors act in a voluntary capacity, so I’d
This newsletter contains information on all OceanWatch Australia’s
programs and projects, including:
SeaNet, Tide to Table and NSW Oyster Industry Environmental
Management Systems projects are supported by OceanWatch Australia,
through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our
Country
2012/302: Seafood Industry Partnerships in Schools-Phase 2
program is supported by funding from the FRDC on behalf of
the Australian Government

like to take this opportunity to not only thank
Dave for investing his time with OceanWatch
and the seafood industry, but all current and
past directors of OceanWatch as well.
Dave addressed the board at our
meeting in June, and reminisced about his
lifetime interest with fish and science that
started when he was a small boy on holiday
with his family in Botany Bay in the 1940’s.
Dave told us he used to go down to the
beach to help the local fishermen, who in
those days were able to use a beach seine
net within Botany Bay to target mullet and
other ground fish. His career in by-catch
reduction was kick started when he used to
remove the undersize fish from the
fisherman’s catch and return it to the water.
All of us at OceanWatch wish Dave well
for his retirement, and we are all a little
envious of the amount of time he will have to
soak up the good life in North Queensland. I
had the honour of presenting a small gift to
Dave, in recognition of his time with
OceanWatch.
With every ending comes a new
beginning. The members of OceanWatch are
pleased to announce the appointment of
Doug Ferrell to the OceanWatch board. Doug
is currently Manager, Resource Planning with
NSW DPI, and has a long background as a
marine scientist. Doug’s fellow directors
welcome his involvement with OceanWatch,
and are particularly heartened by the
improved communication and engagement
between industry, managers/regulators and
OceanWatch, that has been a hallmark of
Doug’s recent involvement with a number of
industry issues and processes in NSW.
OceanWatch staff training
During August, all 16 OceanWatch staff
got together in Sydney for training and team
building. Some highlights included:
-Survival at Sea refresher course in the icy
waters of Port Hacking. The SeaNet crew,
and Sydney management team, conducted
life raft and flare drills to ensure their practical
knowledge is kept up to date.
-All OceanWatch staff gave a presentation of
their current work to staff and invited guests.
-An EMS workshop was held to share the
positives and negatives that have been learnt
along the way.
-The Tide to Table team toured previous work
sites, and discussed future directions for
OceanWatch’s on ground works focussing on
fish habitat and water quality.
The prestigious “Mullet of the Year
Award” was presented to Oceanwatch Office
Manager Eduardo Gallo. Ed has been
desperately trying to dethrone perennial
“Mullet” recipient Dave Kreutz over the past
couple of years, and has finally been
successful. The award is judged by the staff
of OceanWatch, with nominations backed by
a verbal report, and on occasions, video
evidence. Best of luck to all contenders for
next year’s award!
Michael Wooden has recently graduated
from the National Seafood Industry
Leadership Program. Woody is our much
liked and respected NSW SeaNet Officer,
who has been working for the past 5 years on
projects and initiatives to not only improve
environmental outcomes, but to promote the
environmental stewardship of the seafood
industry. Congratulations Woody.
Oceanwatch sponsor at least one staff
member each year through the NSILP
leadership training, thanks to FRDC and
course sponsors for providing ongoing
support for the program.
Finally, I have recently graduated from
the Australian Rural Leadership Program. The
program is conducted over 60 days in an 18
month period, and is intended to improve
leadership capacity for rural and regional
Australia. A big vote of thanks to my sponsor,
Woolworths.
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au

SeaNet
Northern Territory
Lyn Lambeth
lyn@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 08 8981 5194
M: 0421 054 274
Darwin Harbour clean-up enters its third
year
For the third year in a row Lyn had the
task of organising the annual Darwin Harbour
Clean-up, held on Thursday July 12. Around
120 volunteers and workers from
government, non-government and private
agencies collected an estimated four tonnes
of rubbish from Darwin Harbour’s coastlines
and waters.
The rubbish collected included around
1,600 plastic drink bottles, 730 plastic bags,
a staggering 12,000 aluminium cans, 13
shopping trolleys, a navigational buoy light, a
military belt complete with water bottle and
an empty ashes urn.
Twelve boats were out scouring the
mangroves and water while 10 land-based
crews cleaned up hotspots around Darwin
and over on Cox Peninsula.
Once again, the message of the day
was to raise awareness of the harm rubbish
causes to the marine environment, while
emphasising the efforts and interest of the
seafood industry in collecting rubbish and
maintaining their pristine work environment. A
video of the clean-up has been posted on the
SeaNet NT YouTube site: www.youtube.com/
user/SeaNetNT
The 2012 Darwin Harbour Clean-up is
organised by the Northern Territory Seafood
Council and OceanWatch Australia’s SeaNet
Program through funding from the Australian
Government’s Caring for our Country initiative
and Territory Natural Resource
Management’s Coastcare Program.
A new sign for Mandorah Jetty
Lyn has also been working on a followon
project targeting identified marine debris
hotspots around the harbour. As part of this
an eye-catching sign on the rocky foreshore
of the Mandorah Jetty, Cox Peninsula, has
recently been installed. This is the second of
its design to be erected around Darwin this
year, in an aid to encourage people to protect
the marine environment and “bin it or take it
with you”.
With the customised hand drawn
background of dugong, turtle and
barramundi, local Belyuen artist Samantha
Singh has captured the image and the
significance of her family and community’s
totems and their importance in traditional
indigenous culture.
EMS project
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au
The Australian Government-funded
Northern Territory EMS project is on track
and has entered its final four month period.
Copies of the completed EMS have been
used by licence holders and trader/
processors to demonstrate to fish buyers and

stakeholders the level of environmental
responsibility and sustainability in those
fisheries.
The fourth in a series of 5, the Offshore
Net and Line Fishery EMS, has been
completed and posted to industry. The
Demersal Fishery EMS is in its final edit and
will soon be ready to print.
The NT SeaNet Officer recently travelled
to Roper River with the Chair of the NT Mud
Crab Licensee Committee, Doug Neville, to
distribute and discuss their new EMS and
video fishing operations.
Check out the new mud crab video The
Gulf’s Deadliest Catch – exclusive trailer at
www.youtube.com/user/SeaNetNT
The two year EMS project is funded
under the Australian Government’s Caring for
our Country initiative.
Regional Flavours is South Bank
Corporation’s signature food and lifestyle
event in Brisbane, which celebrates and
promotes regional Queensland produce, the
people who grow it, harvest it, as well as the
creativity of our state’s chefs. This year’s
event reached full capacity and was a great
success for the Moreton Bay Seafood
Industry Association (MBSIA).
MBSIA supported by OceanWatch
Australia and QDAFF, turned up to the event
expecting to talk to a handful of people and
sell a few pieces of fresh Panko crumbed
mullet. To our surprise, we were run off our
feet for the entire two days. Over the
weekend we served 1,200 people and gave
the punters a bit of a lesson about the Tunnel
Net Fishery, let me say out of those 1,200
servings of fish there was no complaint about
taste; everyone was grateful at the quality
and quite a few were surprised that sea
mullet could taste so good!
The project materials were all set up
making the MBSIA stall one of the standouts,
not to mention one of the most educational
lunches at the event. Along with the project,
we were showcasing the Moreton Bay Fresh
brand; this is a guarantee that the seafood
has made its way from the boat to the retail
store within 24 hours allowing for maximum
freshness. QR codes have been used to link
the seafood products with the sustainability
credentials of the fishery at point of sale.
Far North Queensland
David Schubert
dave@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 07 4773 7226
M: 0409 347 495
The official launch of the Quick Response
(QR) Code project at Regional Flavours
Southbank
Regional Flavours, held on 21 st and 22 nd
July, was the event for the official launch of
the Quick Response Code project. This
initiative is being funded by the Queensland’s
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry (QDAFF), with in-kind contributions
and project management from OceanWatch
Australia and QDAFF.
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au
Check out the videos by scanning the QR
codes. If you don’t have a QR code reader on
your smartphone, you can download one for
free at the App Store. You can also access
the Tunnel Netting videos, and more on
OceanWatch’s you tube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/

A thank you goes out to everyone who helped
out on the day and to the people who put in
the hard yards to make the project and day a
success.
Reef guardian’s Future Leaders Eco
Challenge – James Cook University,
Townsville
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority’s Reef Guardian program recently
ran the Future Leaders Eco Challenge. I was
invited by Sally McPhee to construct and
delivered two information sessions with three
themes to groups of children from years 5
and 6, as follows:
-Tilapia – Invasive Marine pests of NQ. Hands
on demonstration and information of the pest
fish;
-Connected habitats and their importance.
Learnt about the different fishways used for
connectivity; and,
-Sustainable fishing. Fun activity for the
students to learn about sustainable and
responsible fishing.
A total of 65 students and 8 teachers
attended my sessions. The students all had a
great time with some fun, and hands on
learning. These students are our future, if we
don’t educate and support them, what can
we look forward to?
processors concerns about their future, with
Sue doing a great job to relay in parliament.
More info: http://www.sueboyce.com.au/
media/Marine%20Sanctuaries.pdf
South East Queensland
David Kreutz
david@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 07 5447 9491
M: 0432 683 147
Spectacular spring weather was a key
ingredient at the Tin Can Bay seafood
festival. Peter Wrench and I attended this
event along with 6,000 seafood lovers.
People queued in their hundreds to sample
local sustainably caught seafood with most
stalls selling out.
Three separate draws for a turtle smart
crab pots were conducted and sample bags
containing useful information on responsible
crabbing were given out to several hundred
interested persons. Added to this we also
answered many questions on sustainable
fishing practices and OceanWatch’s projects
in the region.
Late July saw me attend a fishing forum
held by Senator Sue Boyce. I was asked to
speak on the steps to sustainability that
Commonwealth and Queensland fishers had
undertaken.
I outlined that most fisheries had Codes
of Conduct and EMS, that effort and catch
limited and quota applied. I gave examples of
fisheries like the tunnel netters who have all
but eliminated by-catch. An audience of 120
people listened and then asked questions to
the assembled panel of speakers.
New South Wales
Michael Wooden
michael@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 02 9660 2262
M: 0422 618 248
QLD Senator Sue Boyce – Concerns on the
new marine park network
National Seafood Industry Leadership
Program graduation week in Canberra
Myself along with Karen Collard, a Townsville
trawl operator, recently spoke with Senator
Sue Boyce about the proposed marine park
network. We were able to express fishers and
Over the past 6 months, Michael participated
in the 2012 National Seafood Industry
Leadership Program. The program was an
extremely challenging, satisfying and
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au

ewarding experience, providing opportunity
to present a profile speech to the Australian
government and national seafood Industry
leaders.
The graduation dinner was attended by
many industry leaders, including Senator the
Honourable Joe Ludwig, Senator the
Honourable Richard Colbeck, Ian Thompson,
1 st Assistant Secretary Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Dr
Patrick Hone Director of FRDC.
The 2012 NSILP team vision of ‘An
Australian Aquatic Resource Sector nationally
valued as a key contributor to Australia and
its economy’ was delivered through a positive
outcome mapping (POM) project. Driven by
the concept of unity, POM is a framework to
demonstrate the national and international
value of the sector to the community. POM
aims at improving awareness of the intricate
web that exists between the direct and
indirect contributors in the sector, visually
demonstrating the environmental, social and
sustainable contribution the sector has on
Australia’s economy and culture. The positive
outcome map for the aquatic resource
industry uses numerous industry logos and
short videos to highlight the myriad of
‘positive outcome partners’ in the sector.
‘Positive outcome partners’ are the
people who benefit from the continuous cycle
of the sector including: consumers, fuel
suppliers, truck drivers, post harvest
businesses, restaurateurs, tackle shops,
anglers, professional seafood operators,
researchers, managers and many more;
pivotal contributors to Australia’s economy,
society and environment.
NSW Ocean Prawn Trawl Fishery: by-catch
reduction
NSW SeaNet will be assisting a project
partnered between industry and NSW DPI
Fisheries, working on techniques to mitigate
potential ocean prawn trawl by-catch as part
of the NSW Mulloway Recovery Program. An
industry workshop has been organised in
Maclean in mid October with discussions to
be held on variations to gear designs, such as
the T90 mesh orientation and a grid design
that has been implemented in numerous
Australian otter trawl fisheries, which may
prove to have merit when adapted for NSW
conditions.
ACORF meeting – Cronulla Fisheries
NSW SeaNet attended an Australia
Committee for Recreational Fishing (ACORF)
meeting at Cronulla, delivering a 10 minute
presentation focusing on Turtle Smart Crab
Pot (TSCP) technology. A question answer
session was held with discussion focusing on
problematic crab pot gears, key areas of
interaction and mitigation techniques, twine
thickness, float rope materials, and style.
NSW SeaNet discussed amendments to Qld
regulations and the implementation of TSCP
technology throughout Queensland. Although
interactions are less likely in NSW,
modifications to gear designs may be
beneficial in locations where sea turtles are
more common.
Victoria
Hannah Arcaro
hannah@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 03 9329 5660
M: 0421 415 973
VBIFA Environmental Management System
The Victorian Bay and Inlet Fisheries
Association (VBIFA) Environmental
Management System (EMS) is now in the final
draft stage and is under review by VBIFA
Board members. The EMS provides a
framework to assess environmental risks to
the fishery and develop an action plan to
manage them. This includes a broad range of
issues, including water quality, interactions
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au

with wildlife and by-catch management. The
Onboard Reference Booklet has also been
revised and updated. This handy booklet
summarizes the main action points for fishers
and provides useful telephone numbers and
reference images of protected species to
assist with identification whilst at sea. The
community awareness information pamphlet
about the EMS process has been updated
and we look forward to distributing it at the
upcoming Royal Melbourne Show and other
events. The finalised documents will not only
provide an environmental management
framework for the fishers but are also useful
tools to help VBIFA engage with stakeholders
and seek solutions to ecosystem issues
which may be beyond their direct control.
Port Phillip Bay Code of Practice for haul
seine fishing
SeaNet has been working with the
Victorian Fisheries Association into Research
Management (VFARM) to review voluntary bycatch
management measures in the Port
Phillip Bay haul seine fishery ensuring best
practice. The live sorting technique, used
when haul seining, maximises survival rates
of released fish and VFARM members
decided to impose a minimum water depth
for live sorting of 90 cm. This means that fish
are not overcrowded which minimises stress
and potential damage, further helping survival
rates. Other shared best practice includes
hauling the net slowly, using gloves to handle
the fish to prevent scale damage and
releasing by-catch before sorting commercial
catch. The document is in the final draft stage
and will be released in the next few weeks.
Where does our seafood come from?
Thanks to Neville Clarke from Corner
Inlet for taking me out on his boat to see the
haul seine process first hand. Over the years,
fishermen in Corner Inlet have developed
techniques and gear modifications that
minimise their environmental impact and
deliver top-quality, fresh fish to the market. A
short film about the haul seine process can
be found on the OceanWatch youtube site
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=03xrZTkAY9I&list=UUrUgBmbQ5DCmdZxP
32vXbCw&index=3&feature=plcp
Lobster fishing in Portland
Thanks also to David and Callum
McCarthy for taking me fishing for Rock
Lobster out of Portland. It was the last week
of the season and we had a great day out at
sea. The trip was an excellent opportunity to
observe fishing practices in light of
developing the Code of Practice for the rock
lobster industry. The fishers use several
techniques to minimise the impact of the
fishery on habitats and wildlife. One potential
issue with lobster pots is that seals may try to
reach the bait in pots, where they can
become trapped and drown. Fishers use
special bait holders which are fixed to the
neck of the pot. Their position prevents seals
from entering the pot to try and eat the bait
and therefore mitigates this risk. Callum also
lightly secures the pull rope to the heaviest
side of the pot. If the pot snags on the
seabed and cannot be freed, a quick tug will
break the tie and push the pot out of the snag
so it can be lifted freely. This reduces the
likelihood of losing pots, which is not only
uneconomical, but also reduces instances of
ghost fishing where fishing gear is lost on the
sea bed.
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au

AMSA conference
Tasmania
Cassandra Price
cassandra@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 03 6224 2890
M: 0407 135 637
During July Tasmanian SeaNet Officer
attended a 4 day joint conference between
the Australian Marine Science Association
(AMSA) and the New Zealand Marine Science
Society (NZMSS). This event, held in Hobart
at the Wrest Point Casino, attracted more
than 400 scientists and industry
representatives from over eight countries. The
theme for the conference was “Marine
Extremes - and Everything in Between”. This
reflected the diverse array of extreme places
in the marine environment, from polar regions
through to tropical reef habitats, while
incorporating extreme events which affect the
oceans, such as cyclones, ocean
acidification, invasive species and ecosystem
shifts. There was great diversity among the
speakers and poster presenters ranging from
students through to invited key note
speakers, who are leaders in their field of
research.
for our Country program to undertake an
‘Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management
(EBFM) in Tasmanian Wild Capture Fisheries’
project. The codes of practice are part of the
larger scope of this initiative. Throughout July
a number of port visits have been conducted
in the North and East Coast of Tasmania,
from Stanley to St Helens and Bicheno.
These initial visits involved going out on
vessels to see the methods and practices
being used by the fishers, being extremely
beneficial as it gave an insight into how the
scale fishery is operated including information
from the fishers about their best practices.
Western Australia
Jay Shoesmith
jay@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 08 9432 7777
M: 0401 838 436
Climate change adaptation
Climate Change Adaptation Blueprint for
Coastal Regional Communities is an ongoing
project, over the next two years in St Helens
(TAS), Bowen (QLD), and Geraldton (WA),
aimed to develop the tools that provide the
relevant information to reduce risks and
increase capacity to cope with change in our
coastal communities.
Scalefishery Code of Practice
Cassandra along with the ecosystem
based fisheries management project officer
(Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council) have
commenced the initial consultation process
for the Tasmanian Scale Fishery’s Code of
Practice. In early 2011 TSIC acquired funding
from the Australian Government’s Caring
Over the past few weeks Dr Sarah
Metcalf (Murdoch University), Dr Ingrid Van
Putten (University of Tasmania), and myself
were in Geraldton undertaking interviews for
the project. We spoke to a large variety of
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au

people from the Geraldton community, which
included local shop owners, tour operators,
Geraldton co-ops, fish processors,
aquaculture, recreational and commercial
fishers, Port Authority, and representatives
from the oil and gas industry. We were also
lucky enough to get a trip to the Abrolhos
Islands and have a look at their fishing camps
from above.
Over the next few months Dr Metcalf
and Dr Van Putten will compile the
information gained from all three communities
and compare them. The report will be
available and extended via the SeaNet team
in all three locations.
flotsam and jetsam off the local islands near
Esperance.
‘Fishing for a Living: The Estuarine and
Beach Fisheries of the Western Australian
South Coast’ was organised to be published
by SeaNet, through Curtin University, with
support from the South Coast NRM and the
Australian Government’s Caring for our
Country program.
This book was initially written by Guy
Wright in 1991; however it wasn’t until now
that it got finally published through the South
Coast NRM Project. This 58 page publication
portrays the history and operations of one the
oldest Western Australian fisheries including
beautiful vintage photos. Copies of the book
are available, please contact Jay Shoesmith.
South Coast NRM project
The clean-up of the Recherche
Archipelago has been arranged for the 20 th
and 21 st of October. SeaNet has been in
Esperance recruiting volunteers, establishing
partnerships, and trying to identify the target
islands for the event. The Esperance
Professional Fishermans’ Association has
organised 3 vessels and a number of
volunteers to contribute their time on the day.
The idea of the clean-up is to remove
Tide to Table
Program Manager-
Landcare Facilitator
Simon Rowe
simon@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 02 9660 2262
M: 0434 351 977
Asian Veggie Farmers update
Making a living off 1-2ha near the airport
in Sydney is somewhat of a challenge but
Sydney's Asian Veggie growers take it in their
stride. Intensive growers recognise the need
to be proactive and stay up to date with
growing practices as, like the seafood
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au

Industry, they are also under a tight
community licence to operate. We were
successful in gaining some funding with NSW
DPI to undertake a cert 4 in Horticulture
production for 6 farmers. The course run in
the sheds of participants is translated to
Chinese, is hands-on and working towards
maximising outputs while minimising inputs.
Bundaberg
Peter Wrench
peter@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 07 4181 2999
M: 0401 890 069
Connecting the dots to fisheries
sustainability
National Landcare conference 2012
Some big names and super enthusiastic
supporters of landcare attended the national
conference in September. Minister Joe
Ludwig, former Prime Minister Bob Hawke,
Jack Thompson and Catriona Rowntree,
provided thought provoking commentary
during the awards gala dinner. David Suzuki
attended via video conference and media
commentators Mia Freedman and Peter
Fitzsimons hit the stage for an insight into
social media. South Coast dairy farmer Lynne
Strong took out the Bob Hawke Landcare
award. Further details of other winners and
the conference can be found at
www.daff.gov.au/landcareconference
The conference opening saw the launch
of the Landcare is for everybody ad featuring
our very own best practice Aussie oyster
farmer. It's great to see how the diversity of
Landcare is acknowledged and celebrated
and how the work of the seafood industry is
becoming more recognised. The 2 minute
video clip and catchy music can be seen at
www.landcarelife.com/
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au
Over the past three months the Queensland
Tide to Table program has delivered several
key messages on the importance of fisheries
sustainability to over twenty state and private
primary schools throughout the Wide Bay
Burnett Region. The central theme to these
messages has been based on the acronym
REEF - Rivers & Estuaries Enhance Fisheries!
Delivered in collaboration with a number of
school-based initiatives such as FLEC (Future
Leaders Eco Challenge) conducted by the
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
(GBRMPA), primary school children from
Years 5 through to 7 were led through a
journey from rivers source to sea, highlighting
the connections between the respective
ecosystems and the individual species that
live and/or move between them. Pressures
from the activities of man were central to this
journey, likening the impacts upon these
complex ecosystems to the effect of a car
crash on a superhighway. Topics such as
mangrove destruction, storm water run-off,
plastics in the environment, fish migration,
and the impacts of derelict fishing equipment
such as crab pots were covered as part of
this message, delivered during seven
separate field day events.
These events included a field day at
Beaver Rocks on the Mary River as part of
the Great Sandy Straits RAMSAR Wetlands
project, and both the Junior Landcare Day
and Sustainable Schools Symposium in
Bundaberg. The success of these events was
made possible through collaborative
stakeholder partnerships with the Barambah
Environmental Education Centre, Bundaberg
Regional Council, Fraser Coast Regional
Council, and the Burnett Mary Regional
Group (BMRG). The REEF message forms
part of a wider public awareness and
education program being conducted under
the Queensland tide to Table Program.

Responsible crabbing at the Hervey Bay
Seafood Festival
A television campaign designed to raise
awareness to the issue of lost and derelict
crab pots and the principles of responsible
crabbing, formed the centre piece of the
OceanWatch Australia display at this year’s
Hervey Bay Seafood Festival.
The television campaign, originally aired
in April, was returned to the airwaves during
August and September to coincide with the
traditional start of the recreational crabbing
season in Southern Queensland. This
initiative is part of the Great Sandy Straits
RAMSAR Wetlands project undertaken in
collaboration with the Burnett Mary Regional
Group (BMRG) and the Queensland
Government with funding from the Australian
Government’s Caring for Our Country
Program. The campaign, launched on the
same weekend as the Hervey Bay Seafood
Festival, reached up to 84,000 viewers each
time it was aired over a 4 week period.
The OceanWatch Australia display was
designed to reinforce this campaign 'on the
ground' to further promote responsible
behaviours amongst recreational crabbers in
an effort to reduce the incidence of lost or
abandoned crab pots. The OceanWatch
Australia stand included video displays,
public demonstrations, free crab pot
giveaways, and the distribution of responsible
crabbing kits to the general public. Feedback
obtained during the event was outstanding,
with over 78% of people polled both aware of
the public awareness campaign, and of its
core message - Always Label, Weight and
Retrieve your crab pots.
Fraser Island clean-up
© David Shipton
Service, the Lower Mary River Land &
Catchment Care Group, and The Fraser 4WD
club.
The day turned out to be an absolute
shiner. Temperature in the 20’s, a turquoise
sea and waves crashing in the background
made it very easy to enjoy removing debris.
The clean-up area stretched 25 km along
Hook Point, where approximately 1.5 tonnes
of debris were removed. The items removed
from the beach included aluminium cans,
ropes and mountains of plastic, such as
bags, bottles, containers, children’s toys and
toothbrushes.
Some of the plastic was heavily
fragmented which indicates it had been
floating in the ocean for a great deal of time.
Small pieces of plastic are a concern for
marine animals, as they can be ingested
leading to death.
South East Queensland
Debra Henry
debra@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 07 3286 6194
M: 0488 087 772
Tide to Table Queensland led a
community beach clean-up on this World
Heritage Area on the 15 th of September. This
event was part of the “Reducing threats to
Great Sandy Straight Ramsar Wetland and
Coastal Systems “project ran together with
the Burnett Mary Regional Group, and funded
through the Australian government’s Caring
for Our Country program. The response to the
clean-up was overwhelming with a total of 43
volunteers from Hervey Bay, Maryborough
and Noosa. A large amount of support was
provided by Queensland Parks and Wildlife
Welcome to the team!
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au
As the new Tide to Table Project Officer
for SE Queensland I’ve been somewhat tied
to the table (desktop) over the past few
weeks familiarising myself with the various
components of my role, clarifying
administrative procedures and building
databases, as well as relationships, with other
natural resource managers in the region.
There are eleven great restoration
projects underway in South-East Queensland

involving various stakeholders from college
students to pineapple farmers, and I’m in the
process of seeing these contracts through to
fruition. Much of these works are in
recognition that land-based activities impact
on water quality and the biodiversity upon
which our seafood production depends.
The role also involves rolling out the
TAngler Bins across the region and there’s
been a good response from Councillors and
Officers from Redland City Council, as well as
from the Commodore and members of the
Redland Boat Club.
Another aspect of the Tide to Table role is
improving the community’s capacity to
undertake Seagrass Watch and Mangrove
Watch programs in the Moreton Bay and
Noosa regions. These are citizen science
initiatives involving volunteers monitoring
seagrass and mangroves. These two
programs are important, as monitoring by the
volunteer community and then analysis by the
scientific community, provides data that can
detect early signs of change which is
necessary for good coastal management.
In recent weeks I participated in the Peaks to
Points Festival where I flew the OceanWatch
Australia banner which drew interest to the
TAngler bins and the work of OceanWatch
Australia. In coming months I anticipate
spending more time on the ground and on the
water, visiting sites and meeting the people
who have partnered with OceanWatch
Australia to rehabilitate priority fish, crab and
prawn habitats.
Seafood Industry Partnerships in Schools
Tasmania
Welcome to the team!
Aidan McClure
aidan@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 03 6224 2890
M: 0428 026 356
Having worked in the Tasmanian
salmonid aquaculture for the past 8 years,
Aidan has covered a range of roles spanning:
processing, marine farm works, finfish
feeding, animal health, and environmental
monitoring and management. With both
parents heavily involved with the seafood
industry, it was inevitable Aidan would
complete a Bachelor of Science, majoring
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au
in Zoology, as well as an Honours degree in
Aquaculture – in which he focused on
responses of cultured brook trout (Salvelinus
fontinalis) to stressful environmental
fluctuations. As a progression from his
academic background, Aidan departed his
hands-on aquaculture involvement earlier in
2012 to undertake a Master of Business
Administration to better understand the
underlying business functions of the industry.
Aidan’s role coordinating the SIPS program in
Tasmania is central to both supporting and
guiding his career move, as it provides
valuable insight to community values and
perceptions of industry, whilst allowing close
interaction with the industry so as to
effectively communicate its sustainable
values and responsibilities to the wider
community.

Welcome to the team!
New South Wales
Jane Lewis
jane@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 02 9660 2262
M: 0401 997 702
Jane is the new SIPS Project Officer for
NSW. Her background is in life sciences,
communication and education. She has
worked in a diverse range of roles, from
Technical Officer at CSIRO, to Science
Teacher in a high school, to Environmental
Educator for a local Council. Her passion is
engaging with the community on things that
matter. She looks forward to meeting you!
What is SIPS?
SIPS stands for 'Seafood Industry
Partnerships in Schools', and is a Fisheries
Research and Development Corporation
(FRDC) funded project developed to connect
commercial fishermen with schools. By
forming partnerships, teachers and fishermen
can work together to educate students about
the seafood industry, including important
issues such as sustainability and resource
management.
SIPS is new to NSW, but has been
running as a successful pilot program in
Tasmania. About 25 partnerships have been
formed there so far, involving more than 500
students and teachers generating extremely
positive feedback. The Tasmanian SIPS
Project was presented with the 'Seafood
Industry Promotion’ award in 2011 in
recognition of the great work it has done.
primary and/or secondary school classes.
Partnerships can be tailored to suit interests
and availability, but may involve excursions,
incursions (visits to schools), and ongoing
contact through emails and texts (e.g. when
at sea).
“Not only was it good fun for me, but it
was great for my son. Suddenly he’s got a
real understanding of what I do for a living
and the kids in his class are like ‘oh wow,
your Dad does THAT’! Fishing’s not like other
jobs. The kids were a bit shy to start with, but
they must have been talking about it because
all of a sudden they started asking me about
the size of an abalone, and how much diesel I
put in the boat, and how much I earn! The
day I took my gear in to show them, I reckon
my wetsuit was put on and taken off about 28
times. I gave the class a chart and then
emailed them to tell them where I was fishing.
They plotted where I’d gone, how many
nautical miles I’d done, and even how much
diesel I was using and the cost of it.” Bryan
Denny, Commercial Fisherman, Tasmania
Why would I want to get involved?
SIPS is a great opportunity for all those
working in the seafood industry - commercial
fishermen, aquaculturalists and others – to
show young people what they do for a living.
It is also a great way for students to learn
about the seafood industry in Australia, how
our fishing resources are used and managed
sustainably, and the type of careers available.
Through SIPS, fishermen, oyster famers
and other industry workers are partnered with
How can I get on board?
If you work in the seafood industry, or
you work in or with schools, and are
interested in getting involved in the project,
please contact the NSW SIPS Project Officer
(see contact details above).
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au

NSW Oyster Industry Environmental Management Systems
Project Officer
Andy Myers
andy@oceanwatch.org.au
Ph: 02 9660 2262
M: 0488 656 366
Twitter: andy_myers79
OceanWatch continues to work on
developing and implementing Environmental
Management Systems with the NSW Oyster
Industry. Based on the philosophy of
continual improvement, the EMS is a process
that can be used to identify and manage
environmental risks and opportunities. Most
importantly, it helps ensure the long-term
sustainability of oyster farming by reducing or
preventing identified negative impacts on the
environment.
In the last three months since the June
newsletter I have been busy working on EMS
documents with the Shoalhaven, Tuross
Lake, Wagonga Inlet, Manning River &
Nambucca River oyster farmers. While the
first three are just about complete, the
Nambucca River & Manning River documents
require some further attention. Following
these, I will be looking to resurrect efforts in
Port Stephens and Brisbane Water.
In terms of EMS implementation,
projects that were funded through the 2011-
12 round of ‘Environmental Improvement
Grants’ are now in the process of being
wrapped up. These projects have been an
incredible success, providing the incentive for
some significant environmental
improvements. This includes the disposal of
over 270 tonnes of tar and treated timber
infrastructure to approved landfills. A more
comprehensive report on the achievements
will be provided in the next newsletter.
On a slightly different note, Ewan Mcash
(Mcash Oysters & Ulladulla Oyster Bar) and I
recently gave a joint presentation on oysters
and Environmental Management Systems at
the ABARES Regional Outlook Conference in
Bega. Opened by local MP, Dr Mike Kelly, the
conference was well attended and gave
delegates, from a range of primary industries,
an insight into commodity forecasts. Industry
trends were discussed and it provided a great
opportunity to learn about best practice and
the approaches to environmental
management taken by other primary
industries.
Coming soon: EMS implementation grants
(HCRCMA & NRCMA)
Grants will be open to oyster farmers in
Brisbane Water, Port Stephens (Tilligerry
Creek); Manning River, Camden Haven,
Hastings River and Nambucca River.
OceanWatch is currently developing a
round of funding for oyster farmers in the
above estuaries that are committed to their
EMS. Grant guidelines are still being
developed and will probably not be released
until mid-late October. When the guidelines
are finalised I will organise local meetings to
distribute this information and to answer any
questions you may have. If you have any
burning questions please feel free to contact
me, however as this is still under
development, I encourage you to hold off until
your local meeting.
More information? www.oceanwatch.org.au