Baselines for population assessment of long-lived marine animals and stakeholder trust and participation in sustainable fisheries of northern Australia

Management of sustainable fisheries requires sound knowledge of population and life-history parameters of the species, as well as social license and trust in science and decision-making. Baseline parameters such as population (stock) structure, age, growth, and longevity are essential to estimate fisheries productivity and to set limits that guide sustainable harvest policies. Establishing these baseline parameters is particularly important for long-lived species, like Giant clam (Tridacna spp.), long-lived coral and Crimson snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus) whereby population productivity can be over-estimated, and populations are susceptible to fisheries over-exploitation. Stakeholders’ perceptions of the sustainability, unsustainability, or inequity, of fisheries are also major drivers of the long-term viability (or collapse) of fisheries.
Crimson snapper and other long-lived reef fishes in the family Lutjanidae are targeted by commercial and recreational fisheries across northern Australia. These fisheries include the Northern Territory’s Demersal and Timor Reef Fisheries which are the NT’s largest fisheries in terms of total catch and economic value. Despite the importance of these fisheries, baseline parameters and social perceptions of sustainability and management of this complex fishery remain poorly understood. The perceptions and relationships between the diverse and multiple stakeholders (eg. commercial, recreational, and Aboriginal fishers, communities, and organisations) surrounding this fishery are dynamic and complex, requiring thorough analysis and engagement. Since the population structure, longevity and biological productivity of Crimson snapper is poorly understood, this hinders the reliability of fisheries stock assessments across northern Australia. Given the economic and social importance of Crimson snapper at the national level, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) listed the stock structure of this species as a key priority. This project proposes to use the AIMS-CDU partnership to leverage funding from the FRDC (potentially $515,000 cash + $250,000 in-kind) and value-add novel NT focused research to develop nuclear bomb radiocarbon baselines to validate the longevity of long-lived marine animals in northern Australia, to document fisher knowledge, and to work towards greater inclusion and trust in reef fisheries science and management through participatory research methods and inclusive community engagement.