Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) Risk Assessment of the Western Australian Silver-Lipped Pearl Oyster (Pinctada maxima) Industry

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the Western Australian silver-lipped pearling (Pinctada maxima) industry and the outcomes from the 2015 ecological risk assessment of this industry. The P. maxima pearling industry has been operating in Western Australia since the 1880s, initially harvesting pearl oysters for mother-of-pearl production

Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) Risk Assessment of the Western Australian Silver-Lipped Pearl Oyster (Pinctada maxima) Industry

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the Western Australian silver-lipped pearling (Pinctada maxima) industry and the outcomes from the 2015 ecological risk assessment of this industry. The P. maxima pearling industry has been operating in Western Australia since the 1880s, initially harvesting pearl oysters for mother-of-pearl production

Population genetic structure of the Pocillopora damicornis morphospecies along Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

The effective management of a coral reef system relies on a detailed understanding of the population structure of dominant habitat-forming species. For some corals, however, high levels of phenotypic plasticity have made species delineation based on morphological characteristics alone unreliable, suggesting that previous studies of population genetic structure may have been influenced by the inclusion of multiple genetic lineages in the analyses. We examined the population structure of the Pocillopora damicornis morphospecies along the World Heritage Ningaloo Coast, Western Australia, and recovered 2 mitochondrial haplotypes from sympatrically occurring colonies possessing morphological characteristics consistent with taxonomic classification of P. damicornis. Despite a high degree of genetic differentiation between these lineages, we detected low levels of unidirectional admixture between them, suggesting that reproductive barriers are not fully developed. We found dual modes of reproduction for both lineages with considerable variation in the contribution of sexual reproduction among sample sites. Lastly, we identified a high dispersal potential of sexually produced propagules in the most common lineage with positive spatial autocorrelation detected over distances up to 60 km. Based on these results, it appears that populations of P. damicornis have a high capacity to recover from environmental perturbations as long as the effects of disturbances are patchy across Ningaloo Reef

West Coast Deep Sea Crustacean Managed Fishery

This report provides a comprehensive description of the West Coast Deep Sea Crustacean Managed Fishery (WCDSCMF) and contains information relevant to assist the assessment of this fishery against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard (v1.3) for sustainable fishing

West Coast Estuarine Managed Fishery (Area 2: Peel-Harvey Estuary) & Peel-Harvey Estuary Blue Swimmer Crab Recreational Fishery

This report provides a comprehensive description of the West Coast Estuarine Managed Fishery (WCEMF) Area 2 (Peel-Harvey Estuary) and the Peel-Harvey Estuary Blue Swimmer Crab Recreational Fishery in Western Australia and contains information relevant to assist with the assessment of these fisheries against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard (v1.3) for sustainable fishing

West Coast Estuarine Managed Fishery (Area 2: Peel-Harvey Estuary) & Peel-Harvey Estuary Blue Swimmer Crab Recreational Fishery

This report provides a comprehensive description of the West Coast Estuarine Managed Fishery (WCEMF) Area 2 (Peel-Harvey Estuary) and the Peel-Harvey Estuary Blue Swimmer Crab Recreational Fishery in Western Australia and contains information relevant to assist with the assessment of these fisheries against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard (v1.3) for sustainable fishing

West Coast Deep Sea Crustacean Managed Fishery

This report provides a comprehensive description of the West Coast Deep Sea Crustacean Managed Fishery (WCDSCMF) and contains information relevant to assist the assessment of this fishery against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard (v1.3) for sustainable fishing

Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery

This report provides a comprehensive description of the Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery (EGPMF) in Western Australia and contains information relevant to assist the assessment of this fishery against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard (v1.3) for sustainable fishing. The EGPMF uses demersal otter trawl gear to target predominantly brown tiger prawns (Penaeus esculentus) and western king prawns (Penaeus latisulcatus)

Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery

This report provides a comprehensive description of the Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery (EGPMF) in Western Australia and contains information relevant to assist the assessment of this fishery against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard (v1.3) for sustainable fishing. The EGPMF uses demersal otter trawl gear to target predominantly brown tiger prawns (Penaeus esculentus) and western king prawns (Penaeus latisulcatus)