The effect of cooking on carapace length of Southern rock lobster, Jasus edwardsii (Hutton), 1875 (Decapoda, Palinuridae)

In several Australian states, the claimed potential for shrinkage of rock lobsters during cooking is a problem for enforcement of rock lobster fisheries regulations based on a minimum legal size. In Tasmania, uncertainty about the potential for shrinkage of rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) regularly prevents prosecution. We tested the potential for shrinkage of rock lobsters by cooking 21 animals under typical industry protocols. Cooking had no statistically detectable effect on carapace length

Will we see you again? Population evaluation of Palinurus elephas inside a marine reserve from Capture-Mark-Recapture data

To achieve an effective management of the marine exploited populations it is necessary to understand their dynamics and the processes driving short- and long-term changes. Key population parameters such as survival and movement can be estimated by means of capture-mark-recapture studies, based on the capture, tagging and re-encounter of the individuals at later times. The Cormack-Jolly-Seber model, which assesses the apparent survival i and the recapture rate pi of a population conditional on first capture, was applied to European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas data from the Columbretes islands marine reserve to evaluate the evolution of this population after closure to fishing over. Particularly strong winter conditions were reported for some years during the period of study whcih were reflected as an increase in the estimate of the encounter probability and a decrease in their survival rate. P. elephas showed a relatively high plasticity against short-term environmental effects, with the apparent survival quickly returning to pre-storm levels. Also a slight increase in survival was identified for this protected population over time. These preliminary results are discussed in terms of the factors affecting the dynamics of this population and the implications for the management of this exploited stoc

A Quantitative Metric to Identify Critical Elements within Seafood Supply Networks

A theoretical basis is required for comparing key features and critical elements in wild fisheries and aquaculture supply chains under a changing climate. Here we develop a new quantitative metric that is analogous to indices used to analyse food-webs and identify key species. The Supply Chain Index (SCI) identifies critical elements as those elements with large throughput rates, as well as greater connectivity. The sum of the scores for a supply chain provides a single metric that roughly captures both the resilience and connectedness of a supply chain. Standardised scores can facilitate crosscomparisons both under current conditions as well as under a changing climate. Identification of key elements along the supply chain may assist in informing adaptation strategies to reduce anticipated future risks posed by climate change. The SCI also provides information on the relative stability of different supply chains based on whether there is a fairly even spread in the individual scores of the top few key elements, compared with a more critical dependence on a few key individual supply chain elements. We use as a case study the Australian southern rock lobster Jasus edwardsii fishery, which is challenged by a number of climate change drivers such as impacts on recruitment and growth due to changes in largescale and local oceanographic features. The SCI identifies airports, processors and Chinese consumers as the key elements in the lobster supply chain that merit attention to enhance stability and potentially enable growth. We also apply the index to an additional four real-world Australian commercial fishery and two aquaculture industry supply chains to highlight the utility of a systematic method for describing supply chains. Overall, our simple methodological approach to empiricallybased supply chain research provides an objective method for comparing the resilience of supply chains and highlighting components that may be critical

Preparing for climate change on marine systems in Australia and India.

Australia and India have coastal marine waters warming at a rate faster than 90% of the world’s oceans. Both countries have extensive coastlines and marine jurisdictions with the majority of the population living adjacent to the coast (Box 1). Marine industries play important roles in sustaining the livelihoods of people in coastal rural towns. Increasing food production, minimising carbon emissions and prioritising carbon sequestration opportunities are key issues facing both countries and form the basis of this research plan. In addressing these issues India and Australia are well placed to become leaders in the development of adaptation options, and pioneers of transformational industries

Biodiversity redistribution under climate change: Impacts on ecosystems and human well-being

Distributions of Earth’s species are changing at accelerating rates, increasingly driven by human-mediated climate change. Such changes are already altering the composition of ecological communities, but beyond conservation of natural systems, how and why does this matter? We review evidence that climate-driven species redistribution at regional to global scales affects ecosystem functioning, human well-being, and the dynamics of climate change itself. Production of natural resources required for food security, patterns of disease transmission, and processes of carbon sequestration are all altered by changes in species distribution. Consideration of these effects of biodiversity redistribution is critical yet lacking in most mitigation and adaptation strategies, including the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals

Governance mapping: a framework for assessing the adaptive capacity of marine resource governance to environmental change

Marine social-ecological systems are influenced by the way humans interact with their environment, and external forces, which change and re-shape the environment. In many regions, exploitation of marine resources and climate change are two of the primary drivers shifting the abundance and distribution of marine living resources, with negative effects on marine-dependent communities. Governance systems determine ‘who’ makes decisions, ‘what’ are their powers and responsibilities, and ‘how’ they are exercised. Understanding the connections between the actors comprising governance systems and influences between governance and the environment is therefore critical to support successful transitions to novel forms of governance required to deal with environmental changes. The paper provides an analytical framework with a practical example from Vanuatu, for mapping and assessment of the governance system providing for management of coral reef fish resources. The framework enables a rapid analysis of governance systems to identify factors that can encourage, or hinder, the adaptation of communities to changes in abundance or availability of marine resources