ACT, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, NT, TAS

Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart

The Commonwealth Fisheries Research Advisory Body (ComFRAB) assesses applications for funding of research for Commonwealth fisheries.  In the 2009 research funding round, ComFRAB is making a second call for research relating to Commonwealth fisheries.  Researchers are invited to develop full proposals against the following project scopes:

1. Evaluating the impact of fishing on marine turtles relative to other impacts
2. Incorporating economics into harvest strategies without bioeconomic models
3. Quantitatively defining proxies for limit and target reference points in data poor fisheries
4. Development of a User friendly desktop tool based on Atlantis existing runs
5. Development of seabird mitigation devices for the Commonwealth Trawl Sector
6. Empowering industry through improved understanding of stock assessments and harvest strategies
7. Spatial stock assessment and Management Strategy Evaluation for setting Total Allowable Catch in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery
8. Investigating handling practices to reduce chondrichthyan mortalities
9. Assessing and auditing bycatch mitigation; a case study of the Northern Prawn Fishery

Further detail on each project scope is available on the AFMA website at http://www.afma.gov.au/research/calls/default

For those applications considered worthy, ComFRAB makes recommendations to funding bodies including: the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA); Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC); Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA); and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry.

Where appropriate, ComFRAB will seek advice on submitted applications from relevant Management Advisory Committees. 

Proposals are being sought for projects that commence in the 2010-11 financial year.

Applications must be submitted via the FRDC Fishnet online application system and must also be emailed to the ComFRAB Secretary research.secretary@afma.gov.au by 27 November 2009.