Title

Local information from commercial fishers and the socio-economic impacts of the implementation of Dugong Protection Areas on the commercial fishing industry

Objectives

1. To collect fine-scale information from commercial fishers regarding historical and present distribution and abundance of dugongs.
2. To determine the social and economic impacts of the implementation of Dugong Protection Areas on commercial fishing families, seafood processors and processing businesses, seafood marketers and marketing businesses.
3. To determine whether netting regulations in Zone 'B' DPAs represent workable regulations from the aspect of viability of commercial operators.
4. To identify any potential changes to netting regulations which will increase the viability of commercial operators in Zone 'A' and 'B' DPAs while further decreasing the threat to dugongs from mesh netting.
5. To determine if translocation of netting effort has occurred or will occur due to the establishment of DPAs.

Relevance

If this project were to proceed it would provide information which will establish the social and economic impacts of the establishment of DPAs on the commercial fishing sector and build on existing dugong anecdotal information bases. It would also give commercial fishers a greater sense of 'involvement' in ongoing monitoring of dugong populations. All objectives would potentially enhance the management of dugongs inside both Zone 'A' and 'B' DPAs and outside DPAs.

Feasibility

Simple interview techniques and an appropriate questionnaire can be easily designed and employed. There are appropriately skilled people both in the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries, James Cook University and the University of Queensland to design and conduct the project. This project will need to be linked with CRC Reef Research Centre Task 2.1.17 examining the socioeconomic impact of Representative Areas on commercial fishing communities.

Methodology

A questionnaire together with face-to-face interviews will be conducted.

Cost

An rough estimate of the cost of the project would be in the vicinity of $30 000.

Time

The project could be finished within one year.