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TORRES STRAIT MARINE RESEARCH HOOKS FISHING FOLK3 September 2003 Torres Strait islanders, fisheries managers, scientists and industry will meet in Torres Strait tomorrow to discuss a new $21.3 million three–year marine resources research program starting in the region. “The meeting is an opportunity for Torres Strait islanders, researchers and managers working on the Torres Strait Program to ensure that we coordinate our research effort and work together whenever possible to make the best use of resources,” said Dr David Williams, Deputy CEO of CRC Reef who leads the Torres Strait research program. “We are also meeting in Torres Strait to learn the most effective way to communicate the results from the research to the community and to other stakeholders,” said Mr Toshi Nakata, Marine Research Liaison Officer with the Torres Strait Program. Mr Nakata will be a key advisor about communication protocols during the meeting. He has lived in Torres Strait all his life and previously worked for community fishers in the area addressing management of fisheries. He has also worked as a commercial crayfish fisherman in the area. The Torres Strait Program will focus on research that will ensure the conservation and sustainable management of marine resources in the Torres Strait including fisheries, seagrasses, dugongs and turtles. It has three main areas of research – sustaining the harvest of marine resources, understanding ecosystem process and evaluating management strategies and risk. “The program will build capacity of the people of Torres Strait to benefit from their marine resources in a sustainable way,” said Dr David Williams. “The program will also help to fulfill Australia’s obligations under the Torres Strait Treaty and other agreements with Papua New Guinea. The work also addresses several key objectives identified in Australia’s Oceans Policy including the Regional Marine Planning processes led by the National Oceans Office,” he said. The Program is based at CRC Reef Research Centre and is supported by the Cooperative Research Centres Program with $3 million funding over three years. The Program is also suported by $3.1 million in cash and a further $15.2 million in-kind funding from participating partners including Torres Strait Regional Authority, Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Australian Institute of Marine Science, CRC Reef Research Centre, CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, James Cook University, National Oceans Office and Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. The Program is also supported by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Great Barrier Reef Research Foundation, Northern territory Fisheries, Ports Corporation of Queensland, Queensland Museum, Queensland Seafood Industry Association and Western Australian Fisheries. For more information contact: Ms Chloe Lucas, CRC Reef Media Liasion on 0408884521 or chloe.lucas@crcreef.com. |
