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National Marine NRM News 

August 2021
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In This Edition:
 

Featured
OceanWatch Responsible Diver Training
OceanWatch Responsible Diver Training is now underway for the NSW Abalone, and Sea Urchin and Turban Shell (SUTS) fisheries. OceanWatch held the initial training session earlier this week, and will continue to run online workshops over the coming weeks engaging both divers and deckhands through industry representatives.
The OceanWatch Responsible Diver Training Program covers topics relating to the voluntary NSW Environmental Code of Practice for the Abalone and SUTS fisheries and is aimed at improving knowledge, awareness and professionalism of the sector. The training goes above and beyond requirements prescribed by state, national and international regulations.

This project is supported by OceanWatch Australia, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program and the NSW Abalone Association.

Learn more.
Mangrove Recovery Project
OceanWatch is set to begin a bushfire recovery project on the NSW south coast focused on mangrove recovery. In partnership with MangroveWatch and Budd Island Landcare Group, OceanWatch will build the capacity of local oyster farmers and volunteers within the community to repair mangrove habitats that were damaged in the Black Summer Bushfires. The project will build local teams to monitor mangrove health, and trial assisted mangrove restoration techniques where necessary.
Find out more about our bushfire recovery work here. 

This Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery project is supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat.
Farewell Claire
We would like to farewell Claire Denamur, who is leaving OceanWatch to return home to France. Claire began working with us as a project officer in October 2019 coming from a background in environmental project management. 

During her time at OceanWatch Claire has been involved in many great initiatives. Among her many projects she recently developed source reduction plans for professional light sticks and bait bags on the Great Barrier Reef with Tangaroa Blue Foundation through the ReefClean project. 
Claire also launched the marine and coastal directory which aims to connect people working in the marine and coastal environment. Claire's hard work and dedication will be greatly missed, she has been an invaluable part of the OceanWatch team and we wish Claire well in her future career.

The OceanWatch Master Fisherman program involves formal training and assessment for professional fishers, and supplementary development of online fisher profiles to help demonstrate individual commitment to responsible fishing practices. 
The OceanWatch Master Fisherman program is continuing to raise the standard of responsible fishing in Australia. Recognised professional fishermen showcase the drive for sustainability and environmental awareness in the Australian seafood industry.

Learn more.
Dave Osborne

Dave is a professional fisherman based at Gap Beach, South West Rocks on the NSW mid north coast. Dave is endorsed in the NSW Estuary General Fishery to catch beach worms and harvest pipi.

Dave supplies local seafood for seafood consumers in a sustainable and responsible way and is proud to be recognised as an OceanWatch Master Fisherman.

Learn more
Dean Elliot
 
Dean ‘Tangles’ Elliot is a fifth generation professional fisherman working since 1989. Dean lives in the Forster Tuncurry region, working mainly out of Wallis Lake.

He was elected as a Director on the Wallis Lake Fishermen’s Co-operative Board in October 2016. Dean’s fresh catch is available at the Wallis Lake Fishermen’s Coop.


Learn more

Get Involved

In The News
IPCC Climate Change Report
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the Sixth Assessment Report on climate change in early August. The assessment states that human influence has unequivocally caused climate change, the effects of which are already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe. These changes are making extreme climate events like heat waves, heavy rainfall, and droughts more frequent and severe. The report highlights that by limiting warming some of the consequences of climate change could be still be slowed or stopped, but this relies on decisions made now, for some changes however there is already no going back. 
Seagrass restoration SA
The South Australian Department for Environment and Water (DEW) is working in partnership with SA Research and Development Institute on seagrass meadows to help protect Adelaide’s seabed against erosion and support a healthy marine environment. 
The $1 million project utilises a technique, developed in South Australia, which involves placing hessian sacks on the seafloor near seagrass meadows for young seagrass to attach and grow. 

Learn more.
Stay Afloat Queensland
Stay Afloat Australia is the national mental health pilot program for the Australian seafood industry, run by Seafood Industry Australia (SIA). In early August Seafood Industry Australia announced the launch of  Stay Afloat Queensland to help commercial fishers build resilience, with the Queensland government contributing $59,000 towards the program. 
‘Stay Afloat’ Program Manager Jo Marshall said the specialised program is designed to connect fishers with existing services while creating networks of support on the ground in their fishing communities.

Learn more. 
New program estimating Australia's blue carbon potential
A new $3.3 million research program by BHP and CSIRO, is seeking to measure and quantify the net emissions reduction potential of Australia’s mangroves, seagrasses and tidal marshes.
The program will also quantify the value of other benefits these ecosystems provide for coastal protection, fisheries and biodiversity. Mangroves, seagrasses and tidal marshes, also known as ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems, lock up carbon at faster rates than most land ecosystems.

Learn more.

Grants, Awards and Opportunities 

Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021

The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021 is a completely virtual, global initiative to find, support and accelerate innovative solutions that can transform the health of the ocean. With over $150,000 in cash prizes and $150,000 of additional products and support available, this year’s Pitchfest is bigger and better than ever.  Presented by Bank Australia and HP Australia, Pitchfest 2021 will also include additional Spotlight Award categories for innovative solutions to key ocean challenge areas including: Sustainable Ocean Harvesting, Plastic Pollution and Climate Change.

Learn more.

World Fisheries Congress 2021

Due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, WFC2021 will now be delivered fully online. 
Don’t miss your chance to discover the latest research, key innovations and engage with the global fisheries community. 
Delegates who registered to attend in-person will be updated to a virtual registration. If this impacts you, find out more about bookings and refunds. 
We look forward to welcoming you to the WFC2021 online congress from Adelaide, South Australia and around the world.

Register here. 

2022 Science and Innovation Awards

Grant applications are now open for the 2022 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry! If you’re 18-35 and want to make a difference for Australia’s agriculture industries, this is your chance to apply for a grant of up to $22,000 to fund your project. Applications close 5pm 1st October 2021. 

Learn more.

Drought Resilience Innovation EOI

The Australian Government is inviting Expression of Interest applications via an open competitive process for grants under the Future Drought Fund - Drought Resilience Innovation Expression of Interest (EOI) and Grants Program from 29 July 2021 to 8 September 2021. 

Learn more.

Great Barrier Reef Foundation: Citizen Science Grants

This round of community reef protection grants will focus on using citizen science to monitor and build understanding about impacts from climate change and local threats for Reef habitats, wildlife and/or communities, and apply information to enable community-led solutions to build Reef and community resilience.
Applications close 27 September 2021 at 5pm AEST. Further information is available in the Application Guidelines. 

Apply here.

Marine and Coastal Directory

The Marine NRM Coastal Directory is designed to find and connect people working in the marine and coastal environment through a free and easy-to-use platform. Engage new colleagues, extend your network, and help fuel the growth of Australian's blue green innovations. 

Create your account.

Related Newsletters & Links

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