SeaNet Northern Territory

SeaNet NT is hosted by the Northern Territory Seafood Council 

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

SeaNet NT is working on ways to promote the professional fishing industry within the wider community, particularly with regard to sustainability and bycatch issues. Industry and government have spent many years and dollars on improving the environmental credentials of Australia seafood, but their achievements remain largely unrecognised in the wider community. The SeaNetNT YouTube channel uses short videos to show different aspects of the fishing industry in Northern Australia and includes several on the development and use of Turtle Excluder Devices in the Northern Prawn Fishery. 

 

The NT Marine Resource Management Network was started by the NT SeaNet Officer to keep interested stakeholders up to date with SeaNet, OceanWatch Australia and general marine resource news. A monthly summary email is sent around to fishers, seafood processors and retailers, government and non-government marine resource management workers. If you would like to be added to the network email lyn@oceanwatch.org.au 

 

Other activities the NT SeaNet Officer has been involved in recently include giving a presentation on the fishing industry and sustainability to 12 women Marine Rangers undertaking their Certificate II in Marine Compliance, and having a stall at the Girraween Primary School Sustainability Field Day. The Field Day was attended by around 450 primary school students and, as with the Marine Rangers, interest was captured by the displayed Turtle Excluder Device and explanation of how it and other Bycatch Reduction Devices work.

IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

SeaNet NT has completed a revision of the Barramundi Fishery Environmental Management System (EMS) with the assistance of an EMS team from the barra industry. The group looked at ways of strengthening the EMS and increasing industry responsibility for improving environmental performance. As a part of this, the group has also developed a Sawfish Information Sheet to advise fishers on avoiding or minimising sawfish interactions, and handling and release procedures. 

The Northern Territory Code of Practice for the Mud Crab Fishery has been completed and is being distributed to industry. The Code has been revised to include the results of research on the post-harvest survival of Mud Crabs from capture to point of sale.

Work continues on the Australian Government-funded project revising or developing the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) or Codes of Practice (CoP) for five fisheries in the NT.

Workshops have been held for the Aquarium, Mud Crab, Coastal Line, and Offshore Net and Line fisheries, and draft documents developed and circulated for comment. The Demersal/Finfish workshop will be held on 3^rd August. The 2 year project is funded under the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative.

QUALITY OF SEAFOOD AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (OH&S)

As part of an FRDC-funded project, SeaNet Officers are rolling out information and resource materials on seafood quality and OH&S to the seafood industry. The resource materials include information on a Quality Index and an OH&S package developed by the Sydney Fish Market, stickers promoting safe workplaces and hazard reduction, and fact sheets with State and Territory specific information on further resources available.

“Extension of OH&S and Quality Index project outputs to seafood industry across Australia is supported by funding from the FRDC on behalf of the Australian Government.”

MARINE DEBRIS CLEAN-UP 

Darwin Harbour Clean-Up July 5 2011

The second Darwin Harbour Clean-Up day was held on Tuesday, July 5, and once again was successful in bringing together a range of stakeholders to do something positive for the Harbour and hopefully raise awareness of rubbish issues in our marine environment.

Around 90 volunteers and workers got involved, from a diverse range of government, non-government and private agencies including Paspaley Pearls, NT Fisheries, NT Water Police, Darwin Port Corporation, Parks and Wildlife Junior Rangers, and Surf Life Saving NT. Eight boats were out on the water, 7 land-based crews collected rubbish around Darwin and on Cox Peninsula, and a dive team from the Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory went to see what they could find in Lake Alexander (not much).

Just over a tonne of general rubbish was collected including 8 tyres, several chairs, 150 metres of fishing line, 4500 plastic bags, 5200 aluminium cans, 1700 drink bottles, 1900 pieces of cardboard (mainly fireworks which contain plastic inside the cardboard) and 63 thongs.

The amount of general rubbish collected in most hotspots, especially common items such as aluminium cans and plastic bottles, was comparable to what was collected during last year’s clean-up day. As well as the general rubbish collected, the Darwin Port Corporation crane pulled an extra 1.6 tonne of old steel from the mud in front of Hornibrooks Wharf.

The 2011 Darwin Harbour Clean-up is organised by the Northern Territory Seafood Council and OceanWatch Australia’s SeaNet Program through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative and Territory Natural Resource Management’s Coastcare Program.

For further information please contact the NT SeaNet Officer, Lyn Lambeth on 8981 5194 or visit www.ntsc.com.au

2011  Darwin Harbour Clean-Up Project Supporters and Participants

Amateur Fishermen’s Association NT

Australian Marine Conservation Society

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service

Austurtle

Belyuen Community

Conservation Volunteers Australia

Commercial Fishing Industry

Darwin City Council

Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee

Darwin Port Corporation

GhostNets Australia

INPEX

Larrakia Development Corporation

Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation

Larrakia Rangers

Local Government Association

Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory

Natasha Griggs MP

Northern Territory Seafood Council

NT Fisheries

NT Government (NRETAS)

NT Water Police

OceanWatch Australia

Parks and Wildlife

Paspaley Pearls

Power and Water Corporation

Sea Darwin Eco Tour

Surf Life Saving NT

Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society

Tasmanian Seafoods

Tek Diving Services

Territory Natural Resource Management

Two Fella Creek Conservation Group

Wagait Beach Supermarket

Wagait Shire Council