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Fisheries Management Paper No.266 - Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery Bycatch Action Plan 2014-2019. Version 1.0, Department Of Fisheries, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

Bycatch is described as the part of the catch which is returned to the sea (usually referred to as non-retained or discarded) either because it has no commercial value or because legislative requirements preclude it being retained. Thus, this Bycatch Action Plan (BAP) includes unmarketable finfish and invertebrate species, along with endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species, such as marine mammals, reptiles and some elasmobranchs.

It is Government policy to minimise bycatch in all commercial fisheries. This BAP details a program of actions to address bycatch issues in the Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery (EGPMF), in accordance with the EGPMF …

Fisheries Management Paper No.265 - Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery Harvest Strategy 2014 - 2019 Version 1.0, Department Of Fisheries Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

This fishery-specific harvest strategy has been developed in line with the Department of Fisheries' (Department) over-arching Harvest Strategy Policy for Aquatic Resources (Department of Fisheries in prep.) and in consultation with licensees. The broad scope of the Harvest Strategy Policy for Aquatic Resources is consistent with the National Harvest Strategy Guidelines but as well as considering all retained target species, it also incorporates retained non-target species, bycatch' and other ecological components to ensure the risks to these elements are managed effectively.

The Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery (EGPMF) harvest strategy outlines the longand short-term fishery-specific management objectives; a description of …

Goomig Farmlands Development Baseline Water Quality In The Lower Keep River, D L. Bennett, Richard J. George Dr

Resource management technical reports

In 2008 the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain. By mid-2014 construction of almost all of the water supply, drainage, access, monitoring and other infrastructure for the 7400ha Goomig Farmlands development had substantially been completed. An important concern is the effect the Goomig Farmlands development may have on the water quality of the downstream lower Keep River aquatic environment, particularly as it relates to threatened species that inhabit or may inhabit the area. Possible increases in salinity, nutrients, suspended sediment, heavy metals and farm chemicals delivered in …

Report To The Commissioner Of Soil And Land Conservation On The Trend Of The Western Australian Pastoral Resource Base 2014, Paul Novelly, Philip Thomas

Natural resources published reports

This report provides a regional overview of the trend in the pastoral rangelands of Western Australia, based on data from the Bureau of Meteorology, the Annual return of livestock and improvements (submitted annually by pastoral lessees) and the Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System (WARMS), for which data are available for over 20 years. The report provides a context for assessment of the range condition and trend of individual pastoral leases within the various regions of the state, as well as providing a current assessment of the status of each of the regions' rangelands, and the drivers (both seasonal and managerial) …

Biomass Scoping Study: Opportunities For Agriculture In Western Australia, Kim Brooksbank, Mitchell Lever, Harriet Paterson, Melissa Weybury

Bulletins 4000 -

This 2014 report aims to provide a summary of national and international activity in the use of agricultural by-products for the production of bioenergy and biofuels. The summary is primarily an internal report for the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA), but will hopefully be of some value to industry proponents that are interested in pursuing the opportunities provided by what are currently low value agricultural waste products. We outline three processes for obtaining energy from these by-products that may be appropriate for the farming sector in Western Australia (WA).

A Genetic Algorithm-Based Feature Selection, Oluleye Babatunde, Leisa Armstrong, Jinsong Leng, Dean Diepeveen

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

This article details the exploration and application of Genetic Algorithm (GA) for feature selection. Particularly a binary GA was used for dimensionality reduction to enhance the performance of the concerned classifiers. In this work, hundred (100) features were extracted from set of images found in the Flavia dataset (a publicly available dataset). The extracted features are Zernike Moments (ZM), Fourier Descriptors (FD), Lengendre Moments (LM), Hu 7 Moments (Hu7M), Texture Properties (TP) and Geometrical Properties (GP). The main contributions of this article are (1) detailed documentation of the GA Toolbox in MATLAB and (2) the development of a GA-based feature …

Gouldian Finch Breeding Surveys 2014: Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project - Weaber Plain Development Area, Sarah R. Pryke, Nina Svedin

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

As part of the requirement for State approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the Gouldian Finch Management Plan (GFMP), a baseline assessment and on-going monitoring of the endangered Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) is required during the construction and operation of the Ord River Irrigation Area Weaber Plain Development Project in the eastern Kimberley, Western Australia. This report details the findings from surveys of Gouldian finches during their annual breeding season (Feb-May 2014).

The Agronomy Jigsaw: Finding The Pieces That Maximise Water Use Efficiency, David Hall, Paul Galloway, Jeremy Lemon, Ben Curtis, Andrew Van Burgel, Kelly Kong, Nigel Metz,

Bulletins 4000 -

The Agronomy Jigsaw project is an initiative of the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) in collaboration with the South East Premium Wheat Growers Association (SEPWA) and Precision Agronomics Australia (PAA). The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) funded the project under the water use efficiency initiative (DAW193).

Improving water use efficiency (WUE) is the key to increasing crop production in dryland agriculture. In southern Western Australia (WA), water use efficiencies of wheat can vary from 8 to 22kg/mm/ha. The purpose of the Agronomy Jigsaw project is to understand this variation at paddock level: What are the main …

Salinity Risk Mapping For Assessing Carbon Farming Initiative Proposals: Decision Support And Data Requirements, Paul Raper, Peter Gardiner

Resource management technical reports

The Clean Energy Legislation passed by the Australian Parliament on 8 November 2011 links the carbon price to the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI). Under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 (the Act), proponents need to consider regional natural resource management (NRM) plans to ensure that tree plantings for carbon bio-sequestration maximise environmental benefits and avoid unintended adverse effects on biodiversity, water and agricultural production systems.

Soil Acidity : A Guide For Wa Farmers And Consultants., Chris Gazey, Stephen Davies, Ron Master

Bulletins 4000 -

Our first edition of Soil acidity: a guide for WA farmers and consultants in 2009 was a significant publication which brought together current knowledge on the management of soil acidity in WA in a user-friendly book. Three thousand printed copies were distributed and an interactive PDF on the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) website made it available to most WA farmers and consultants.

iLime is a decision tool to assist liming decisions.

Recent projects have extended our knowledge of the extent of the soil acidity problem in WA. When the first edition was published, we had good …

Oria Stage Ii Expansion: Keep River Baseline Aquatic Fauna And Targeted Sawfish Surveys - September/October 2013, Wetland Research And Management (Wrm), Landcorp

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Western Australian Government is developing additional land for irrigated agriculture adjacent to the existing Ord River Irrigation Area (Ord Stage 1), in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The expansion, referred to as greater Ord Stage 2 has identified land along the lower Ord (Packsaddle, West Bank, Carlton Station and Mantinea), the Cockatoo Sands, as well as the Weaber, Keep River and Knox Creek Plains as suitable for development. The current development of the Weaber and Knox Creek Plains, referred to as the M2 Supply Area, will increase the current area under irrigation from 14,000 to potentially 30, 500 …

Ord Project: Aquatic Fauna Management Plan 2014, Strategen, Landcorp

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

This Aquatic Fauna Management Plan has been prepared to ensure appropriate management measures are in place to protect particular Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (EPBC Act) listed threatened species which have the potential to be affected by the Weaber Plain Development Project (proposal).

Broome Sandstone Aquifer, La Grange Groundwater Area: A Preliminary Report On The Hydrochemistry And Groundwater Recharge Rates, With Recommendations For Future Drilling And Environmental Tracer Sampling, Glenn A. Harrington

Natural resources commissioned reports

Innovative Groundwater Solutions has been engaged by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) to assist with the initial planning and design of the drilling and groundwater sampling program for the Broome Sandstone aquifer in the La Grange groundwater area.

There are multiple objectives of the drilling program, including defining aquifer stratigraphy and position of the salt-water interface; assessing groundwater recharge, residence time, lateral flow velocity and the source of water to culturally significant sites; enabling long-term monitoring of water level and water quality; and, ultimately, developing a groundwater model for the aquifer.

The following four tasks were …

Ord Project: Stormwater And Groundwater Discharge Management Plan 2014, Stratagen, Landcorp

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

This Stormwater and Groundwater Discharge Management Plan (SGDMP) has been prepared to protect the environmental values of Border Creek and Keep River that may as a result of the Weaber Plain Development Project (the Project), be potentially affected by the discharge of stormwater and surplus groundwater (if required).

The SGDMP has also been prepared to address the Western Australian conditions and proponent commitments of Statement 938 issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act), Condition 11 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) decision statement (EPBC 2010/5491) as well as manage any potential impacts that could affect Matters …

Gouldian Finch Non Breeding Population And Habitat Assessment 2014: Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project - Weaber Plain Development Area, Sarah R. Pryke, Nina Svedin

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

As part of the requirement for State approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, an assessment and regular monitoring of the endangered Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) is required during the operation of the Ord River Irrigation Area Weaber Plain Development Project in Kimberley, Western Australia. This report details the findings from 1) surveys of non-breeding Gouldian finches and vegetation assessment of their associated feeding habitats during the non breeding season (September 2013 – December 2013), and 2) wet season vegetation surveys of Gouldian finch feeding grasses (November 2013 – March 2014).

Ord Project: Gouldian Finch Conservation Management Plan 2014, Stratagen, Landcorp

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

This Gouldian Finch Conservation Plan has been prepared to ensure appropriate management of the Gouldian Finch and its habitat during construction and operation of Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) Weaber Plain Development Project (the Project). It has been prepared to complement the State approval to implement the Project issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 as defined in Statement 938 as well as manage any potential impacts that could affect this Matter of National Environmental Significance as listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) (EPBC Reference 2010/5491).

Ord Project: Offset Management Plan 2014, Strategen, Landcorp

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Western Australian Minister for State Development is developing an area of land for irrigated agriculture across the Weaber Plain in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, approximately 30 km northeast of Kununurra and adjoining the existing Ord River Irrigations Area (the Project). Figure 1 shows the Project Area including the Development Area and the Buffer Area. Key components or environmental aspects of the Project relevant to the Offset Management Plan include:

• irrigation with 80 to 120 GL/yr of water sourced from Lake Argyle

• clearing of approximately 9260 ha of vegetation including 8205 ha for farmland

• upgrading …

Ord Project: Buffer Management Plan 2014, Stratagen, Landcorp

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Western Australian Minister for State Development is developing an area of land for irrigated agriculture across the Weaber Plain in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, approximately 30 km north-northeast of Kununurra and adjoining the existing Ord River Irrigation Area.

The Project requires land clearing for farms, sourcing of road building materials, construction of the main M2 channel and smaller distribution channels to service agricultural lots, roads, power supply infrastructure, and stormwater management, groundwater management, drainage and flood protection infrastructure. The Project also involves release of irrigation water from Lake Argyle, which will be conveyed via the Ord River …

Glyphosate Resistant Weeds - Beat Them Before They Beat You, Sally Peltzer

Grain and other field crops published reports

Herbicide resistance develops if the weeds exist in the population and set fertile seed. Being vigilant, keeping weed populations low and stopping seed set is the best way to prevent glyphosate resistance development:

• know the herbicide use history of each paddock. If glyphosate has been the dominant knockdown and spray-topping product used, it's time to change
• conduct herbicide resistance testing to determine what herbicides are effective on key weeds
• aim for maximum control
• establish a more diverse rotation to increase the number of control tactics available
• use non-herbicide control tactics at every opportunity
• always monitor the success of each control …

Carbon Farming In Relation To Western Australian Agriculture, Robert Sudmeyer, Jackson Parker, Tanmoy Nath, Ananda Ghose

Bulletins 4000 -

Carbon farming activities need to return multiple economic and environmental co-benefits to be attractive to land managers. This bulletin summarises concepts underlying carbon farming, how Australia accounts for greenhouse gas emissions and the potential for Western Australian land managers to participate in, and benefit from, carbon farming.

Ord Project: Groundwater Management Plan 2014, Stratagen, Landcorp

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Western Australian Minister for State Development is developing an area of land on the Weaber Plain for irrigated agriculture, approximately 30 km north-northeast of Kununurra and adjoining the existing Ord River Irrigation Area, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Key components or environmental aspects of the project relevant to groundwater management include:

• application of 80 – 120 GL/yr of irrigation water which would increase recharge over the Weaber Plain and add to any rise in the watertable

• vegetation clearing of approximately 9260 ha of land for farms and infrastructure which would increase groundwater recharge and result …

Key Findings Of The 2013 West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource Stock Assessment, Department Of Fisheries Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

Now, six years since the first stock assessment, and with the completion of a comprehensive boat-based survey of recreational fishing, ongoing annual monitoring of commercial and charter catches and a third stock assessment completed in 2013, the effectiveness of current management measures is able to be assessed.

This paper also provides an overview of the determination in regard to the sectoral allocations of the demersal scalefish resource in the WCB.

Growth Of Tropical Dasyatid Rays Estimated Using A Multi-Analytical Approach, Owen R. O'Shea, Matias Braccini, Rory Mcauley, Conrad W. Speed, Mark G. Meekan

Fisheries Research Articles

We studied the age and growth of four sympatric stingrays: reticulate whipray, Himanutra uarnak (n=19); blue mask, Neotrygon kuhlii (n=34); cowtail, Pastinachus atrus (n=32) and blue-spotted fantail, Taeniura lymma (n=40) rays at Ningaloo Reef, a fringing coral reef on the north-western coast of western Australia. Age estimates derived from band counts within sectioned vertebrae ranged between 1 and 27 years (H. uarnak, 1 - 25 yrs.; N. kuhlii, 1.5 - 13 yrs.; P. atrus, 1 - 27 yrs. and T. lymma, 1 -11 yrs.). Due to limitations of sample sizes, we combined several analytical methods …

Ord River Irrigation Area - Weaber Plain Development Project Environmental Management Program, Stratagen, Landcorp

Plans

The State of Western Australia and Kimberley Agricultural Investment Pty Ltd (KAI) have commenced developing land for irrigated agriculture across the Weaber Plain, located north-northeast of Kununurra in the eastern Kimberley region of WA (Figure 1). The Weaber Plain is immediately northeast of the existing Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA), with proposed development representing the second stage of the ORIA scheme. The development (the ‘Project area’) forms part of the M2 Area, which comprises over 76 000 ha (including Buffer Areas) across the Weaber, Keep River and Knox Creek plains and extends to the Keep River estuary in the Northern …

Pasture Condition Guide For The Kimberley, Kathryn Ryan, Elizabeth Tierney, Paul Novelly, Robert Mccartney

Bulletins 4000 -

This interactive guide has been produced as a tool for assessing pasture condition over a range of pasture types in the Kimberley. A pasture type is a distinctive mix of plant species, soil type and landscape position. For example, the Mitchell Grass Alluvial Plain Pasture type is a mixture of Mitchell grasses and other species occurring on black soil alluvial plains. Pasture condition is an important factor affecting the potential of the rangelands for animal production and is a useful indicator for the sustainability of production.

Report Card On Sustainable Natural Resource Use In Agriculture, Robert Summers, David Weaver

All other publications

Condition and trend Nutrients, such as phosphorus (P), are essential for profitable agriculture in the south-west of WA; however, excess P – more than is required for optimal production – is stored in many agricultural soils. On average, pasture soils and arable soils contain 1.3 times and 1.6 times respectively, as much P as is required for optimal production. Production in P-enriched soils is more likely to be constrained by soil acidity (50–60% of pasture and arable soils), potassium (K) (50% of pasture soils and less than 10% of arable soils), and sulphur (S) (30% of pasture soils). Management implications …

Report Card On Sustainable Natural Resource Use In Agriculture : Status And Trend In The Agricultural Areas Of The South-West Of Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Books & book chapters

This report card summarises our current knowledge of the status and trend in the natural resource base in the agricultural areas of the south-west of Western Australia (WA) and provides a discussion of the implications for agricultural industries.

The condition of our natural resources is a complex interaction of numerous processes. In simple terms however, the performance of the land is driven by three primary factors: climate, land characteristics and land management. The first two factors are largely out of the control of land managers, and in a drying and variable climate, land management practices need to be able to …

Oria Stage Ii Expansion: Keep River Baseline Aquatic Fauna And Targeted Sawfish Surveys - September/October 2012, Wetland Research And Management (Wrm), Landcorp

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Western Australian Government is developing additional land for irrigated agriculture adjacent to the existing Ord River Irrigation Area (Ord Stage 1), in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The expansion, referred to as greater Ord Stage 2 has identified land along the lower Ord (Packsaddle, West Bank, Carlton Station and Mantinea), the Cockatoo Sands, as well as the Weaber, Keep River and Knox Creek Plains as suitable for development. The current development of the Weaber and Knox Creek Plains, referred to as the M2 Supply Area, will increase the current area under irrigation from 14,000 to potentially 30, 500 …

Audit Of Wa Agricultural Lime Quality 2013, Chris Gazey

Bulletins 4000 -

Applying agricultural lime is the most economical way of ameliorating low soil pH in broadscale agriculture in Western Australia (WA). In WA, agricultural lime is usually limesand from coastal sand dunes, crushed limestone from coastal deposits or crushed dolomitic lime (usually marketed as dolomite) from old lake and inland drainage systems. Other sources are Cretaceous chalk and lake bed marls.

WA agriculture is well serviced by lime suppliers, although the quality of lime varies markedly around the State, and cost does not always reflect quality as measured by neutralising value and fineness. Neutralising value and particle size distribution (fineness) are …

Establishment Guide For Sub-Tropical Grasses : Key Steps To Success, Geoff Allan Moore, Ronald J. Yates, Phil Barrett-Lennard, Phil Nichols, Brad Wintle, John Titterington, Chris Loo

Bulletins 4000 -

Sub-tropical perennial grasses are now widely sown in the Northern Agricultural region (NAR) and on the south coast of Western Australia (WA). Since 2000, more than 50 000 ha have been sown to perennial grasses in the NAR and about 150 000 ha on the south coast, mainly kikuyu.