MB3150:03
Fisheries Science
Townsville
Prerequisites: MB2060 recommended
Inadmissable Subject Combination: MB5003
26 lectures, 18 hours practicals, 12 hours field work. First semester.
Staff: Assoc. Professor G Russ.
Fisheries science in tropical waters with an emphasis on the biology of managed and exploited species. This course provides an introduction to fisheries science and identifies the important features of tropical fisheries. Core elements will include methods used in assessing fish populations, the methods of fisheries science and their application in tropical environments and the importance of the biology of tropical marine species in regard to management strategies.
Learning Objectives:
- outline the current state of knowledge in the field of fisheries science;
- understand how fishery assessment tools, techniques and models are applied, their limitations and their outcomes;
- appreciate the importance of the biology of exploited species and the influence that the biology of the species has on the management strategies applied;
- critically evaluate the application of fisheries models in developing strategies for the management of fisheries;
- understand the way in which population parameters are estimated and incorporated into fisheries models;
- outline the use of marine protected areas in fisheries management.
Assessment by a three-hour examination (65%); assignment (15%); field report (15%); field and tutorial performance (5%).