James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2003

MB3310:03

Tropical Fisheries Biology and Management *

20 hours lectures, 12 hours practicals, 16 hours seminars, 4-day field trip. February block mode.

Available to students in the Marine Science Tropical Marine Network Program run jointly by James Cook University, the University of Queensland and the University of Sydney.

Staff: Assoc. Professor G Russ.

A two-week intensive subject on recent advances in fisheries science, with an emphasis on managed and exploited species in tropical marine waters. Developments in estimating age and growth, stock assessment, methods of management and single and multi-species fisheries models will be discussed. The field component of the subject will be run at the Orpheus Island Research Station.

Learning Objectives:

1. introduce the basic principles of stock assessment, emphasising tropical fisheries;
2. introduce recent developments in age-based fisheries methods;
3. develop skills in researching, evaluating and presenting published information on tropical fisheries.

Assessment by take-home examination (60%); seminar (20%); assignment (15%); discussion (5%).