Gemfish project leader Andy Moore from ABARES in Canberra discussed the final survey design with members of the GABRAG (Great Australian Bight Resource Assessment Group) at a meeting on the November 31 2013 in Port Lincoln, South Australia. The fishing industry is very supportive of the research and have offered their help to collect samples.
This week, Jenny Ovenden (right) met with Don Colgan (left) and John Paxton at the Australian Museum in Sydney. Don and John were the authors of the original funded study on gemfish. They reported two separate populations; one on the Australian east coast, and the likelihood of another in the Great Australia Bight.
The current gemfish project will re-examine this hypothesis using new samples and samples from the original project that are being made available by the Fish Section of the Australian Museum. This will add certainty to the assessment of the status of the fishery and help with sustainability of the industry
