Fisheries scientists have developed a new online length-based modelling tool to provide a blueprint for tracking the sustainability of the State’s crustacean fisheries.
Fisheries scientists have developed a new online length-based modelling tool to provide a blueprint for tracking the sustainability of the State’s crustacean fisheries.
The IMuLT (Integrated Model using Length Transition) program was developed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) Dr. Simon de Lestang in collaboration with world-renowned stock assessment expert Professor André Punt from the University of Washington and Dr. Klaas Hartmann in Tasmania.
National Science Week provides a great opportunity to highlight the collaboration between DPIRD fisheries researchers with other experts across the country and globally on fisheries science.
The statistical catch-at-length IMuLT online platform has been designed for stock assessments for species that cannot be directly aged, including lobster, crabs and bivalves like oysters and scallops.
It is being applied by researchers not only in Western Australia and Australia, but in countries around the world including France and Chile.
Dr de Lestang said DPIRD’s fisheries stock assessments already used internationally accepted methods which included data collected over multiple years from multiple sources.
“We are always looking to innovate and improve the way we do our science to support the sustainability of WA’s fisheries.
“IMuLT provides a flexible framework specifically for invertebrate stock assessments which is continuing to evolve the way we process the data for size-based modelling.
“Each year lobsters shed their shell, known as moulting, which is essential for growth.
“Unlike fish species, lobsters don’t have otoliths bones for aging, so length is the primary way we track the population demographics.
“IMuLT is allowing us to take the length data we already capture through biological samples of fishers’ catch, information from commercial and charter logbooks and fishing returns, recreational fishing surveys and our own on-water scientific surveys and replicate this in a computer-based fishery.
“IMuLT conducts this process faster and with better diagnostics to help us understand the ability of the model to replicate the real world.”
Dr de Lestang said in Western Australia we are already using IMuLT for deep sea crab and the development for the more complex western rock lobster stock assessment is well underway.
“As an online tool, IMuLT provides a great opportunity for researchers around the world to collaborate on how the platform is being used to be able to continue to build and refine the modelling framework to provide the best available data about our crustacean fisheries,” he said.
