Research Opportunities at the Queenscliff Marine Station

Transcription

1 SEBE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP SERIES 2018 Research Opportunities at the Queenscliff Marine Station By VMP across Campus, Wednesday 27 June As many of you will be aware, Deakin University and the Victorian Government agreed last year, to develop a significant partnership at the Queenscliff Marine Research Centre. Professor John Donald has taken the lead in developing the plans for this and provides an update on present developments and the opportunities for research. Please note that unless otherwise agreed, John Donald is to be the key contact for Deakin with government instrumentalities. Links to PowerPoint presentation and notes from this workshop are as follows. Presentations are also bookmarked Professor John Donald,.Professor John Donald Presentation 1 Workshop Summary and Questions..Workshop Summary Presentation 2 Details of all previous workshops are available via the following

2 Workshop Summary: Queenscliff Marine Station SEBE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP SERIES 2018 The Centre was built in 2004 for the purpose of research and teaching and close attention has been paid to the environmental footprint of the facility. Five years ago following a change in Government policy, activity at the Queenscliff site diminished and Deakin became interested in the facility and the opportunities it offered. In addition to Deakin University staff and students who took residence in October 2017, the site houses the Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre (aimed at schoolchildren) and the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA). The work of the VFA at Queenscliff is concerned mostly with fisheries stock assessment, aquaculture, and fisheries education and enforcement. As the slide presentation shows, the Centre is strategically placed and easily accessible from both Melbourne and Geelong. It is an extensive facility with the capacity for growth. The water quality is excellent as it is replenished by tides every day and the range of marine habitat is also quite extensive. Research opportunities. The labs are purpose built for marine science and the seawater flow through the facility allows for both small and large scale projects. Research opportunities include, but are not limited to, the following. Environmental impact. The Government aims to reduce commercial fisheries and encourage recreational fishing. If 1 million people are expected to become recreational fishers, data will be needed to understand the impact that this will have on the environment. Aquaculture. There is a lot of capacity to grow aquaculture in Victoria and to value add along the supply chain. The scope for research also offers opportunities for collaboration among staff from a number of Schools and Strategic Research Centres in SEBE. Shellfish Hatchery. The facility on site is aimed at growing mussels and rock oysters and the related industry. There are opportunities, for example, to study the chemistry, cell biology, the use of algae in culturing mussels

3 SEBE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP SERIES 2018 Questions: Will there be opportunities for researchers from overseas to come here on exchange? Yes, this is an aspiration but we do not have accommodation at present. Is there space for accommodation and will this be built? This option has not been ruled out but there are some issues with the site, in that it is Crown land and that it has also been used for landfill in the past. Is there anyone else that does this / or has this type of facility? Within Victoria there is no other similar facility. There is also a marine facility in Sydney and one in Tasmania but they have a different focus. We do have a distinct competitive advantage in Victoria in that we have a large group of personnel at Deakin who are skilled in different aspects of Marine science. What do the Government want us to do? At present much of the work being done by the VFA concerns fisheries stock assessment. At the Centre we are working with the VFA on aquaculture, including freshwater aquaculture and sustainable fisheries. Can the tanks be used for other studies? For example, staff in the School of Engineering have a project with industry that involves the testing concrete samples in sea water. Would something like this be possible at the Facility? In principle yes but this would have to be discussed in more detail, as it would depend on the scale of the project and the capacity is not endless. How will the management of tanks and sharing of tank space be managed? This is a good question and one that is presently under discussion. However staff should also note that there is also a facility at Warrnambool Campus that may be accessed. If staff want to use the facility for research what are the costs? For Deakin staff there is no rent or bench fee or charges for water.

4 Research Opportunities at the Queenscliff Marine Station Prof John Donald Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

5 LOCATION

6 LOCATION

7 LOCATION

8 LOCATION e9f-xbivlfcj9m:&spf=

9 SITE LAYOUT

10 SITE LAYOUT

11 SITE USERS Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Fisheries Science and Management Aquaculture Education and Enforcement Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre Deakin University: teaching and research under licence Victorian Shellfish Hatchery

12

13 KEY FACILITIES: DEAKIN Research laboratories: e.g. Ecology, Chemistry, Molecular Biology Experimental and holding rooms with flow through seawater Extensive aquaria facilities Flow through tanks: 5000 litres to litres Walk-in fridge and freezer Teaching laboratory 30 students Extensive office areas Boat and equipment storage WiFi Eduroam throughout

14 Sea Water

15 KEY FACILITIES: DEAKIN LABS

16 KEY FACILITIES: DEAKIN LABS

17 KEY FACILITIES: DEAKIN LABS

18 KEY FACILITIES: DEAKIN WET LABS

19 KEY FACILITIES: WET LABS

20 KEY FACILITIES: WET LABS Return

21 KEY FACILITIES: TANKS

22 KEY FACILITIES: TANKS Return

23 SEAWATER SUPPLY

24 SEAWATER SUPPLY

25 SEAWATER SUPPLY Approx. 800,000 litres per day All seawater filtered to 30 microns using parallel drum filters Supply options Ambient; Heated; Chilled Cultured (diluted with town freshwater) Discharge Via settlement sump and biological filter, Additional option for sand filter, followed by 5 & 1 micron cartridge filters plus UV

26 SEAWATER SUPPLY: EPA LICENCE

27 Victorian Fisheries Authority: Research Opportunities Fisheries Management and Science Branch Outcomes from their programs and services aim to assist governments, industries and communities to secure and grow fisheries by: Ensuring the sustainable use and management of fish stocks and their environment Understanding the principles of natural resources management Diversifying and developing new fisheries and aquaculture production/harvest methods Advocating for the protection of the natural aquatic environment. IT LES CeRRF

28 Victorian Fisheries Authority: Research Opportunities Aquaculture Victoria has been involved in aquaculture for over twenty years and manages this work under the Fisheries Act (Victoria) 1995, which provides for the management, development and promotion of an ecologically sustainable and viable aquaculture industry. Victorian aquaculture goes on in a variety of offshore, coastal and inland facilities and produces trout, abalone, blue mussel, aquarium finfish, Murray cod, barramundi and yabby. IT LES Eng CeRRF

29 Victorian Shellfish Hatchery: Research Opportunities m=isch&sa=x&ved=0ahukewjh18jow_lbahxnq5qkhbxjaisq_auicygb&biw=1920&bih=93 4#imgrc=HBBF06sPYYSSSM:&spf= LES CeRRF &source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=x&ved=0ahukewjh18jow_lbahxnq5qkh bxjaisq_auicygb&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=vi83slf43xji3m:&spf=

30 OPERATIONAL MODEL Wet lab experiments Central Marine Analytical Hub Field-based experiments

31 Marine Science in LES at Deakin Ocean and Coastal Processes including oceanography, habitat mapping, ecosystem connectivity, ecosystem services, and blue carbon. Marine Biology and Ecology including animal tracking, animal behaviour, marine conservation and aquatic animal physiology, genetics including edna, marine animals and plants. Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Biosecurity including commercial and recreational fisheries, plant and animal aquaculture, aquatic pests, and invasive species and pathogens. Marine Biotechnology and Chemistry including product development and biotechnology, and chemical analysis of marine environments.

32 Marine Science and Queenscliff Ocean & Coastal Processes Biotech, Chemistry Queenscliff Marine Station Fisheries, Aquaculture & Marine Biosecurity Marine Biology & Ecology

33 LES Marine Science + Queenscliff (QMS): Research Networks Health Policy IT Marine QMS CeRRF Eng IFM Law