Overfishing (Community Outreach)

The University of Newcastle engaged in educational outreach aimed at raising awareness about overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and destructive fishing practices, particularly through forums and community events.

What the University of Newcastle is doing: Initiatives & Activities

1. Community & Pacific Islands Partnerships
   • In 2024, the University ran a student & researcher field‑study 'Plastics Plight' in Samoa under the New Colombo Plan. Students collaborated with local scientists on microplastics, with the broader context involving marine pollution and impacts on fisheries and coastal ecosystems. This helped raise awareness of environmental pressures including those linked to fishing and marine health.
   • The University has also established the Asia Pacific Node (in partnership with NIER, SPREP, etc.) which aims to enhance regional research capacity, including marine environment issues.
2. Mangrove & Habitat Conservation
   • The University has entered into an MoU with a Samoan village (Moata’s Living Lab) for research, conservation and potential tourism around the Samoan mangrove ecosystem. That contributes both to local community awareness as well as research outputs on the importance of mangroves for fisheries, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration.
3. Research & Monitoring
   • The University participates in collaborative research in marine observation, oceanography, and more. These inform policy, community decision‑making and awareness around marine pressures (including overfishing, habitat destruction).
   • There is also involvement (via university researchers) in monitoring and data collection projects in the Pacific / regional environments.
4. Teaching & Curriculum
   • The University offers courses such as MARI1000: Our Oceans, which address marine ecosystems, conservation issues including fishing pressures and sustainable use of marine resources.
   • Through our colleges and units, there are modules and seminars covering fisheries management, marine protected areas, and environmental impacts of destructive fishing. (These provide foundational exposure to the issues among students.)
5. Juvenile Crab Trap Protection
   • In partnership with Hunter LLS, commercial crab fisherman have been working with NSW DPI Fisheries and the University of Newcastle to develop an effective crab trap design that reduced juvenile catches of blue swimmer and mud crabs. This has been extremely successful with many commercial and recreational fisherman from Wallis Lake installing escape panels in the crab traps, reducing their interactions with juvenile catch. Since this project we have seen industry from other regions and states adopting these practices to minimise the risk of damage or death of juvenile blue swimmer and mud crabs.

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