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Unit of Study BIO00105 - Fisheries Biology (2016)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    Students require a sound knowledge of basic biological processes such as photosynthesis and respiration and ecological principles such as trophic relationships, competition, population demographics and environmental carrying capacity. They also need a working knowledge of the principal phyla of marine organisms. Students need the technical skills to produce reports and manipulate spreadsheets and complete on-line tasks. These skills are obtained by completing the pre-requisite units or equivalent experience. There will be a 3 day compulsory residential workshop for Distance Education (i.e. external) students that will be held on the Lismore campus. Please refer to the residential timetable which can be found on the Environment, Science and Engineering Student Centre in MYSCU. There is an optional overnight trip to South East Queensland prior to the 3- day residential that has a cost of $95 to cover accommodation, admission and some meals.

Unit description

Examines the biology and ecology of marine and freshwater fish and invertebrate species important to commercial and recreational fisheries, emphasising the Australian scene. Introduces the topics of fisheries management and aquaculture management by focusing on the aspects of the species’ biology that are relevant to their exploitation including taxonomy, anatomy, ecomorphology, feeding, reproduction, age and growth, conservation biology and habitat management.

Unit content

Topic 1: Introduction to global and Australian fisheries
Topic 2: General anatomy and taxonomy of fish, and commercially exploited invertebrates
Topic 3: Nutrition and feeding of fishes
Topic 4: Age and growth
Topic 5: Reproduction, spawning and recruitment of fishes
Topic 6: Ecological effects of fishing
Topic 7: Fish population demographics and fishery production
Topic 8: Laboratory and field techniques for fisheries data collection
Topic 9: Introduction to fisheries management models
Topic 10: Freshwater fish biology

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Lismore Session 2 Session 2
Online Session 2 N/A

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 demonstrate basic knowledge of the biology (taxonomy, physiology, anatomy and habitat needs) of representative fish, sharks, crustaceans and molluscs
2 describe some of the basic techniques used in fishery management to monitor population size, age, growth, nutrition, spawning, recruitment and mortality of various species
3 identify and apply the data collection and processing techniques required including survey techniques, laboratory processing, measurement and identification procedures
4 explain how a knowledge of the biology of target species is crucial to the effective management and monitoring of exploited natural populations
5 explain the basic demographic principles behind management strategies of maximising sustainable yield, maximising recruitment and maximising yield per recruit of fish and invertebrate stocks.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate basic knowledge of the biology (taxonomy, physiology, anatomy and habitat needs) of representative fish, sharks, crustaceans and molluscs
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  2. describe some of the basic techniques used in fishery management to monitor population size, age, growth, nutrition, spawning, recruitment and mortality of various species
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  3. identify and apply the data collection and processing techniques required including survey techniques, laboratory processing, measurement and identification procedures
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  4. explain how a knowledge of the biology of target species is crucial to the effective management and monitoring of exploited natural populations
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  5. explain the basic demographic principles behind management strategies of maximising sustainable yield, maximising recruitment and maximising yield per recruit of fish and invertebrate stocks.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.