Call for Expressions of Interest: Abalone Industry Reinvestment Fund

⁠⁠⁠​The Abalone Industry Reinvestment Fund is an allocation of $5.1 million over 5 years.

The broad objectives of the fund are to support and increase the sustainability and productivity of the abalone fishery both biologically and economically.

The abalone industry has identified a number of initiatives which should be among a suite of projects developed - one such key area is addressing the impacts of Centrostephanus, known as the long spined sea urchin.

As part of these objectives the fund will:
* support projects to reduce the long spined sea urchin population on the East Coast
* support projects to increase abalone stock rates, including larval seeding

​The fund is administered by a committee consisting of members from the Tasmanian Abalone Council Limited, the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment and the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies.

Expressions of interest for project funding

The Committee is calling for expressions of interest for project funding. Examples of the areas and types of suitable projects include:
* abalone stock enhancement
* habitat survey and longspined sea urchin barren mapping
* management and mitigation of longspined sea urchins
* effects of global warming on abalone and abalone habitat
* improved supply chain innovation
* fishery/market development including product diversification
* public outreach and education to promote understanding of issues such as abalone fishery management and urchin control strategies

How to apply

Initial expressions of interest should be in the form of a 3 page preproposal, not a fully detailed application, by 5:00 PM 6 May 2019.

Applications should include details of contributions other than those from the fund (monetary and in-kind), as well as other potential funding sources/opportunities. Applicants may seek a contribution from the AIRF as seed funding for applications to other funding sources.

Send applications to:
greg.ryan@dpipwe.tas.gov.au​
or mail to:
Greg Ryan, Executive Officer
AIRF 
GPO Box44
Hobart 7001 TAS