Northern Fisheries Centre

Street address: 38-40 Tingira Street, PO Box 5396, Portsmith, Cairns, QLD  4870
Postal address: PO Box 5396, Cairns ,QLD 4870
Phone: +61 7 4057 3700
Fax: Aquaculture +61 7 4057 3813; Fisheries +61 7 4057 3811

Background

The Northern Fisheries Centre (NFC), was first established in Cairns in 1976.  In 1979 it was relocated to a new site on Smith's Creek, Cairns.  In 2002 the centre was refurbished and a new multi-million dollar Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement Facility was constructed across the street.

Research at the centre is focussed on two main areas:

• Sustainable production of wild fisheries found in tropical estuarine, inshore and offshore reef waters.
• Tropical mariculture of high value species such as coral reef fish and tropical rock lobsters.

Primary activities

Fisheries and aquaculture research

• Fisheries research and development
  • stock assessment of inshore fin-fish and prawns
  • bycatch and use of Bycatch Reduction Devides (BRD's)

• Aquaculture research and development

Fisheries

• Aquaculture licensing
• Extension
• Fisheries resource monitoring and assessment
• Fish Stocking
• Marine habitat management
• Industry development
• Observers for commercial fisheries