ABSTRACT
Australia, as an island continent, is dominated in its climate and by its location in the Southern Ocean and the strong influences of the major oceanic currents around the coastline. The carbon exchanges associated with the Great Barrier Reef ecosystems have for a long time been a particular concern in view of the observed increases in sea surface temperatures and persistent acidification. Coral reefs are probably among the world’s most vulnerable marine ecosystems. Northern Australia supports three types of fisheries – commercial, recreational and Indigenous – each type characterised by a diversity of targeted species and fishing methods. The northern fisheries area is generally of low productivity, reflecting the low nutrient levels of coastal waters and the absence of significant nutrient upwelling currents. In northern Australia, barramundi, an economically important fish species much favoured by recreational fishers, has many characteristics that also make it an ideal subject for aquaculture.
