SUNDAY Workshops

Parasites are biodiverse, ubiquitous and ecologically significant, yet are often misunderstood and underappreciated. Fishes are excellent hosts! Some parasites cause significant disease threatening human health, commercial fish stocks or native fish populations. Most parasites are economically unimportant and exist in tolerated equilibrium with hosts. These parasites receive minimal attention and represent much undiscovered biodiversity, including many imperilled taxa which will be lost without being detected by science. Parasites also add much complexity for understanding fishes at the levels of individual physiology, population dynamics and community ecology. Parasite specimens and infection data are valuable and informative, but the opportunities to collect these data are frequently overlooked.

This practical workshop will develop direct experience dissecting fresh fishes in search of live parasite taxa. Learn who the parasites are, where and how to look for them, and how to isolate and preserve encountered specimens. The practical component is complemented by theory designed to provide a foundational awareness of parasite biodiversity and parasitology concepts, challenge perceptions of parasites, and to inspire consideration for parasites in programmes of scientific enquiry focused on fishes and ecosystems.

This workshop is for researchers and stakeholders working with fishes, fisheries and aquatic ecosystems interested in developing the basic theoretical awareness and practical skillset required to begin exploration of the parasite faunas in their focus fishes. We hope this workshop will promote mutually rewarding collaboration with parasitologists and parasite taxonomists.

Workshop led by:
Dr Storm Martin, Associate Lecturer, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth
Dr Kate Hutson, Senior Scientist and Team Lead, Aquatic Health, Cawthron Institute, New Zealand
Dr Ivona Mladineo, Associate Professor, University of Tasmania, Hobart

Full Day Workshop
Cost: $TBC
Location: IMAS
Time: TBC

Artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision and machine learning are rapidly transforming fisheries monitoring in Australia. While the focus of this workshop is recreational and charter fisheries, advances across all sectors, including commercial fishing and aquaculture, are creating new opportunities to estimate fishing effort, identify species, measure fish lengths and monitor catches at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales. Applications such as boat ramp cameras, fish cleaning table cameras, mobile apps and citizen science platforms are creating new opportunities to estimate fishing effort, identify species, measure fish lengths and monitor catches at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales.

This workshop will bring together fisheries researchers, managers, computer vision specialists, industry and recreational fishing representatives to explore the current landscape of AI-enabled monitoring and identify opportunities for national collaboration. Building on a national online workshop held in June 2026, the focus will shift from individual projects to the broader questions of coordination, standardisation and shared infrastructure.

The workshop will feature short speed presentations, breakout discussions and interactive planning sessions covering emerging technologies, lessons learned, data standards, privacy and social licence, and how AI-derived data can be integrated into fisheries research, stock assessment and management. Participants will explore opportunities for cross-jurisdictional monitoring of shared stocks and discuss pathways to a coordinated national framework.

Potential expected outcomes include a collaborative review or perspectives paper, a national repository of projects and resources, identification of priorities for shared datasets and infrastructure, and the establishment of a national working group to guide future development of AI-enabled fisheries monitoring in Australia.

Workshop led by:
Dr Alyssa Marshell, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS), Senior Research Fellow/Fisheries Scientist
Dr Joni Pini-Fitzsimmons, Charles Darwin University (CDU)

Full Day Workshop
Cost: $50.00 per person TBC
Location: IMAS
Time: TBC

The ASFB Threatened Fishes Committee has maintained a national list of threatened freshwater and marine fishes for over 30 years. Historically, the ASFB’s Threatened Species List provided an important source of information at a time when national (EPBC) and global (IUCN) assessments were incomplete or outdated. With recent updates to IUCN Red List assessments and the ongoing expansion of EPBC listings, there is an opportunity to redefine the role of the ASFB list to complement, rather than duplicate, these existing frameworks.

This half-day workshop will bring together ASFB members to develop a new Threatened Species Watch List: a streamlined, qualitative approach to documenting species and populations of emerging conservation concern. The watch list will provide a mechanism for highlighting recently described species, undescribed taxa, and species or populations experiencing rapid declines or new threats that may not yet be reflected in formal conservation assessments.

Participants will work collaboratively to define the purpose and scope of the watch list, establish criteria for inclusion, develop a standardised assessment template, and discuss listing submission and publication processes. The resulting framework will provide a practical, citable, and easily updated resource that complements IUCN and EPBC assessments while improving ASFB’s capacity to communicate emerging conservation concerns for Australia's freshwater and marine fishes.

The workshop will be of interest to researchers, managers and practitioners working in threatened species conservation, as well as anyone interested in helping shape the future direction of the ASFB Threatened Fishes Committee and its role in supporting fish conservation in Australia.

Workshop led by:
Mitchell Brennan, UTS, PhD Candidate
Amy Tims, UniMelb/Monash

Half Day Workshop
Cost: $TBC
Location: IMAS
Time: TBC