CSIRO 2009 Research Achievement Medal recipients

• Northern Prawn Fishery Bio-economic Team
• Ophthalmic Biomaterials Team

Northern Prawn Fishery Bio-economic Team

The Northern Prawn Fishery Bio-economic Team received the award for the development of a combined biological and economic model to guide the management of Australia’s Northern Prawn Fishery in a way that ensures industry profitability and a vigorous fishery resource. The approach has won international acclaim as a global paragon of fishery management.

A bio-economic model developed by the Northern Prawn Fishery Bio-economic Team, in collaboration with industry, is guiding the world-class management of Australia’s Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF). The model defines harvest levels that achieve maximum economic yield (MEY) while sustaining the fishery resource.

After two years under the MEY target management system, the NPF has gained efficiencies through gear optimisation and greater access to the resource at peak times.

Annual fishery profits are expected to rise from an average of A$8 million to more than A$30 million a year by 2012 – three times greater than the best results of the past decade.

These pioneering achievements have focused attention on Australia as a world leader in fisheries management, supported by CSIRO capabilities in fisheries science.

The approach has been praised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and has the potential to be applied in other fisheries across Australia and worldwide.

Team members:

• Dr Catherine Dichmont
• Roy Deng
• Dr André Punt
• Dr Bill Venables
• Dr Nick Ellis
• Dr Shijie Zhou
• Janet Bishop
• Prof Tom Kompas
• Dr Sean Pascoe
• Dr Nhu Che
• Dr Yimin Ye
• Dr Peter Gooday.

Ophthalmic Biomaterials Team

The Ophthalmic Biomaterials Team received the award for the development of two novel polymer technologies that have the potential to revolutionise vision correction using implantable devices.

The Ophthalmic Biomaterials Team has used a multidisciplinary approach to develop novel polymer technologies with potential to revolutionise vision correction. Working through vision-related CRCs, the Team has designed and optimised two biocompatible polymer materials for implantable ocular devices.

Firstly, a porous perfluoropolyether has been developed for an implantable contact lens offering a permanent solution for the correction of refractive errors.

Secondly, an in situ curable soft polysiloxane gel has been engineered to replace the aged crystalline lens to restore the eye’s ability to near focus for the treatment of presbyopia and cataracts.

Both technologies target the growing demand for implantable ophthalmic devices and are currently being commercialised through Adventus Technologies Inc.

Team members: Dr Timothy Hughes, Dr Margaret Evans, Dr Keith McLean, Graham Johnson, Dr Xiaojuan Hao, Dr Jack Steele, Dr Gordon Meijs, Dr Jason Watling, Dr Grace Chan, Prof Hans Griesser, Dr Hassan Chaouk, Dr Anthony Clayton, Dr Bronwyn Laycock, Dr Helmut Thissen, Tam Le, Gail McFarland, Justine Jeffery, Xuan Nguyen, Warren Knower, John Wilkie, Barbara Bojarski, Danelle Beattie, Jim Bates, Malsha Wickramaratna, Asitha Balachandra, Eliana Pereeia, Dr Gerrit Beumer, Dr Helen Fitton, Michelle Jenkins, Tracey Woolford, Janease Graham, Lisa Hong, Dr Ann Dalton, Dr Thomas Gengenbach, Dr Roger Mulder, John Ward, Mark Greaves, Dr Mei Gao, Dr Richard Jarrett, Sarah Taylor, Penny Bean, Denise Lewy, Dr Lavinia Taliana, Vision CRC, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

Read more about CSIRO CSIRO Awards.

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