Fishing authorities in Tasmania are to use DNA technology in a bid to clamp down on poaching and the catching of undersized fish.
The technology has been developed through a joint project between the Tasmanian Aquaculture & Fisheries Institute and CSIRO.
Nick Elliot, senior research scientist at CSIRO, explained that by using DNA it is possible to identify different species of abalone and even their places of origin, making it easier to police poachers.
The fishing industry is also plagued by fraudsters selling undersized Tasmanian abalone as Western Australian rose abalone, and Wes Ford, fisheries management officer with the Department of Primary Industries, Water & Environment, said that he believes this technology will be used to prevent such practices.
