Queensland Coastal Wetland Resource Investigation of the Bowen Region: Cape Upstart to Gloucester Island

The wetland resources of the Queensland coastline have been mapped as a baseline dataset for Marine Protected Area investigation and particularly Fish Habitat Area (FHA) declaration, Ramsar site nomination and continued monitoring of these important fish habitats. This report summarises the results of the mapping undertaken in the Bowen region from the East Coast of Cape Upstart (Abbot Bay) to Gloucester Island (encompassing Edgecumbe Bay). The study was undertaken in order to: 1. document and map the coastal wetland communities within the Bowen region; 2. document levels of existing disturbance to and protection of the wetlands; 3. examine existing recreational and commercial fisheries in the region; and 4. evaluate the significance of the coastal wetlands in the region. Dataset URL Link: Queensland Coastal Wetlands Resources Mapping data. [Dataset]

Queensland Agricultural Journal Volume 13 Parts 1-6 July to December 1903

General Index Vol 13 Parts 1-6, pages 1-81

Evaluation of tomato production systems at Bowen in mitigating the risk of fruit fly infestation: a systems approach for market access

Queensland fruit flies Bactrocera tryoni and B. neohumeralis are considered major quarantine pests of tomato, a major crop in the horticultural production district around Bowen, North Queensland, Australia. Preharvest and/or postharvest treatments are required to meet the market access requirements of both domestic and international trading partners. The suspension from use of dimethoate and fenthion, the two insecticides used for fruit fly control, has resulted in the loss of both pre and postharvest uses in fresh tomato. Research undertaken quantitatively at Bowen evaluated the effectiveness of pre-harvest production systems without specific fruit fly controls and postharvest mitigation measures in reducing the risk of fruit fly infestation in tomato. A district-wide trapping using cue-lure baited traps was undertaken to determine fruit fly seasonal patterns in relation to the cropping seasons. A total of 17,626 field-harvested and 11,755 pack-house tomatoes were sampled from ten farms over three cropping seasons (2006-2009). The fruit were incubated and examined for fruit fly infestation. No fruit fly infested fruit were recorded over the three seasons in either the field or the pack-house samples. Statistical analyses showed that upper infestation levels were extremely low (between 0.025 and 0.062%) at the 95% confidence level. The trap catches showed a seasonal pattern in fruit fly activity, with low numbers during the autumn and winter months, rising slightly in spring and peaking in summer. This seasonal pattern was similar over the four seasons. The main two species of fruit fly caught were B. tryoni and B. neohumeralis. Based on the results, it is clear that the risk of fruit fly infestation is extremely low under the current production systems in the Bowen region.