School: Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Marine and Fisheries Biology
  • Unit Code

    SCI2111
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Prof Glenn Andrew HYNDES

Description

This unit examines the biology of marine plants and animals with a particular focus on fisheries species and iconic marine megafauna. Emphasis is placed on understanding the life cycle characteristics and habitat requirements of a range of marine biota, and the environmental factors that influence their populations. Environmental management issues and approaches are examined in relation to wild-stock fisheries and marine megafauna. Note that practical activities in this unit include the use of animals, animal products and tissues. All activities comply with Animal Welfare legislation and NHMRC Guidelines and, where appropriate, are approved by the ECU Animal Ethics Committee.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from SCI1187

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded SCI3312, SCI3356

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the approaches used to manage fisheries stocks and marine megafauna.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the life history patterns of marine life.
  3. Evaluate management issues for fisheries species and marine megafauna.
  4. Outline the environmental factors that influence populations.
  5. Recognise the main taxa of marine biota and their habitats.

Unit Content

  1. Fisheries assessment and monitoring: methods of assessing health of fisheries through fisheries-dependent and fisheries-independent monitoring; data requirements for stock assessments and collection techniques.
  2. Fisheries management: strategies and policy design in relation to both environmental and socio-economic issues.
  3. Life history patterns: age and growth, reproductive biology, dispersal, mortality, movements and recruitment of fish and invertebrates.
  4. Management: main management issues related to key biota, with a focus on fisheries species and marine megafauna.
  5. Marine life: algae, seagrass, mollusc, crustacean, fish stocks and marine mammals, placed in the context of their environment.
  6. Megafauna management: approaches for conservation of iconic megafauna, including marine mammals and reptiles.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 212 x 3 hour labNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 212 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

Weekly lectures introduce students to the biology of marine plants and animals. This is supported through weekly laboratory sessions, with a strong focus on developing practical skills. Independent research is incorporated into group-based laboratory work.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Laboratory WorkLaboratory and field reports60%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination40%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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