Queensland scientists are hitting the road to help reduce the stress levels and increase the quality of one of our much loved seafoods - the iconic mud crab.

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries, Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said the Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) team was taking its research findings to industry to demonstrate how to reduce the stress and mortality rates of muddies.

"This new two-year project will capitalise on recent research and provide industry around Australia with the latest skills to maximise the survival and quality of live mud crabs," Mr Mulherin said.

"The mud crab is remarkable for surviving out of water for several days.

"However, because mud crabs are harvested across northern Australia, and often in geographically remote locations, this can mean a long trip to market.

"Transporting the crabs in water from remote locations is pro hibitive because of the extra freight costs associated with moving water.

"As the crabs are transported dry, they can experience high levels of stress often resulting in death.

"Losses can be high, varying between 4 to 10 per cent, dependent on seasonality and transport delays.

"This can mean losses for the entire Australian commercial mud crab industry in excess of 120 tonnes of crabs or $2 million annually."

DEEDI project leader Mr John Mayze said improving handling methods was the key to increasing the life and taste of mud crabs.

Fisheries Queensland staff will be at major boat ramps starting this weekend, from Mackay to Gold Coast to raise anglers awareness about the shortage of snapper.

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said we want anglers to be fully informed about the snapper stock before we release a consultation document later this year seeking feedback on potential changes to the Rocky Reef Fin Fish Fishery.

"We want to make fishers aware of the shortage and also what measures they can take to help save Queensland snapper," Mr Mulherin said.

"Fisheries Queensland staff will be spending 130 hours over the next four weeks talking to fishers and handing out information at 28 boat ramps across Queensland.

"Fishers are also being urged to help protect Queensland snapper by registering their details online with Fisheries Queensland and getting involved in future consultation.

"The first full Queensland St ock Status Report was released earlier this month and highlighted concerns about snapper shortages.

"By world standards, Queensland is recognised as having well-managed, sustainable fisheries.

"In fact, snapper is the only species of Queensland's 62 assessed stocks that is classified as overfished."

Mr Mulherin said Fisheries officers providing information at boat ramps is part of the Queensland Government's ongoing awareness campaign to make people conscious of the plight of snapper.

"We want to do everything we can to save our snapper now and protect future sustainability," he said.

Fishers and fish-lovers can be more confident about what they are catching or buying with standardised fish names now adopted in Queensland.

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said Queensland had now fully adopted the Australian Fish Names Standard as part of updates recently made to fisheries legislation.

"The move to use these national standardised common fish names is to ensure there is common understanding about what rules apply to what fish," Mr Mulherin said.

"The change will also help consumers know what they are buying over the counter and will strengthen consumer confidence in seafood."

"The standardization will ultimately help the fishing industry as people will be clear about what they are catching, selling and eating regardless of where they are living or holidaying.

"People throughout the State, depending where they live and how they fish, will have the recognized fish names they are used to. So we expected that it will take some time for people to adjust to the new names.

"Consequently, to help anglers become familiar with standard fish names, previous names will be included in brackets in fisheries brochures and web pages for a period of time," Mr Mulherin said.

Mr Mulherin said confusion over fish names started more than 200 years ago when Captain Cook came to Australia.