Published: 20 June 2021 Updated: 3 August 2023

“The role of extension is to encourage adoption and innovation and turn R&D outputs into outcomes, such as practice or management change.”

A National Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension and Adoption Strategy was developed as a component of Working Together: the National Fishing and Aquaculture RD&E Strategy 2016 by a working group made up of extension specialists, industry, fisheries managers and lead researchers. The Strategy outlined five key principles for Extension and Adoption.

FRDC has adopted these as key principles to follow to encourage and promote extension and adoption. They are:

  • Principle 1: All stakeholders to value extension and adoption activities in the same way as research activities.
  • Principle 2: Extension will be a key focus in research project development
  • Principle 3: Project knowledge and outputs are actively managed
  • Principle 4: Effectiveness and impact of project extension activities are evaluated
  • Principle 5: Extension and adoption capacity is maximised and built upon

It best practice for project managers to have thought to how the project outputs will be used and adopted by end users while developing their application. It is a FRDC requirement that a Extension and Adoption Plan is developed and submitted for every project.

The Extension and Adoption Plan provides information that will assist project staff in developing their plan.

Project Media Releases

We want our stakeholders to know about the research we're funding and that our researchers are delivering, so that they can adopt and apply the new knowledge. 

For projects where a media release is a required milestone, we have developed a how to guide for writing media releases.

When submitting a Draft Media Release, please send to frdc.programs@frdc.com.au, with the Project number as the subject of your email.