Staffing Update
Dr Patrick Hone to retire
After nearly three decades with the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) – and 21 years as Managing Director Dr Patrick Hone has announced his retirement. FRDC Chair Dr Beth Woods praised Dr Hone's leadership in advancing science-based fishing and aquaculture development in Australia and internationally.
“Patrick has significantly influenced sustainable fishing and aquaculture, focusing on effective resource use and ensuring Australians can enjoy seafood and healthy aquatic environments,” Dr Woods said. She acknowledged his efforts in building relationships with stakeholders and supporting the research and development corporation model.
Reflecting on his 30 years at FRDC, Dr Hone emphasised the importance of people and partnerships, highlighting the development of various professionals across sectors. “FRDC's investment in people has driven growth in Indigenous, wild catch, and recreational aquaculture and fishing,” he noted.
To ensure a smooth transition, the FRDC Board will seek a new Managing Director. Dr Hone will assist in ensuring continuity as the successor is appointed.
Appointments
Dr Jennifer Marshall has been appointed General Manager Strategy and Innovation. Jennifer had been acting in this role for 12 months prior to this formal appointment.
New to the team is Hannah Smith who joins as Payroll Officer and Human Resources Support - welcome Hannah!
You can view our current organisation chart here.
FRDC Update
Planned activities for 2025
This year is anticipated to be packed with exciting plans and initiatives for FRDC and its partners.
In part, influenced by a pending Federal Government election, planned changes to the EPBC Act, and the development of a new national aquaculture plan. But also, through the retirement and succession of FRDC’s Managing Director.
FRDC will continue to invest in the Minister’s priority areas: biosecurity, climate change, First Nations engagement, trade and workforce development – which will be further detailed in the Annual Operational Plan that is being developed.
Significant operational activities are planned, such as implementing recommendations from various reviews as well as appointing new leadership and updating policies and processes – including the Finnovation investment platform. Research and development activities include delivering the Futures of Seafood initiative and extending learning from gillnet alternatives research program.
2025 is another busy year for local and global conferences - check out FRDC's updated events webpage for all upcoming events.
Overall, it's clear that 2025 is set to be a year full of dynamic activities and strategic initiatives for the FRDC and its partners.
FRDC RD&E Plan 2025-30
Thanks to all stakeholders who provided feedback throughout the consultation process for the development of FRDC’s next plan – your views, feedback and suggestions have been heard.
The FRDC 2025-30 RD&E Plan ‘Delivering Impact through Collaboration’ has now been approved by Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, The Hon Anthony Chisholm and will be officially launched prior to becoming effective from 1 July 2025.
Update on the FRDC Call for Investment Opportunities
The December 2024 competitive Call for Investment Opportunities closed on 2 March 2025. Approximately 30+ applications were submitted through FishNet seeking to address named priorities from the Call.
To support the Call, FRDC hosted a webinar on 12 February on the FRDC’s prioritisation and application evaluation processes as well as the current Call for Investment Opportunities and the priorities within it. The recording of the webinar as well as Q&A from the session has been made available on FRDC’s website.
Applications received through the December Call for Investment Opportunities are being evaluated by external reviewers and the FRDC Research and Development Investment team. Applicants can expect to be informed on the outcomes of their application evaluation as soon as possible.
What happens once applications are received?
Once an application is received by FRDC, an evaluation process begins. The applications are matched to any nominated priorities, assigned to a Research Portfolio Manager and external reviewers are identified. These external reviewers could include members from our jurisdictional Research Advisory Committees (RACs), Industry Partnership Agreements (IPAs), Coordination Programs, technical experts and/or end users. For applications seeking funds from the IPAs, the relevant committees will evaluate and provide recommendations for funding to FRDC. Evaluations are no longer undertaken as part of RAC or Coordination Program meetings.
Applications are assessed on attractiveness and feasibility as per the following table in line with the FRDC’s Investment in Research and Development Policy. The Policy also outlines other elements of consideration that include risk, avoiding duplication and achieving balanced investment.
|
Attractiveness |
Feasibility |
|
Relevance to R&D plan |
Likelihood of success |
|
Stakeholder support |
Well defined planned outcomes |
|
Likelihood of adoption |
Clearly defined outputs linked to outcomes |
|
Value for money |
Clear objectives |
|
Level of impact |
Sound methodology |
|
Linkages and collaboration |
Track record of investigators |
|
Contribution to new knowledge |
Capacity to deliver |
|
Consequence of not undertaking research |
|
FRDC’s management team collates information from these external reviews and prepares an evaluation sheet following similar criteria outlined above and makes a recommendation to either approve or reject the application. Occasionally, there are further questions or information that may be required to complete an evaluation of an application. On these occasions, the applicant will provide correspondence outlining the further information required to complete the evaluation of an application.
Once the evaluation is complete, the application is provided to the FRDC Board or senior management, such as the Managing Director, for final decision. The applicant will be notified soon after, via a decision notification email outlining the outcome of the evaluation process.
Project Updates
Business Research and Innovation Initiative (BRII)
In 2024, FRDC partnered with the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) to promote innovation and enhance energy efficiency in the fishing and aquaculture sectors. The BRII grants were designed to support initiatives that aim to reduce the carbon intensity and improve the energy efficiency of commercial fishing operations by 30% or more through innovative and scalable solutions. Each grant is valued at up to $100,000.
Details on the successful applicants are outlined below:
Hydrogen Renewable Energy Australia - Low cost, on-demand hydrogen production to decarbonise fishing operations
Green hydrogen has the potential to decarbonise fishing and aquaculture sectors, however, its adoption has been limited. Hydrogen is difficult to store and transport, with low volumetric density that requires significant storage space. HYREA has developed technology to address these issues by enabling onboard and on-demand hydrogen production. This technology allows the extraction of green hydrogen from sea or fresh water using a chemical reaction with hydrogen pods. The proposed feasibility study will determine the best types of vessels to house the new technology, compare expected ship performance with traditional diesel-powered ships and with other green fuel alternatives, and provide clarity on costs for market adoption.
Stebercraft - Plug-in Diesel Electric Hybrid Fishing Vessel Design
The project aims to design a hybrid diesel-electric power system for fishing vessels, focusing on fuel efficiency. A hybrid algorithm will prioritise battery use over diesel, ensuring the diesel engine runs at peak efficiency. The modular system, with plug-in capabilities when docked, will reduce operational costs. Suitable for new builds and retrofits, it will meet modern power needs while saving over 30% in energy.
Hy-Boost Technology - Fishing vessel Emissions Reductions and Fuel Efficiency
Hy-Boost Technology's hydrogen co-fire system, easily retrofittable to diesel engines, generates hydrogen on demand, reducing emissions and fuel usage by up to 35% for land-based engines. This project will adapt Hy-Boost for marine use, installing it on three vessels and monitoring fuel use and emissions before and after installation. The goal is to measure emissions and diesel reductions, cost savings, and gather feedback to improve the design and establish proof of concept for marine applications.
Mezo Research - Mezo Flow Catch Map: Next-gen catch optimisation for sustainable fisheries
This project will test the feasibility of the Mezo Flow Catch Map, a digital platform for fisheries management. Using real-time data analytics, mapping software, and predictive modelling, it offers insights for efficient fishing. By reducing search time and fuel use, it aims to lower costs and environmental impact. The tool will help fishers maximise yield, comply with regulations, and promote sustainable practices.
Next steps
FRDC will guide grantees during the four-month feasibility stage to complete their projects successfully. In the proof-of-concept stage, DISR may award $1 million to one or two grantees from stage one to develop and commercialise their product or service.
Futures of Seafood. Wild. Aquaculture. Recreational. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Seafood Industry Australia, the Blue Economy CRC and CSIRO invite commercial seafood industry operators across aquaculture, post-harvest and wild-caught sectors to attend exclusive state-based workshops, where comprehensive modelling based on the Futures of Seafood scenarios will be presented.
These interactive sessions will present cutting-edge modelling on how climate, policy, and market shifts could impact seafood production, marine ecosystems, and coastal communities by 2040.
Workshop Locations & Dates:
NSW – Sydney, 2 April @ 12pm -https://survey.zohopublic.com.au/zs/SqCV1V
NT – Darwin, 8 April @ 9:30am https://survey.zohopublic.com.au/zs/4BCVTR
VIC – Melbourne, 10 April @ 9:30am- https://survey.zohopublic.com.au/zs/NXCVYH
QLD – Brisbane, 14 April @12pm https://survey.zohopublic.com.au/zs/qiCVvT
WA – Fremantle, 16 April @ 12pm- https://survey.zohopublic.com.au/zs/0pCVaj
SA – Adelaide, 23 April @ 9:30am - https://survey.zohopublic.com.au/zs/1fCVye
TAS – Launceston, 29 April @ 12pm - https://survey.zohopublic.com.au/zs/MQCVGX
The team wants to hear from you about the future scenarios created. Are they on track? What’s missing? What would you like to see happen now?
Join for a pivotal discussion where your input will directly influence the future of our Australian seafood sectors.
‘Futures of Seafood. Wild. Aquaculture. Recreational. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ is supported by Seafood Industry Australia with funding from FRDC, Blue Economy CRC, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
FRDC’s National Seafood Industry Leadership Program (NSILP)
In 2025, FRDC has invested in two NSILP cohorts that commence in March (Adelaide) and May (Melbourne) respectively, led by MI-Fish Consulting. Each group contains 18 people with a diverse representation across sectors, jurisdictions and levels of experience. NSILP focuses on developing capabilities that participants can apply at three key levels – personal, business and national. Participants are encouraged to develop and implement plans/projects associated with these and a national strategic vision for the Australian seafood sectors.
NSILP aims to equip participants with the right tools and understanding to have a positive impact on their own future, the future of their own businesses and Australian seafood. Cohorts will attend their second residential in Sydney (June / August), prior to the final residential and graduation being held in Canberra (September / November). The project also enables capability and capacity development opportunities at 2026 Seafood Directions for NSILP Alumni, through FRDC Project 2024-041.
The Australian Harvest Strategy Database
The Australian Harvest Strategy Database provides a single platform to explore all publicly available harvest strategies in Australia. It is useful for anyone seeking information on harvest strategies, but particularly fishery stakeholders, managers and scientists tasked with developing harvest strategies.
The database allows the user to search for harvest strategies with specific characteristics. These include environments, jurisdictions, target species, fishing sectors and gear types. By combining numerous search criteria, the user can identify harvest strategies of particular interest.
Funding was provided by the FRDC under FRDC Project 2019-021, the NSW Recreational Fishing Saltwater Trust (RFSWT) and the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy (MEMS).
Strategic focus areas
The third Circular Advantage Workshop delivered an excellent forum for sharing, awareness and education of the Circular Economy and how it relates to commercial and recreational fishers. The event was held at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, Manly, Brisbane on 26-28 February.
FRDC and the Bega Regional Circularity Co-operative are looking for a final business entity to participate in Initiative 3: Circular Measurement. This initiative has been successfully used by South Coast Fish and Dinko Seafood to quantify and understand their input and outputs in relation to the circular economy. These initiatives are part of FRDC Project 2021-133.
The FRDC Climate Resilience Research Program hosted a workshop to bring together invited industry, research and government representatives to discuss the needs and directions for Climate research with respect to fishing and aquaculture preparedness and resilience to the changing climate and weather conditions. The purpose of the meeting was to align FRDC’s Climate Resilience Strategic RD&E program with those of our stakeholders.
FRDC has several Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) projects in progress. FRDC Project 2022-171 is reviewing ESG challenges particularly faced by Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s) and existing reporting frameworks/incentive programs that are used both nationally and internationally.
Project 2023-024 is a continuation of the Healthcheck program and brings CSIROs Healthcheck ESG Fishing and Aquaculture data system to life by engaging industry, managers & researchers to identify data gaps and prioritise/collect essential indicators to allow more comprehensive ESG reporting.
Project 2023-126 reviews other ESG frameworks for their suitability and functionality as a fit-for-purpose framework. In conjunction with the other ESG projects FRDC have going, and a comprehensive interview and engagement with FRDC stakeholders, this project will determine the best design needs and requirements to build an ESG framework, or frameworks, that effectively works for our fishing and aquaculture sectors, recreational fishing sector and encompasses First Nations understanding and knowledge of sustainable resource use.
Significant News
Strategic Examination of Research and Development: discussion paper
The Australian Government has commissioned a strategic examination of Australia’s research and development (R&D) system, led by an independent expert panel. The panel are exploring how Australia can encourage more home-grown ideas, more research, and more translation. This will lead to benefits and prosperity for all Australians for decades to come.
The expert panel has developed a discussion paper to inform and help develop advice.
FRDC encourages its stakeholders to review and comment on the discussion paper with feedback due 11 April 2025.
For more information visit https://consult.industry.gov.au/strategic-examination-rd-discussion-paper.
evokeAG. 2025
Over 2,000 delegates attended the evokeAG.25 conference in Brisbane, including several FRDC Directors and staff. It was a dynamic conference, with numerous sideline events, demos, and the start-up alley, showcasing 50 start-ups and scale-ups and their technologies and displays – which may have eclipsed the traditional conference sessions.
Australia’s 15 RDCs collaborated to showcase innovation and achievements in the RDC Impact Hub. The gathering of RDCs in a shared space created opportunities for delegates to engage with government priorities and gain deeper insights into the impact of each RDC on its respective sector. It also fostered dialogue and strengthened collaboration among participants.
evokeAG.25 featured fishing and aquaculture sessions, including Caitlin Hopper, an FRDC bursary recipient who gave a 15 minute presentation on Development of digital traceability tools for fisheries and aquaculture, Bryan van Wyck from Austral discussing risk and innovation and Bren Smith, Co-Executive Director, GreenWave and Owner - Thimble Island Ocean Farm.
The 2025 evokeAG. Groundbreaker was Alisa Mihaila, an aquaculture research scientist with a PhD in Biological Sciences and a foundation in Marine Biology and Ecology, who is an emerging leader in sustainable seaweed cultivation.
Key Conferences
|
Date |
Title |
|
4-5 March |
ABARES Outlook Conference |
|
4-6 March |
The North Atlantic Seafood Forum, Bergen (Norway) |
|
16-18 March |
Seafood Expo North America, Boston (USA) |
|
18-20 March |
Seagriculture Asia-Pacific Conference, Adelaide |
|
27-31 March |
BioInnovation Festival, Perth |
|
31 March - 2 April |
3rd Kerguelen Plateau Symposium, Concarneau (France) |
|
24-27 April |
World Aquaculture 2025 China, Qingdao (China) |
|
4-9 May |
International Seaweed Symposium 2025, Victoria (British Columbia, Canada) |
|
6-8 May |
Seafood Expo Global (Barcelona, Spain) |
|
19-23 May |
11th International Fisheries Observer and Monitoring Conference, Reykjavik (Iceland) |
|
27-29 May |
Blue Economy CRC Stakeholder Event, Devonport |
|
9-13 June |
UN 2025 Ocean Conference, Nice (France) |
|
9-13 June |
Indo-Pacific Fish Conference, Taipei (Taiwan) |
|
24-27 June |
World Aquaculture Safari 2025, Entebbe (Uganda) |
Upcoming Events 2025
Check out FRDC's updated events webpage for all upcoming events in one convenient location.
FRDC News, Social Media & Events
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New projects contracted from 15 December 2024
|
Project Number |
Title |
Applicant |
Principal Investigator |
|
Inaugural International Conference of Indigenous Researchers at the 25th International Seaweed Symposium, Victoria British Columbia |
Moonrise Seaweed Co. Pty Ltd |
Brad Darkson |
|
| Southern Ocean Industry attendance at 3rd Kerguelen Plateau Symposium - bursary | Australian Longline Fishing Pty Ltd | Brad Milic | |
|
2024-041 |
National Seafood Industry Leadership Program (NSILP) 2025-2026 | Mi-Fish Consulting Pty Ltd | Heidi Mumme |
|
2024-036 |
Australian Food and Wine - Collaboration Group (Phase 2) | Hort Innovation | Jade Curley |
|
2024-030 |
Exploring and improving the genetics of resistance to abalone viral ganglioneuritis (AVG) | Deakin University | Nicholas Robinson |
|
2024-016 |
Capability & Capacity: 2024 Australian/NZ eDNA conference - Early Career Research bursaries | Southern Cross University (SCU) |
Maarten De Brauwer |
|
2024-014 |
National coordination of access to agricultural and veterinary chemicals in the Australian seafood industry | Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) | Julie Petty |
|
2023-208 |
Mussels as a snack option to increase the omega-3 index and markers of recovery in female endurance athletes | Deakin University | Lee Hamilton |
|
2023-154 |
Fish LIGHT - Low impact gears and innovative harvest technologies | Department of Primary Industries (QLD) | Samuel Williams |
|
2023-101 |
Pathways to social license for the emerging Tasmanian seaweed industry | CSIRO | Scott Condie |
|
2023-041 |
Targeted research to detect and reduce the impact of Kudoa-Unicapsula-Soft-Flesh Syndrome (KUSFS) in Australian Yellowtail Kingfish and Mahi Mahi | CSIRO | Russell McCulloch |
|
2023-040 |
Developing stock assessment approaches and management frameworks for enhanced and environmentally driven stocks: an inland fisheries case study | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW) | David Crook |
|
2022-085 |
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence as a potential tool for assessing reef health and the abundance and movement of Longspined Sea Urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii | Queensland University of Technology (QUT) | Matthew Dunbabin |
Final Reports achieved since 15 December 2024
Note that some of these final reports may not be currently available on our website.
|
Project Number |
Title |
Applicant |
Principal Investigator |
|
Investigation and improvement of live Blue Swimmer Crab handling in NSW |
Department of Primary Industries (QLD) |
Paul Exley |
|
|
2019-012 |
Postgraduate funding - Stock structure and connectivity of Black Bream including implications for management | University of Adelaide | Bronwyn Gillanders |
|
2019-101 |
Investigation of the direct and indirect role of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) on Western Rock Lobster settlement processes: with consideration of the potential role of contaminants | University of Western Australia (UWA) | Tim Langlois |
|
2019-128 |
Assessing the benefits of sea urchin processing waste as an agricultural fertiliser and soil ameliorant | University of Tasmania (UTAS) | Nigel Swarts |
|
2020-003 |
Understanding the stock structure of Rock Flathead and the role of movement dynamics in influencing the performance of the Corner Inlet fishery | Deakin University | Adam Miller |
|
2021-009 |
Identifying biological stocks of Silver Trevally and Ocean Jackets for assessment and management | NSW Department of Primary Industries | John Stewart |
|
2021-083 |
Developing the tools and articulating the value proposition for genomic selection in Pacific Oyster selective breeding | Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) | Andrew Trotter |
|
2022-022 |
Australian Food and Wine - Collaboration Group | Hort Innovation | Jade Curley |
|
2022-082 |
Enhanced Education and Engagement with NSW Commercial Fishers re Biosecurity with focus on White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) | Professional Fishers Association (PFA) | Craig Bell |
|
2022-170 |
Integrating recreational fisher experience/satisfaction into decision making | Hudson Howells | Neil Howells |
|
2022-184 |
R&D and management support to Clarence River Fishermen's Cooperative Ltd and their members as a result of the white spot disease outbreak | Future Focused Consulting | John Harrison |
|
2023-204 |
Sailing the marine knowledge landscape: Enhancing the discoverability, accessibility, and usability of FRDC investment | Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) | Nicole Stubing |
|
2024-002 |
Sponsorship: WISA Power Up Breakfast 2024 Seafood Directions | Women in Seafood Australasia (WISA) | Kirsten Abernethy |
