Bursaries for emerging leaders in the Southern Rock Lobster industry to attend the 2023 Trans-Tasman Lobster Congress and International Conference & Workshop on Lobster Biology and Management 2023
Trans Tasman Rock Lobster Industry Congress - Locking in the Future: 2023-2031
Australian and New Zealand Rock Lobster is a high value product that has strong recognition in their local and export markets. There is significant capital investment across the combined jurisdictions of the Trans-Tasman lobster fisheries. As with most other wild caught fisheries and seafood sectors Trans-Tasman lobster fisheries face similar challenges in regards to, sustainability, threats to / competition for the resource and resource access, product quality and food safety, implications from aquaculture production and applying and taking advantage of new and emerging technologies. In addition to these common industry issues, lobster fisheries produce a product that is predominantly for live export which adds further challenges such as barriers to trade and trade agreements, complex supply chains and understanding the ‘what and where’ of new market opportunities.
Well organised and educational forums such as Trans-Tasman Rock Lobster Congresses enable a sharing of information and a collaborative approach to addressing challenges and sharing successes. Since first being held in 1999 the biennial Rock Lobster conferences have become the pre-eminent forum for the respective Trans-Tasman lobster industries to consider and address the many challenges across the supply chain. There is never a shortage of key issues and topics to address and bring together in a common theme to deliver a successful Trans-Tasman Industry Congress that has the support of all the key industry bodies and wider stakeholders.
The history of successful Trans-Tasman Industry Congresses, speaks for itself.
Trans-Tasman Congresses have well established support of all the key industry bodies and wider stakeholder interests with all lobster producing jurisdictions having now hosted an event. This history combined with the experience, existing contacts, establishing themes, producing engaging programmes, having informative exhibitions, attracting quality keynote speakers - both local and international, continuing sponsorship from service providers and the ability to attract the general support of industry ensure there is a pool of support and knowledge to deliver successful congresses
Initial Contributions (2023):
• Total combined initial contributions will be to a maximum of $30,000.00.
• Request a cash contribution from the NZRLIC.
• Request a contribution from the Eastern Rock Lobster Industry.
• Contribution from the SRL IPA.
• Contribution from the WRL IPA.
Proposed Governance Arrangements:
• The Managing Entity (ME) i.e. the industry body responsible for administering the congress in a particular year, will be responsible for holding and managing the ‘kitty’ of funds.
• ‘Surplus’ funds will be used to fund the administration, hosting and attendance of any planning meetings conducted in the ‘interim year’, this process will be managed by the ME responsible for hosting the most recent (past) Trans Tasman Congress.
• PI & Co-Investigators will discuss and confirm the amount required for future initial contributions.
Southern Rock Lobster Planning and Management for a National Research Development & Extension (RD&E) Program
The operating environment for Southern rock lobster fishing and exporting businesses has changed significantly since January 2020. Prior to this the value of the catch (beach price) has remained consistently high (average around $80/kg with highs up to $120/kg). Investment has had an exceptional ROI in this industry due to the scale of the fishery. This has enabled the fishery to engage in a progressive research agenda which focused on consolidation of knowledge and expansion of existing programs (biotoxins, lobster health, supply chain development).
However, the global pandemic and trade disruptions to the live export market in China have seen a precipitous decline in beach price (as low as $25/kg) making some operations unviable. Ongoing trade disruption has brought about a need for industry to urgently adapt to new markets and market offerings. Changing consumer preferences are demanding that out sector make further advancements in carbon and waste reduction as well as the circular economy. Performing in a changing climate will also be a focus of the fishery going forward.
The Southern Rock Lobster industry has a complex array of business structures. Many of the quota units or catch shares are owned by small family businesses while an increasing amount is owned by larger companies. Catch is taken by around 600 vessels and packed and processed by a number of different companies. The large and complex array of firms across three States means there is a need for leadership in prioritising and coordinating the investment in and managing industry RD&E.
SRL remains an active supporter and stakeholder in SafeFish and the Seafood Trade Advisory Group (STAG) to primarily address issues regarding food safety and international market access. The continuance of these relationships are paramount to the SRL industry's success to service new and existing markets as well as build on domestic opportunities.
This project will build on the existing capacity to deal with Southern Rock Lobster RD&E needs in a strategic and efficient way. The industry will benefit from continued collaboration on R&D initiatives with other Australian Rock Lobster representative bodies.
Informing strategies, policies and options supporting owner-operated fishing businesses in fisheries experiencing corporatisation
China digital marketing strategy for Southern Rock Lobster
Southern Rock Lobster Clean Green program, revision, digitisation & extension across the supply chain
Currently more vessels are participating in the Clean Green program than at any stage since first introduced in 2004. Re-aligning Clean Green to address new and changing legislative requirements has been the key driver for the increased support from industry. The process of revising the program content and on-going dialogue with regulators has identified that Clean Green must / will continue to be an evolving program to address regulatory changes and update the program content. Therefore a project is required to deliver a digitised operationally focussed, benchmark responsible fishing standard including support and auditing materials for the Australian seafood industry that will:
• Improve ongoing program administration (as regulators e.g. SWSA, AMSA and DAWR, continue to change and update relevant legislative requirements, the maintenance of a paper-based program will become unsustainable.
• Extend the Clean Green program into the post-harvest sector of the supply chain and provide a medium for SRL to ‘extend’ relevant outputs from other R&D in which the industry has invested to interested businesses e.g. traceability and ‘lobster health’.
• Improve communications and audit procedures with / for the Clean Green Auditor to streamline and reduce cost of independent third-party auditing processes
• Generate usable data for relevant regulators and seek their recognition / accreditation of the program and further opportunities for Clean Green to serve as a tool for industry self-regulation.
• Streamline program management and financial control of the program e.g. invoicing, scheduling of auditing, raising and closing out of Corrective Action Requests (CARs), physical auditing of vessels, communication with members, improved efficiency and effectiveness of Clean Green training and refresher training.
• Increase the transferability of the Clean Green ‘product’ to other catching sectors. This may aid with generating greater economies of scale and assist the Clean Green Program, and its management, to become financially self-sustaining to a greater degree.
Final report
First introduced in 2004, the Southern Rocklobster Limited Clean Green Program was developed as an integrated pot-to-plate Product Standard with independent third-party auditing of practices. During the period 2013 to 2015 the Clean Green Program was considerably updated for the first time to address the introduction of AMSA’s National Standard for Commercial Vessels, resulting in greater industry adoption with approx. 60% increase in vessel use across the 3-year period. The re-alignment of the Clean Green Program to address new and changing legislative requirements e.g. the introduction of the National Standard Commercial Vessels by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and new Work, Health & Safety requirements, had been the key driver for the increased support from industry. This highlighted the need for the Clean Green Program to continue to evolve to address regulatory changes and, accordingly, the required updating of program content (in consultation with Regulators). This project was required to adapt 21st century technology to deliver a digitised, operationally focussed, Clean Green Program that can be more efficiently updated and disseminated to industry.