Measuring non-commercial fishing catches (traditional fishing) in the Torres Strait in order to improve fisheries management and promote sustainable livelihoods
World Fisheries Congress 2020 - Sharing our Oceans and Rivers: a 2020 vision for the world’s fisheries
With fisheries resources under increasing pressure globally from both fishing and non-fishing activities, and the rapid expansion of aquaculture presenting both opportunities and challenges, there is a need to enhance cooperation and collaboration among fisheries professionals to ensure the world’s oceans and rivers are managed sustainably for the benefit of current and future generations.
The WFC2020 aims to attract fisheries professional worldwide by promoting an engaging program featuring internationally recognised keynote speakers that will prompt debate and discussion about new research, fisheries utilisation and access, and management implications and actions.
FRDC funding is sought to assist organisers generate successful outcomes by facilitating greater benefits and appeal to delegates. Funds will contribute to the overall Congress budget, and assist in providing dedicated resources to ensure successful planning and organisation of the event. This may include: attracting high profile international keynote speakers; world-class venue facilities; event promotion; and creating a legacy to the wider community.
This proposal addresses two of FRDC’s national priorities:
(i) Ensuring that Australian fishing and aquaculture products are sustainable and acknowledged to be so.
(ii) Improving productivity and profitability of fishing and aquaculture.
The WFC2020 provides an opportunity for the Australian and New Zealand seafood industries to demonstrate to the international fisheries community and the broader public that they are leaders in sustainable management of fisheries and aquatic systems, producing some of the highest quality sustainable seafood in the world. Furthermore, the Congress will provide the local fishing, aquaculture, recreational and indigenous sectors with unparalleled access to the latest research, technological developments and updates on global markets.
People Development is also addressed in this proposal, in encouraging knowledge transfer and R&D adoption within the international fisheries community and providing an opportunity for the Australian and New Zealand fishing industries to take a lead role in debating and discussing current and future research.
Final report
The World Fisheries Congress is the premier international fisheries congress, bringing together research, industry and management to discuss the latest advances in fisheries world-wide. The 8th World Fisheries Congress, hosted from Adelaide, Australia from 20 to 24 September 2021, was led
by the South Australian Government (Department of Primary Industries and Regions – PIRSA, including the South Australian Research and Development Institute – SARDI) in partnership with the Adelaide Convention Bureau and the Adelaide Convention Centre and the Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation (FRDC); and support from the Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB) and industry and government agencies from other jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand. The World Fisheries Congress 2021 (WFC2021) was delivered as a fully virtual event allowing the
international fisheries community to come together and exchange ideas at a time when travel was restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In total, the Congress delivered over 800 presentations, covering a broad range of topics critical to the future of fisheries, and attracted 1,166 delegates from 60 countries.
The Congress provided an opportunity to reflect on how much has changed since the first World Fisheries Congress was held almost 30 years ago, as was evident by the developments and thought-provoking work presented and discussed over the week of the Congress. The Congress also
highlighted the many issues that remained, as well as identified new issues that have emerged. Importantly, discussions and presentations indicated that despite the persistence of some issues, we have advanced our thinking and actions and are moving forward in the right direction.
Every session and presentation were recorded and will remain available on the WFC2021 virtual portal for six months post congress. Plenary presentations and presentations of student award winners have been made publicly available on the WFC2021 website.
Energy use and carbon emissions assessments in the Australian fishing and aquaculture sectors: Audit, self-assessment and guidance tools for footprint reduction
Shark depredation in Australian fisheries: understanding the scope of the issue and identify potential mitigation options
Sustainable Fishing Families: Developing industry human capital through health, wellbeing, safety and resilience
By developing an evidence-based health and safety training program for Australian fishing communities, this project meets the needs of the commercial wild-catch and aquaculture industry identified in FRDC’s RD&E Program 3, ‘Communities’ and particularly theme 10, which promotes resilient and supportive communities who are able to adapt to the social impacts of change in industry business environments.
The project will address a national need, identified by VicFRAB, to better understand the social and economic contribution of commercial fisheries, by identifying and addressing potential losses incurred through the poor health and wellbeing of the industry’s human capital.
Fishers tend to work in rural and remote communities, which means they have higher rates of mortality, disease and health risk factors than urban dwellers, further impacted by reduced access to primary health care services. Fishers are at particular risk of certain kinds of illnesses (eg. skin and diet-related), as well as injury (fatality rates are more than double those in the agricultural sector). Mental health concerns are higher than average in the fishing industry, exacerbated by uncertainties within the industry including often high debt and insecurity of tenure and licencing. While both women and men are at risk, 86.9% of fishers are male, a factor placing them at greater risk of suicide.
Fisher ‘attitudes’ also impact health, such as the culture of self-reliance, particularly among males. This may make fishers resilient, but also makes them less likely to adopt preventative health practices or to use health services, and they will usually wait longer before seeking medical assistance, particularly for issues of chronic poor mental health.
The Sustainable Fishing Families project will benefit fishing families’ health, safety and resilience by promoting a self-awareness of the value of the industry’s human capital, and building their health capacity.
Final report
Project products
Managing ecosystem interactions across differing environments: building flexibility and risk assurance into environmental management strategies
2018 marketing symposium to showcase innovative communication methods
Although a $2.7 billion industry the Australian seafood industry has traditionally lagged behind other primary producers in its ability to centrally organise, market and represent itself to consumers, regulators and the general public.
The formation of Seafood Industry Australia is a big step in correcting this anomaly.
There remains a strong need for seafood producers(fishers and Farmers) to understand the current seafood market,supply chain and advances in product development and marketing.
A further marketing symposium will provide industry with an update on the current trends and approaches, it would further benefit industry by:
1. Reinforcing with industry how effective marketing works.
2. Inspire participants with practical examples of effective marketing they coud apply at a sector, category or company level.
3. Showcase examples of effective marketing for domestic demand, export, trade and industry goodwill.
4. Identify and explain new marketing channels and the opportunities they present.
5. Demonstrate how to incorporate a systematic approach to developing a brand.
6. Identify meaningful and distinct consumer markets throgh market segmentation
It is clear the priority audience for the symposium are fishers and farmers looking to improve their profitability.