Although a $2.7 billion industry,the Australian Seafood lags behind otherp rimary producers in its ability to centrally organise, market and represent itself to consumers,regulators and the general public.

There remains a strong need for seafood producers (fishers and farmers) to understand the curren seafood market, supply chainand advances in product development and marketing.

A marketing symposium would provide industry with an update on the current trends and approaches, it would further benefit industry by benefit industry by:

1. Informing participants how effective marketing works
2. Inspiring participants with practical examples of effective marketing they could 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. Demonstrating how to incorporate a systematic approach to developing a brand
6. Identifying meaningful and distinct consumer markets through market segmentation

It is clear that the priority audience for the symposium are fishers and farmers looking to improve their profitabulity

The country of origin of seafood available for purchase in Australia is an important but inherently complex area of investigation. There are a number driving ambitions right now including a need to:
o In the longer term, build an evidence base to describe and measure the consumer experience at point of order specifically in regards to the information available around the Country of Origin of seafood they are considering purchasing. Seafood can be purchased at a range of different venues from fish and chip outlets, cafes, pubs and clubs, at sporting and entertainment venues, in facilities like hospitals and aged care facilities, to in flight F&B service through to everyday and top end restaurants. Given this is inherently broad and somewhat unbounded nature of these different purchase channels it has been acknowledged this is a large and complex exercise.

o There are some immediate time pressures with a Seafood Origin Working Group meeting scheduled for November 22 2017. There is a need to be in a position to present some evidence about the consumer point of order experience at this meeting.
From our discussions it is clear we need to focus on the most immediate point, that being the November 22 meeting in Canberra. It is hoped that through a well designed market research study, evidence about the experience consumers have in seeking and receiving information about the Country of Origin of the seafood they are looking to purchase can be provided. To achieve this in the short window available the research will need to be tightly defined in scope and coverage and pragmatic in what we can reasonably achieve.