16 results
People

Developing capability and capacity for seafood international trade in new and existing markets

Project number: 2022-080
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $125,000.00
Principal Investigator: Laura E. Davies
Organisation: Seafood Industry Australia (SIA)
Project start/end date: 9 Feb 2023 - 30 Apr 2024
:

Need

The Food and Wine Collaboration project (F&W project) intends to expand trade across agriculture and fisheries sectors into emerging export markets and/or high-growth, high-potential markets. Building existing and developing new markets is a priority for the industry, not only to identify new opportunities beyond China and reduce the reliance on a single market, but also to take a more proactive approach to leverage Australia’s key bilateral relationships and trade partnerships. South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia have significant growth potential. The new Federal government has identified market diversification as a priority area for R&D.

South Korea is one of Australia’s largest trading partners and we have had favourable trading and bilateral relationships for a long time, made stronger when the Korea Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) which came into force in 2014. Recent technical market access wins – in particular, for lobster at the end of 2021, continues to make South Korea an active market for seafood exporters.
South Korea is a stable, advanced, and growing economy and while COVID-19 reduced consumption and business activity, food and beverage consumption hit record double digit, year-on-year growth during the pandemic – driven by e-commerce. Koreans are high consumers of seafood and import more than 70 per cent of their food and agriculture products, with demand for high-end, niche premium food including seafood such as (but not limited to) lobster, sea urchin and yellowtail kingfish is increasing.

Vietnam has one of the fastest growing economies and the World Bank predicts a GDP growth of more than 5.5% pa in 2022. Australian exports during the pandemic rose to $9.7 billion – an increase of 61 percent in 2021. Vietnam’s strong growth and expanding middle-class has increased demand for imported goods including premium food and beverage products such as seafood.
Australia and Vietnam have strong trading relationships and have had a long alliance. It has a commitment to global economic integration and a rules based trading process with a growing amount of free trade agreements including ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

With 100 million people and a growing economy, it is expected to surpass Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines over the coming years. Vietnam is a strong relationship-based society and being in country and building personal relationships and trust are key pillars for doing business in Vietnam.

Indonesia is one of the fastest growing economies and with strong bilateral relationships supported through favourable trade agreements such as Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IACEPA and ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), this is a strong potential market for the seafood industry.
According to Euromonitor Consulting (2021), Australia has a good reputation for providing premium products, however recognition of Australian seafood brands overall is relatively low and there is a need to increase awareness and exposure of our products. Establishing and building relationships across retail and food service, supported through embassy representation will help expand market presence. Also, as the market sees strong growth of modern grocery outlets, high-end supermarkets, e-commerce platforms and food service outlets; consumer demand and reach is growing including wealthy Chinese expats seeking premium ‘status’ products such as abalone and lobster. This market represents long-term trading opportunities for the industry.

Succeeding in business across any Asian market – including South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia involves developing strong business relationships, and a clear understanding of the market and the environment. The F&W project provides an opportunity for SIA and industry to develop this understanding and to build capacity and capabilities across these markets. There is also the opportunity to engage with and learn from other agriculture sectors, Australian representatives, and in-country staff to help build capable leaders in the international trade space and develop long-term beneficial trading opportunities for the industry.

Objectives

1. Develop collaboration with agricultural sectors (wine, dairy, horticulture and red meat) to expand seafood export opportunities
2. To develop capability and capacity in seafood market research and development across the seafood sector.
3. Build key international trade connections to support market access and market diversification initiatives for the seafood industry.
4. To facilitate leadership exchange in conjunction with international seafood trade shows with the USA and UK
5. To provide capability opportunities for seafood industry peak and sector bodies that are not eligible for industry international trade bursaries

Development of an Indigenous Engagement Strategy for fishing interests with a focus on Commonwealth fisheries

Project number: 2021-024
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $393,707.00
Principal Investigator: Nicholas R. McClean
Organisation: University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Project start/end date: 30 Sep 2021 - 29 Jun 2023
:

Need

From call:

To effectively implement the new legislative requirements and Commonwealth fisheries resource sharing framework, the Commonwealth is seeking to develop an appropriate ‘Indigenous engagement strategy’. This engagement strategy will also be relevant for other Australian jurisdictions. The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) are key stakeholders in this work and will have significant input. It is also envisaged that the Australian Fisheries Management Forum (AFMF), comprised of the Directors of Fisheries in each jurisdiction and the Commonwealth and its Indigenous subcommittee will be kept abreast and engaged regarding the research outputs.

Objectives

1. To develop a strategy to guide effective engagement between Indigenous fishing interests and management agencies responsible for Commonwealth fisheries, and with applicability to appropriate state and local level processes.
People
Industry
Adoption
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Communities

Cracking the code on captive breeding of Macquarie Perch

Project number: 2022-116
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $1,303,630.00
Principal Investigator: Taylor Hunt
Organisation: Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Queenscliff
Project start/end date: 2 Apr 2023 - 1 Mar 2026
:

Need

Currently, the inability to consistently produce Macquarie perch from captive held broodstock is severely constraining its recovery. Being able to captively breed Macquarie perch will firstly save the species from extinction from a conservation standpoint and secondly, re-establish recreational fisheries for Macquarie perch across its former range in Victoria, NSW and ACT. Establishing captive breeding may also provide new and unique opportunities for aquaculture in Australia for the commercial production of Macquarie perch, suitable for the restaurant industry, akin to Murray cod.

This proposal details four key focus areas of research and development to achieve captive breeding of Macquarie perch within three years, such that Government and in the future, private aquaculture hatcheries, can adopt commercial production of the species. The project seeks $698,630 of investment from FRDC and is supported with over $3 million of co-investment (including matching $605,000 cash and $2.41 million in-kind) from 9 partners across Victoria, NSW, Qld, and ACT. The project aligns with the FRDC R&D Plan 2020-2025, as well as priorities, actions and outcomes in other key national and state plans (Table 4).

Objectives

1. Develop and optimise artificial diets to meet the nutritional requirements of captive Macquarie perch broodstock and larvae.
2. Optimise the hormonal treatment and explore environmental manipulation to improve spawning of captive held Macquarie perch broodstock.
3. Review, refine and develop breeding strategies and husbandry practices in the hatchery to maximise fish production and fish stocking outcomes with learnings incorporated into Macquarie perch captive breeding hatchery manual.
4. Monitor and evaluate the success of stocked Macquarie perch fingerlings into rivers in northeast Victoria and, where research numbers permit, conduct genetic analyses to inform dietary treatment and genetic management of the species in ongoing captive breeding and stocking of the species.
5. Build community awareness and support by sharing information and encouraging participation in fish stocking and population monitoring events.

Media release

Media release • 2023-07-26

Summary

Read the joint media release from Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon Murray Watt and Victorian Minister for Planning and Outdoor Recreation, Hon Sonya Kilkenny.

https://minister.agriculture.gov.au/watt/media-releases/fisheries-collaboration-to-crack-code-on-endangered-fish

 

Communities
PROJECT NUMBER • 2014-226
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Indigenous Fishing Subprogram: Improving the recognition and integration of traditional owner customary fishing and ecological knowledge in the management of Victoria’s fisheries

With growing recognition of Traditional Owner groups across Victoria as native title claims are being resolved. There is a strong interest from within Victorian Traditional Owner community to actively participate in the management of Victoria’s fisheries. However, despite these strongly held...
ORGANISATION:
Agriculture Victoria