Fisheries Management: From Science to Sustainable Practices (program development)
Animal Welfare – what we do know and where to from here?
The topic of animal welfare in fisheries remains highly contentious and contested and there is a need to find both common ground and to understand and respect the diversity of views. Failure to do so represents a financial risk to wildcatch fisheries and aquaculture and some recreational fishing activities. Animal welfare issues continue be a community focus, and more focus is being placed on the welfare of fish and selected marine invertebrates (e.g. crustaceans and cephalopods). Active campaigns of various types and levels of organisation that oppose fishing activities are not uncommon and garner attention. This project aims to consolidate our knowledge of animal welfare issues of direct relevance to FRDC and its stakeholders and provide a way forward for future research investment that is tailored to FRDC's legislative remit and the needs of its stakeholders.
There has been a considerable number of publications globally that have tackled the topic and provided a diversity of perspectives on the issue. A single workshop and report are not going to unify thinking around the question. The workshop will have a starting point that the question “do fish feel pain” is an issue that there is a diversity of views on the topic, and the focus is on currently accepted best practices and continual improvement in those practices. The workshop will have a session that focuses on community perceptions and highlighting the legitimacy of considering the community perceptions.
National Seafood Industry Leadership Program (NSILP) 2025-2026
FRDC is currently operating under the 2020-2025 Research and Development Plan. This plan details the areas of investment for the industry and provides direction regarding the leadership requirements for the Australia seafood industry.
FRDC states that "This is one of the FRDC’s most ‘people-centric’ plans to date, with a focus on capacity building, shaping culture, building relationships and establishing shared principles and values.” Importantly for the seafood industry and community, capacity building is high on the agenda.
The NSILP responds to four enabling strategies
‘Strengthen adoption for transformative change’ (through increasing and improving the uptake of knowledge, skills, solutions, technology and new ways of thinking to create positive change for industry).
‘Promote innovation and entrepreneurship’ (through encouraging new solutions, products and processes as well as new ways of thinking and doing).
‘Build capability and capacity’ (through helping people from across fishing and aquaculture to have the knowledge and skills needed to be safe, happy and productive, and to adapt and flourish in the face of change).
‘Provide foundational information and support services’ (through delivering information to guide the evolution of fishing and aquaculture in Australia).
The industry needs that have been identified are:
- Capacity building and leadership knowledge.
- Although online delivery evolved and improved during COVID, face-to-face remains the preferred method of NSILP learning/delivery to enable the opportunity to build in-person connections.
- Resourced and facilitated Alumni and industry networking and connections.
Knowledge to improve the assessment and management of Giant Mud Crabs (Scylla serrata) in Queensland
Identifying and synthesizing key messages from projects funded by the FRDC Indigenous Reference Group
Scoping study to assess the potential to develop an Indigenous Fisheries Centre of Excellence (IFCoE)
Around 2.5% of Australia’s population is Indigenous, with the NT higher at 30%. Many remote communities in northern Australia are largely Indigenous.
Current discussion between the NTG and Indigenous groups is likely to see increased opportunities for Indigenous engagement in a broad range of fishing industry activities. The need for improved, coordinated, culturally appropriate RD&E and capacity building has been raised a number of times.
Despite extensive funding for Indigenous employment, training and education, Australia still lacks numbers of appropriately qualified Indigenous people, particularly in remote areas. Many previous attempts to provide these opportunities have largely been unsuccessful. Therefore to maximise these opportunities there is a need to have innovative and coordinated RD&E to assist in building capacity.
A number of institutions are undertaking Indigenous RD&E across Australia. Many Indigenous people feel that better results would be achieved by undertaking this in Indigenous communities where existing seafood industry and resource management activities already occur. Top End Indigenous groups have expressed an interest in developing local institutions to deliver RD&E and training related to the seafood industry, including wild-harvest, research, aquaculture, fishing tourism and resource management through a coordinated vehicle.
There is a need to investigate Indigenous people’s aspirations to scope the types of services required and delivery models which will address needs in a culturally appropriate manner, through Indigenous specific programs.
The NT is well placed to take a lead role in investigating the potential for a national investment in Indigenous Fisheries-RD&E. The aim of the project is to assess the potential for the establishment of a CoE in which investments can be planned, coordinated and funded across a range of prospective partners. However, before such a decision can be made, it is considered prudent to undertake a scoping study.
Final report
A number of individual, organisations and institutions across Australia are undertaking some form of Indigenous focussed Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) that has a fishing and seafood focus. However in many instances this RD&E to the Indigenous sector has not been delivered in a strategic and coordinated manner.
A number of Indigenous groups have expressed an interest in developing local institutions to deliver training, and to a lesser extent undertake RD&E, related to the seafood industry, including wild-harvest, research, aquaculture, fishing tourism, compliance and resource management. It has been proposed that optimised outcomes may be best achieved by developing a coordinated approach through a more formalised service delivery vehicle, thereby allowing the development of areas of expertise across northern Australia to enhance delivery of RD&E to Indigenous people, service providers and funders.
Many Indigenous people have expressed a view that greater involvement and better results would be achieved by undertaking RD&E in Indigenous communities, in close collaboration with, or being lead by Indigenous people. Discussions have also shown that there is a need to focus RD&E towards programs that provide real socio/economic benefit to Indigenous people.
This Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) supported project sought to collect information that would allow an assessment of the feasibility of establishing an Indigenous Fisheries Centre of Excellence (IFCoE) to cover northern Australia.
Keywords: Indigenous, Research, Development & Extension (RD&E), fishing and seafood industry.