2 results

Development and ongoing Maintenance of an Australian Standard for aquatic plant names

Project number: 2017-212
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $67,976.00
Principal Investigator: Alan J. Snow
Organisation: Alan Snow Konsulting
Project start/end date: 9 Apr 2018 - 30 Jan 2021
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Sustainability
Seaweed
Policy
Marketing
Freshwater

Need

This standard will define the standard names for aquatic plant names including algae, microalgae, samphire, etc to be used in Australia; and specify when standard names are to be used. Annex A of the standard will provide a list of agreed standard names for aquatic plants and will form part of the standard.

Plants from marine and freshwater environments are covered by this standard, irrespective of the country of origin.

The scope of the standard is intentionally broad, but the species to be considered initially for inclusion in the Australian Standard for aquatic plant names will be limited to edible marine algae, microalgae, and samphire from marine environments but species from freshwater environments can be included as necessary.

Other commercial species may be added at a later time as necessary.

Not developing a standard would result in marketplace confusion.

This project is to get the process rolling and develop an initial standard.

The project will also include the maintenance of the proposed standard for the first three years

Objectives

1. To assign standard names for current and potential edible aquatic plant names that are sold for human consumption – including commercially important algae and samphire species.
2. To achieve stakeholder support for the proposed names
3. To develop an appropriate Australian Standard for aquatic plant names incorporating the agreed list of edible marine algae.
4. To maintain the Australian Standard for Aquatic Plant Names for 3 years

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-6450899-0-5
Author: Alan J Snow
Final Report • 2021-01-25 • 1.11 MB
2017-212-DLD.pdf

Summary

This project has started as a concept and has culminated in the publishing of AS 5301- the Australian Standard for Aquatic Plant Names. This is recognised as being a “world’s first” and has resulted in an industry agreed list of names at the start of this highly important developing industry.

FRDC Resource: Development and ongoing maintenance of Australian Fish Names Standard 2019-2020

Project number: 2018-006
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $207,551.00
Principal Investigator: Alan J. Snow
Organisation: Alan Snow Konsulting
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2019 - 29 Sep 2020
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Values &Amp; Ethics
Sustainability
Stock Assessment
Policy
Marketing

Need

All Australian Standards developed by FRDC will demonstrate a net benefit and therefore have an overall positive impact on Australia’s seafood industry. This means that all FRDC developed Australian Standards must provide a value or benefit that exceeds the costs to the seafood industry with associated action plans to implement continuous improvement to ensure this is met.

Public, consumer and stakeholder confidence is vital to the well-being of Australia’s seafood industry.

Australian Standards are not legal documents. However, when a government references a standard in legislation, it becomes mandatory. An Australian Standard does have status and is recognised as being a credible document. Usage of the names included in the Australian Fish Names Standard is not mandated in Australia but is listed in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 2.2.3 - Fish and Fish Products as an advisory note (see https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2011C00569)

Standard fish names removes confusion, strengthens consumer confidence, creates market efficiencies and consistency, underpins effective fisheries monitoring and improves management of food fraud / food safety.

The use of standard fish names achieves outcomes that are consistent with the aims of industry and governments:
1 Improved monitoring and stock assessment enhances the sustainability of fisheries resources.
2 Increased consistency and efficiency in seafood marketing to improve consumer confidence and industry profitability.
3 Improved accuracy and consistency in trade descriptions enables consumers to make more informed choices when purchasing seafood and reduces the potential for misleading and deceptive conduct.
4 More efficient management of seafood related public health incidents and food safety through improved labelling and species identification reduces public health risk.

Within the next decade, the AFNS must:
• Be all inclusive including increased stakeholder awareness
• Improve the AFNS database to ensure all data is current
• Meet stakeholder expectation
• Be world’s best practice
• Be a national benchmark for sustainability
• Be part of an ongoing continuous improvement processes
• Be a transparent process to create trust

Objectives

1. Ensure FRDC maintains accreditation as a Standards Development Organisation through audits from the Standards Development Advisory Committee
2. Continue to promote and provide advice on the content and uptake of Australian Fish Names Standard and other FRDC developed standards to the broader seafood industry and government through strategic submissions and presentations to government in consultation with FRDC
3. Evaluate and implement the recommendations from the draft “Report on Stakeholder Consultation about the Australian Fish Names Standard and the Associated Processes” conducted in 2018 to ensure the AFNS continues to meet stakeholder needs and expectations
4. Continually improve the content and relevance of the Australian Fish Names Standard AS 5300 and underlying procedures to meet market, regulator and stakeholder needs and expectations.

Report

ISBN: 978-0-6450899-1-2
Author: Alan J Snow
Report • 2021-06-21 • 1.83 MB
2018-006-DLD.pdf

Summary

This project focuses on the ongoing development and maintenance of the Australian Fish Names Standard. Initiated by Seafood Services Australia in 1999, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) took carriage of the development of the Fish Names Standard in 2013. Initial accreditation of FRDC by Standards Australia was conducted on 11 September 2013; intellectual property of the Australian Fish Names Standard was formally transferred on 11 October 2013; and the first FRDC Fish Names Committee (FNC) was held on 12th November 2013.

This work builds on the following FRDC funded projects:
• 2012-209, “Develop and promote the Australian Fish Names Standard (AS-5300) and ensurereaccreditation as a Standards Development Organisation [Michelle Christoe, SSA Executive Officer–novated to
  (2012-209.40) Alan Snow Konsulting].
• FRDC 2012-209.40, “Develop and promote the Australian Fish Names Standard (AS-5300) andensure reaccreditation as a Standards Development Organisation” [Alan Snow Konsulting]
• FRDC 2015-210, “FRDC resource: Australian Fish Names Standard (AS-5300)” [Alan Snow Konsulting].

The operating procedures of the Fish Names Committee have continued to improve, and proposed amendments have been evaluated in a highly rigorous and professional manner.

The list of approved names in the Australian Fish Names Standard has continued to expand to meet stakeholder needs through harmonising with the Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) reports and the addition of commercially important invertebrate species.

It has been twenty years since the Fish Names process commenced through Seafood Services Australia (SSA). As such, it is an opportunity to consider what has been achieved in twenty years and what is still to be achieved.
View Filter

Research

Category

Organisation