PROJECT NUMBER
•
2012-402
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
Deakin University Geelong Waterfront Campus
TAGS
3 results
Social Matters Workshop
Project number:
2017-152
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$5,213.75
Principal Investigator:
Tanya King
Organisation:
Deakin University Geelong Waterfront Campus
Given the growing importance of social science research in the seafood industry – or recognition of its relevance – there’s a need to consolidate what we have done in the past, and to look to the future. The workshop will do both. In the past, there has been a tendency for social science to be reactive – to ‘autopsy’ – a crisis in the industry after it has happened (or to be invited to autopsy the crisis by the industry). One of the key gaps in the design of social science research is the capacity to anticipate issues and design responses that can enhance the adaptability of the industry, both socially and economically. In order to do so the discipline needs to be communicating effectively with each other in regards to best-practice methodologies for working effectively with industry. We also need to situate our research within a global context that anticipates and speaks to international imperatives, challenges and frameworks (e.g. FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication. In the Australian context the potential issues to be engaged with at the workshop may include; sharing the fish (resource sharing, property rights, global food security); adaptability (fishing as livelihood, practice, culture, in a climate of rapid change and need for adaptation and innovation); research practice, data and decision support (how can social dimensions be monitored and incorporated more formally into decision making?; what innovations in social science practise are needed?).
1. To workshop and build upon the thematically documented FRDC audit of Social Science research (FRDC2009/317)
2. To workshop and thematically document current and ongoing research activities and drivers of participants. They key to this objective is the identification of research-setting processes, and the ways in which social scientists perceive gaps in knowledge and how this might be better aligned with the voices of industry
3. Updated themes, key gaps and emerging issues (from 2009/317) that can be drawn upon by RACs in the immediate future
4. Sharing of knowledge regarding emerging methodologies to maximise contributions of the social scientists to the investigations of identified challenges and research pathways
5. Improved connections between social scientists and a fostering of a coherent voice for social science research in Australia which can be drawn upon to respond collectively to the industry's needs to address emerging issues
Final report
ISBN:
978-0-646-98508-4
Author:
Tanya J King & Kate J. Brooks
Final Report
•
2019-06-06
•
3.43 MB
2017-152-DLD.pdf
The project brought together Australian seafood industry social scientists for the first time ever in a specific and dedicated meeting, to discuss our identity, our role in governance, our past and our future. The Social Matters workshop ran over two days and involved 20 scholars, researchers and practitioners from around the country. The workshop also included one prominent international network actor and scholar who provided expert global perspective and strategic network-building advice.
Sustainable Fishing Families: Developing industry human capital through health, wellbeing, safety and resilience
Project number:
2016-400
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$122,840.52
Principal Investigator:
Tanya King
Organisation:
Deakin University Geelong Waterfront Campus
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.
1. To improve the health and wellbeing of fishing families by promoting safer and healthier work practices
2. To develop strategies to inform fisher families of appropriate physical and mental health care programs and information, including strategies to address barriers to uptake
3. To provide rigorous research that will raise the profile of the health issues and needs of Australian fishing families, and inform government, industry and health services of specific health issues and needs of, and effective support pathways for, fishing families as distinct from farming families.
4. To develop a targeted, industry-led program that will address the health issues and needs of fishing families based on the proven Sustainable Farm FamiliesTM protocol
Final report
ISBN:
978-0-646-98116-1
Authors:
Tanya J. King
Kirsten Abernethy
Susan Brumby
Tracey Hatherell
Sue Kilpatrick
Katarina Munksgaard & Rachel Turner
Final Report
•
2019-01-21
•
4.30 MB
2016-400-DLD.pdf
This project conducted the first national survey of the health, safety and wellbeing of the Australian professional fishing industry in 2017. The results of the survey provide a baseline for the state of the wild-catch industry members across a range of indicators, including reported physical and mental health, factors affecting health and safety, factors affecting levels of stress, health and safety behaviours, and access to health services and information.
The project also conducted and evaluated an intensive pilot program on health, safety and wellbeing tailored specifically for fishing families. The program was modelled on an existing and highly successful program with farming families, Sustainable Farm FamiliesTM developed and delivered by the National Centre for Farmer Health, at the Western District Health Service, Victoria. The materials and presentations were reviewed and modified to reflect the specific strengths and challenges of the fishing industry. For the first time, this award-winning program is now available for use by fishing communities across the country.
