7 results

Tactical Research Fund: Moving to a common vision and understanding for equitable access for indigenous, recreational and commercial fishers:- Northern Territory fishing and seafood industry delegation to New Zealand

Project number: 2008-311
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $60,550.00
Principal Investigator: Chris E. Calogeras
Organisation: Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC)
Project start/end date: 29 Jan 2008 - 30 Jun 2009
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The ‘Blue Mud Bay’ Court decision found that waters over Aboriginal land are the same as ‘land’ under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (ALRA) with similar access requirements. This means that ownership of the intertidal zone (including the waters) rests with the indigenous land trusts. This is significant as land granted under the ALRA encompasses over 80% of the NT coastline.

As a result of the decision, existing Fisheries legislation was ruled invalid in the area. Awaiting the High Court appeal, permits under the ARLA have been issued by the NLC to allow fishing to continue in line with previous conditions under the Fisheries legislation.

Traditional owners, commercial and recreational fishers are now actively discussing long-term options and solutions to this situation. If the appeal fails, the NLC offered a 12-month transition period whilst a satisfactory resolution is reached.

This is a unique situation in Australian fisheries and there is significant opportunities to discuss how best to progress the issues at Industry level. It was considered prudent to make contact with people who have extensive experience in incorporating indigenous fishing rights into the fabric of the day to day operations and management of fishing activities and to discuss possible implications arising from future proposals by NT Industry groups. A fact-finding trip, with a view to meeting and discussing issues with a range of groups in NZ, was considered the best course of action.

The trip will enable stakeholders to become aware of best practice resource management use that takes into account indigenous participation in commercial operations, along with recreational use of fish stocks.

The timing of the trip is critical to allow the delegation’s findings to be considered during the decision-making period immediately following the High Court ruling.

Objectives

1. To allow key fishing industry stakeholder groups in the NT to meet with representatives in NZ who have extensive experience in dealing with and incorporating indigenous fishing rights and access into broader fisheries management arrangements
2. To gain an understanding of how to incorporate indigenous participation in best practice fisheries resource management that takes into account indigenous commercial operations, along with recreational use of fish stocks, monitoring, compliance and enforcement issues.
3. To identify benefits, pitfalls, and other key issues arising from formally acknowledging indigenous fishing rights
4. To reach an agreed stakeholder position on future directions for indigenous participation in the NT fishing Industry
5. Prepare a final report to FRDC detailing outcomes from the delegations investigations

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-646-51122-1
Author: Chris Calogeras

Improving demonstrated environmental accountability in the Northern Territory fishing industry

Project number: 2004-008
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $160,000.00
Principal Investigator: Iain Smith
Organisation: Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC)
Project start/end date: 30 Jan 2004 - 29 Oct 2006
Contact:
FRDC

Need

During the past three years there has been an increasing interest in and understanding among licensee Associations of the role that environmental performance is playing in the future viability of wild catch fisheries in the Northern Territory.

There are now 8 Associations/Licencee Groups that want to develop Codes of Practice for their fisheries and at least 3 wish to progress to full environmental management systems at this stage, with more considering this.

With the predominantly negative media coverage of the fishing industry in the Northern Territory, the realization of these initiatives by industry will go a significant way towards changing its image within major sections of the community. At the same time, it will facilitate industry’s wish to ensure that it continues to sustainably harvest product as the industry further develops. The initiatives are in line with the strategic management directions of the NT Government.

The difficulty facing industry is that the Seafood Council, which administers all the Associations, does not have the staff to adequately assist these developments. The Seafood Council strongly believes that the relatively small investments over two years to fund a dedicated person to drive the developments at a detailed practical level will pay dividends worth many times the investments for industry, the Northern Territory community and the aquatic resources and ecosystems in waters adjacent to the Northern Territory.

Objectives

1. To develop and implement comprehensive Codes of Practice in the: NT Shark fisheryNT Spanish Mackerel fisheryNT Coastal Net fisheryNT Coastal Line fisheryNT Demersal fisheryNT Timor Reef fisheryNT Trepang fisheryNT Aquarium fishery.
2. To develop full Environmental Management Systems for the:NT Shark fisheryNT Spanish Mackerel fisheryNT Timor Reef fishery
3. To facilitate the development of a comprehensive communications strategy within industry and between industry and the wider community in regard to the benefits flowing from these initiatives.
4. To assist in engendering at the grass roots level within industry, a culture of continual improvement in environmental performance and maximization of product quality and value.
5. To assist in the review of the existing NT Crab Fishery Code of Practice.

Final report

People Development Program: FRDC governance scholarship for women - Katherine Sarneckis

Project number: 2008-318.12
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $1,100.23
Principal Investigator: Katherine Winchester
Organisation: Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC)
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2010 - 22 Dec 2010
Contact:
FRDC

Need

There is a need for coordinated delivery of opportunities to develop goverenance capability in the fishing industry and to promote opportunitites to foster diversity within industry committees and boards.

Objectives

1. To provide one annual scholarship to the AICD company directors course

Tactical Research Fund: Future seafood leaders: taking stock

Project number: 2008-310
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $48,334.42
Principal Investigator: Katherine Winchester
Organisation: Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC)
Project start/end date: 30 Jan 2008 - 30 Jun 2009
Contact:
FRDC

Need

In 2000, FRDC funded a project to develop and trial a model for a National Seafood Industry Advanced Leadership Program. Since then approximately 100 people have graduated from the Advance in Seafood Leadership Development Program, significantly enhancing the leadership capacity of the seafood industry.

The current provider contract expires at the end of 2007, and the FRDC is looking toward a review of it's leadership development investments in 2008.

There is a real risk that the significant investments made by FRDC and numerous other program sponsors will be lost if a seafood leadership program is not continued into the future. In the longer term this could potentially lead to a lack of appropriately skilled people to take over representative roles at the national level.

It is therefore opportune to take stock of the previous course and identify areas for improvement to ensure that future leadership programs continue to meet the needs of the seafood industry, and to condiser the establishment of an alumni of past participants to allow effective engagement by the industry. An alumnus would also ensure graduates remain connected and receive continued support from the industry to enable them to develop into leaders.

By developing strategies to encourage industry participation in leadership training it will enhance the leadership capacity of industry. There is also an identified need to have linkages to additional training for graduates.

These key issues and the recent enhancement of the people development program within FRDC, mean that the need for a ‘taking stock’ workshop is timely.

Under the people development program, this project will assist in meeting long-term demand for people who will help the fishing industry meet its future needs and develop leaders among those within and supporting the industry.

Objectives

1. Co-ordination of Advance in Seafood Leadership Development Program graduates to collate experiences and ideas for the improvement of industry leadership courses.
2. Undertake a critique of the previous Advance in Seafood Leadership Development Program to identify areas for improvement and to ensure future programs meet current and future needs of the seafood industry.
3. Identification of options for developing and maintaining a communication network between past course participants.
4. Develop strategies for ongoing pathways to leadership within the seafood industry
5. Production of a report to FRDC
6. A summary of workshop outcomes to be distributed widely to industry.

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-646-50206-9
Author: Katherine Sarneckis
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2010-207
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Management of ‘tough fish syndrome’ in tropical Saddletail Snapper to re-instill market confidence

A major achievement of this research is the confirmation of fish age being the primary driver of toughness in cooked Saddletail snapper flesh. Knowing the cause provides confidence to develop solutions and make business decisions for the reef fish fisheries. The influence of other fish physiological...
ORGANISATION:
Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC)
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