5 results

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
:

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

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)

Identifying mechanisms and data collection options to aid socio-economic analysis of the NT seafood industry

Project number: 2021-034
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $99,000.00
Principal Investigator: Katherine Winchester
Organisation: Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC)
Project start/end date: 24 Feb 2022 - 27 Oct 2022
:

Need

This project seeks to position the NT seafood industry to have a clear understanding of suitable and cost effective, valued systems and processes for adoption. It is the critical first step required to aid a shift in the behaviour and culture from a government driven data collection process for legislative purposes, to a process that is trusted and valued by industry to deliver data insights beyond regulatory requirements. As a result, it will help position the NT wild harvest and aquaculture sectors with securing access, investment and development opportunities.

Current negotiations for access to Aboriginal-owned tidal waters have reached a critical point. A gap exists in understanding what level of industry adjustment might be required to ensure Indigenous investment in the industry is not unnecessarily impacted. Better understanding the full value of the NT seafood industry to the NT community could assist with all strategic decisions related to Blue Mud Bay negotiations, infrastructure investments – and help support investment in the industry going forward.

Without a plan to enhance the visibility of the wider socio-economic value and benefits of our industry, we will continue to face increasing pressure on our social licence to operate – which has the potential to impact all aspects of the local industry, including access, industry structure and increased fees. It will also limit our ability to identify the best opportunities for future growth and sustainability.

Further, there is limited availability of current financial and economic information for our individual NT wild harvest fisheries and sector specific aquaculture activities. Due to this lack of information there is little scope for economic analysis, hence limiting opportunities for providing advice to policy and decision makers.

Objectives

1. Consolidate a methodology for ongoing valuation reporting and capacity for impact assessment of the NT's seafood industry via application of the FRDC’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry social and economic contributions study
2. In consultation with the relevant fishery sectors and the NT Government prepare a list of agreed economic indicators for annual reporting
3. Establish a set of protocols with NTG to provide, on an annual basis, the data already collected and held by NTG that will underpin the preparation of annual economic indicators
4. Develop a program/schedule for undertaking an economic survey of concession holders in NT commercial fisheries
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