Engagement for Success: evaluation of engagement events to inform industry management strategies
Commercial fisheries and aquaculture activities with insufficient levels of social support can negatively affect industry member well-being and contribute to restricted resource access. More & appropriate engagement is needed to improve stakeholder and community trust & support, both with those affected by industry activity, and with those who affect industry activity (i.e. decision-makers and influencers).
This project addresses the need to ensure that the range of engagement activities and strategies undertaken by organisations and operators within fisheries and aquaculture are effective at:
- building relationships and trustworthiness;
- understanding concerns and needs arising from industry activity; and
- influencing preferences and decisions.
Limited evaluation has been undertaken regarding the effectiveness of engagement strategies and activities in meeting predefined goals. Similarly, limited opportunities exist to transfer knowledge between industry organisations of successful and future engagement practice; or to support improved return on investment of engagement strategies.
The NSW Fishing Industry has a need to improve relationships and trustworthiness with key stakeholders, and to achieve specific outcomes for PFA members, which include; improve social license by industry taking the lead on its own imagery, and an increase in the consumption and variety of NSW seafood.
In addition, there is limited feedback on whether communication strategies about to embark on will be effective at achieving the PFA’s desired outcomes, and there is information to help develop long term engagement strategies and direct limited resources to the most effective activities.
Therefore, there is a need to select a range of community engagement strategies and activities, and evaluate these against predefined goals. Engagement successes need to be extended to other industry organisations,
and if appropriate, decision support materials to be developed to extend knowledge adoption of the findings and materials.
Resource list
Developing environmental management standards for the Australian seafood industry
The seafood industry is acutely aware that the community has become increasingly sceptical about assurances from industry and government regarding the state of the environment generally and in particular the environmental performance of industries which interact with the natural environment.
Development of nationally and internationally recognised environmental management standards using the SeaQual Australia process will assist to:
. achieve significant cultural change within the fishing and associated industries;
. focus the industry clearly on continuous improvement of its environmental performance; and
. gain international and domestic recognition that the industry is operating within environmental standards appropriate for the marine environment.
This project is an opportunity for governments and industry to lead the way internationally with the development and implementation of fisheries environmental standards which will engender public confidence in the way fisheries and the marine environment generally are being managed and that fisheries resources are being used sustainably.
To achieve this there is an urgent need to develop an environmental management system framework which provides realistic and achievable options for environmental accreditation/certification for each of the diverse range of fisheries in Australia. Such a framework needs to be also supported by access to tools and expertise to assist each fishery to determine appropriate environmental management systems for that fishery and to help the fishery to commence the journey of continued improvement in environmental performance (See Attachment 1).
This project will build on initiatives such as Greening Australia's Fisheries, SeaNet and SeaQual Australia to ensure that research outcomes relating to environmental performance are adopted by industry within an appropriate context.
Working together, SeaQual Australia, operating as part of Seafood Services Australia, will provide resources and guidance in the development of a "green chooser" and other products (including environmental management standards development) while SeaNet will provide the all important face-to-face assistance with using such products and with ensuring that their development is soundly based on industry needs.
Building on the work being undertaken by SCFA in relation to Fisheries ESD indicators, this project will commence the development of environmental management standards which can be assessed by independent 3rd party auditors.
While this project has been identified under the industry development program of FRDC it is extremely relevant to the other two FRDC programs eg achieving resource sustainability through fisheries management improvement. Continued improvement of the industry's environmental performance will be key outcomes of the project. This project is also targeted to address State priorities identified by the State FRABs. In all cases improving environmental performance is a high priority. The priorities identified by the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture will also be addressed.
This project provides a unique opportunity to ensure that research results and outcomes are adopted and implemented to the satisfaction of all stakeholders. By working closely with the SCFA ESD reference group, the development of ESD indicators (SCFA project) and the tools required to assist industry stakeholders to meet them (this project) can occur in a systematic pragmatic way and assist in achievement of the desired outcomes.
Report
The purpose of this report is to illustrate the value of EMS as a management tool for seafood businesses to achieve their environmental, economic and social goals and in achieving broader natural resources management goals associated with fishing and aquaculture as well as demonstrating to the community the seafood industry’s environmental credentials.
The report targets existing and potential industry leaders, facilitators and training providers and government officials who have a desire to be involved in the continued development of the seafood industry through EMS.
Project products
Professionalising Industry - NSW Pilot
This application is in response to the priorities identified in the NSW FRAB's recent stakeholder priorities workshop (developing the professional credentials of the NSW Fishermen).
This pilot will assist the NSW SFM Pilot (CRC Project MB079) and SSA EOI (AS015), by ground-truthing the industry on-ground components of the Responsible Fishing Scheme within the NSW context, but will be designed and implemented to keep the national context as a future capability.
In addition, the application is in response to, and addresses the need of, the FRDC R&DE Priorities areas as follows; Program 1: Environment (Theme 4 - Ecologically sustainable development),Program 3: communities (Theme 10 - Resilient and supportive communities) Program 4: People development (Theme 12 - Workforce development) (Theme 13 - Innovation skills) and Program 5: Extension and adoption.
The project will also embrace previous industry development research outputs not extended to stakeholders including the ASIC Code of Conduct for a Responsible Seafood Industry and the Sydney Fish Market Seafood Handling Guidelines, as well as lifting the profile of the existence, contents and benefits of industry adopted codes of practice amongst NSW fishers.
Extension of the project outcomes will also have the potential to provide a mechanism for expressing industry’s values (both individual and as collectives) to communities and other stakeholders, by highlighting the environmental credentials of participating fishermen .