Wild capture fisheries are a national asset. They contribute in two ways: USE as a social, cultural or economic asset, AND value created through people and MANAGEMENT systems guiding that use. Aquaculture is an increasingly important seafood source offering potential across all sectors.

The IRG's RD&E Strategy contains 5 Aspirations, 11 Principles and related Outputs. Their comprehensive, integrated approach provides a single framework that offers a key role for all stakeholders, locally and nationally.

The IRG's Strategy will be successful only when it resolves key challenges, including:
- poor understanding and awareness of the needs of indigenous fishery users, and their monitoring of progress toward social/cultural/economic aspirations they aspire to,
- lack of capacity (human, management, structural) of fishers and communities to respond to and benefit from this Strategy,
- lack of alignment between customary sea management practices, enterprise profit motives, social/cultural/economic drivers for community viability, and government practices,
- the diversity of indigenous fisheries, across cultures, geography, aquatic environments, species and economic opportunities.

The Strategy must:
- create a viable pathway forward,
- increase fishery value in the hands of users, and
- better align government policy and process. This will require a policy and regulatory gap analysis and review options to better align these with traditional sea management approaches.

Change will take time - but outputs must demonstrate increasing value (social/cultural/economic) to fishers and communities.

The Project Team will partner with 4-5 indigenous fishery communities to consult and understand their fisheries, aspirations, needs, capacities and alignment with social/cultural/economic factors. The Team will respond with actions that aim to boost fishery value. Local case studies will inform national approaches and about what works, when and where.

The project will cost effectively create new tools, structures, alignments, data, and capacities, in the hands of the IRG, indigenous fishers and communities.