The Australian seafood industry is a significant contributor to the Australian economy, with exports in excess of $2 billion in 2001-02 and a multiplier effect estimated to be around $10 billion.

Seafood products from Australia are highly regarded on the international market, with many suppliers having a long history of consistent high quality supply, with some seafood varieties being unique to Australian waters. This presents many potential opportunities for export growth for the Australian seafood sector.

At this point there is no strategic process to enable opportunities to be identified and capitalised upon, thereby allowing Australia to realise the benefits of maximising the potential growth.

This project will establish a process that provides a sound basis for targeting investment and achieving sustainable export growth.

Significant progress is being made to build the capacity of the Australian seafood industry to enable it to respond effectively to the ever-increasing myriad of challenges, and the rapidly changing demands. Key developments in this area include the national ESD reporting system and several initiatives that facilitate the adoption of environmental management system approaches (ie. the Green Chooser project, EA Eco-efficiency Agreements, and the newly established FRDC EMS Initiative, etc.).

Now, a mechanism is required that capitalises on the investment governments and industry have made in these key initiatives, and brings together and extends the necessary expertise and resources (including information, learning materials and support) to improve the knowledge and skills base of persons engaged in adopting EMS and implementing the ESD framework.

The Green Chooser project (FRDC project 200/146) has provided particular insight into the key competencies required of persons engaged in adopting EMS. Importantly, it has highlighted that where particular expertise exist and provided a preliminary indication of the critical gaps in the skills base of the seafood community (industry and government).

FRDC, in creating its Environmental Management Systems Initiative (FRDC Project 2000/084), has also identified this need and has allocated funds to ensure the persons employed under this initiative and associated industry champions are appropriately trained for their roles.

This need is also reflected in the Seafood Training Australia’s Strategic Training Plan for 2001-2002, and the mid-review findings of the Seafood Industry Training Package Review which recommends a stronger emphasis on environmental awareness and promotion of ESD and environmental management throughout the training package.

Through a partnership between SSA, STA and Ocean Watch, this project (as part of the FRDC ESD Assessment and Reporting Subprogram) will address the need for timely access to information, appropriately skilled support and training in relation to EMS by:
(a) Providing an information and training resource to improve the knowledge and skills base of persons engaged in developing and adopting environmental management systems approaches in the Australian seafood industry;
(b) Delivering a training program to EMS Officers employed under the FRDC EMS Initiative, and associated industry champions; and
(c) Facilitating a network of industry members, government and non-government organisations involved in environmental management in the seafood industry to enhance information exchange in relation to key developments in this rapidly changing environment and encourage collaboration and partnerships.

Like many of Australia's primary industries the seafood industry needs to adjust constantly to changing consumer preferences and expectations and changing market conditions. The seafood industry also has to contend with changes in the availability of the resource.

Industry and governments throughout Australia recognise the need to support the continued growth of an internationally competitive sustainable seafood industry in Australia. This need has resulted in a significant increase in the pace and scope of regulatory reform and policy changes (environmental management, food safety, occupational health and safety, training, marketing etc). Thus the operating environment is in a state of constant change as it moves towards one of increased industry self regulation and responsibility.

There are significant challenges in achieving sustainable industry development - one of the most pressing is the need to drive a cultural change which results in an industry following world's best practice in management and operations ensuring that there is maximum return for the resource.

Consumers and therefore governments are increasingly demanding assurance that the food they eat is safe. Regulatory reform in this area is being driven by the Australia New Zealand Food Authority in the development and implementation of the proposed National Food Safety Code. Victoria has already passed their legislation and other States have drafted legislation ready for consideration by their governments.

The international trade environment is also changing rapidly with increased scope for implementation of non tariff barriers to exports - typically relating to food quality and environmental management. The economic crisis in Asia has already negatively affected the levels of Australian seafood exports, a trend which is expected to continue unless there is an increased focus on identifying and meeting the needs of the marketplace.

Developing seafood industry standards (accepted nationally and internationally) incorporating food safety, quality and environmental management elements provides a significant opportunity to ensure change occurs to meet these challenges.

With the operating environment changing so rapidly there is an increasing need for the development and adoption of seafood industry standards (accepted nationally and internationally) incorporating food safety, quality and environmental management elements. The standards development process provides a significant opportunity to ensure that the cultural change required to achieve the vision for the industry will occur.

The capabilities that are proposed to be brought under an "Australian Seafood Centre" (ASC) would provide the impetus to develop and manage the adoption of such standards and would provide coordinated products and services to all stakeholders.. With many industry development initiatives existing at State and National level there are significant opportunities for achieving a bigger and faster impact through better networking and integration. The ASC would provide a focus for post harvest initiatives, creating critical mass for achieving significant outcomes to benefit all stakeholders (government and industry).

The recently released SeaQual strategic plan "The Seafood industry's Strategic Plan for Achieving Seafood Excellence" identifies five key goals and a number of strategies for achieving them. The plan identifies the roles and responsibilities of industry and government stakeholders and recognises that success will depend on commitment from all stakeholders including the allocation of appropriate resources.

At the recent workshop held in Queensland, all States identified the need for work to be done in relation to seafood safety and quality, particularly in the development of agreed and accredited industry guidelines and in the eventual development of agreed industry standards. It was agreed that SeaQual Australia could provide immediate benefits to all States by providing key linkages with agencies with responsibility for food regulation and by networking the State based SeaQual operations.

The proposed development of an “Australian Seafood Centre” initially with seafood safety and quality management capabilities – SeaQual Australia is a major and complex project which will need both a strategic and an operational focus. It will meet the need to manage and review the implementation of the Strategic Plan while achieving the synergies and consequent cost efficiencies through the provision of a “single window” to the seafood industry on food safety and quality issues. It will ultimately do the same for all post harvest activities.