Investigating social acceptance for the wild catch commercial fishing industry of Southeast Queensland
Improving the cost effectiveness of displaced fishing effort adjustment programmes using ex post socio-economic impact analysis
As with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Protected Area and the South-east Marine Bio-regional plan, future social and economic impact assessments of Commonwealth and State declared MPAs/marine reserves are likely to contribute to the estimated quantum and distribution of adjustment assistance for displaced fishing effort.
However, previous experiences of adjustment assistance for displaced effort have never been evaluated as to whether these schemes alleviated the impacts on communities and fishers most affected or whether the assistance provided was used by recipients for what it was intended.
Evaluating these impacts will better inform and shape the intensive marine bioregional planning process over the next two years.
An optimised displaced effort adjustment program should result in:
1. potentially reduced expenditure due to better-targetted assistance
2. faster planning processes for future MPAs.
3. reduced administrative burdens due to lower levels of complaints and challenge.
Final report
Golden fish: evaluating and optimising the biological, social and economic returns of small-scale fisheries
WRL Communication, Education and Engagement Program
Identifying mechanisms and data collection options to aid socio-economic analysis of the NT seafood industry
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.