Many aspects of marine systems, including diverse species, habitats, and environmental issues, need expansive research to better understand and manage sustainability of the fishing and aquaculture industry. Unfortunately, data collection is one of the most resource-intensive aspects of science and can hinder the progression of commodity-specific research and development (R&D). This project will develop best practice guidelines for the creation, execution, evaluation, and evolution of citizen science projects that specifically address research data collection in the Australian aquaculture industry, which will contribute to research outcomes that facilitate long term productivity and sustainability of the industry. For more than 50 years, formal citizen science programs have proven to be an effective way for communities to contribute to R&D by collecting scientific data that drives decision making and creates innovative solutions.
This project involves a four-stage approach to enhancing R&D practices for recreational fishers, fisheries scientists, and fisheries managers by providing researchers with industry-specific information to design citizen science projects that actively engage recreational fishers. The approach provides flexibility and agility to ensure the project can achieve high quality deliverables, on time, and in budget:
1. Consultation with industry stakeholders to determine current barriers and opportunities to developing, implementing, evaluating, and evolving citizen science projects targeted at recreational fishers.
2. Desktop review and global “environmental scan” to best characterise citizen science programs, projects, and frameworks relevant to recreational fishing.
3. Development of researcher citizen science guidelines for recreational fishing that provides detailed information pertinent to industry challenges and opportunities. The guidelines will be led by the results of Stages 1 and 2, and will be intuitive, user-friendly and easily updated in the future.
4. Industry communication of the guidelines to ensure streamlined adoption by researchers and improved return on investment for this project.
Strategies to amplify collaborative and sustainable citizen science opportunities identified during this project will enhance FRDC R&D outcomes 3 (a culture that is inclusive and forward thinking) and 5 (community trust, respect, and value). The guidelines will help build an environment where researchers work directly with recreational fishers, which will promote inclusivity with stakeholders, harness the wealth of local ecological expertise and foster a solution-driven culture throughout the supply chain.

FRDC recently co-funded a cross-commodity project on Designing the integration of extension into research project (James, 2022), which sought to improve adoption of outcomes from RD&E project. At the conclusion of this report, recommendations for Phase 2 were made, and these included several focused on developing and trailing different learning approaches for knowledge transfer. Understanding learning approaches required for different topics and cohorts is an essential next step to improve practical outcomes associated with development, change, and adoption processes. This project represents an opportunity for FRDC to build on this initial investment and generate new knowledge on the connection between learning approaches and knowledge transfer to enhance the fisheries and aquaculture sector’s capability and capacity for adaptability and change.

A systematic review of the literature on the topics of adult learning, knowledge transfer, and transformational change will identify and evaluate relevant findings for the fisheries and aquaculture sector. These will be further ground-truthed through extensive stakeholder consultation within (a) wild catch organisations, (b) aquaculture organisations, and (c) through the wider industry knowledge network (e.g. extension officers and research teams). A compilation of informal and formal learning and development opportunities in fishing and aquaculture within organisations and in the wider industry will be analysed, and case studies of best practice identified, analysed and showcased as examples of successful change, adoption, skill development and shift in mindset.

These evidence-based context-specific insights will be translated into a guide, tool or micro-credential for best practice in designing and delivering knowledge transfer and practice change activities. The usefulness and ease of use of this resource will be tested in a workshop with FRDC extension professionals and other interested stakeholders, refined and then introduced to the fisheries and aquaculture community for application to learning and training in organisations and throughout the wider industry. It is expected that the findings of this project will have implications for the project Capability and capacity: Navigating leadership pathways in fishing in aquaculture, in particular insights on how learning approaches for the topic area of non-technical skills development (e.g. communication, team effectiveness, career self-management, problem-solving, strategic thinking and foresight) occur within organisations that may prove to be the start of the leadership pathway for people within fisheries and aquaculture, and if done effectively may widen and diversity the talent pipeline into mid to high leadership level development opportunities.

This project has been designed with a 12-month timeline, with options to scale down if required by FRDC.