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Environment
Industry
Industry
Adoption
PROJECT NUMBER • 2020-056
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Evaluation of a smart-phone application to collect recreational fishing catch estimates, including an assessment against an independent probability based survey, using South Australia as a case study

Information on recreational catch and effort is becoming increasingly important to inform fishery stock assessment and the sustainable management of fisheries resources. As smartphone applications ('apps') become more sophisticated and widely available, they are increasingly being used to record...
ORGANISATION:
University of Adelaide

National Seafood Industry Leadership Program (NSILP) 2025-2026

Project number: 2024-041
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $1,183,200.00
Principal Investigator: Heidi J. Mumme
Organisation: Mi-Fish Consulting Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 29 Jan 2025 - 14 Feb 2027
Contact:
FRDC

Need

FRDC is currently operating under the 2020-2025 Research and Development Plan. This plan details the areas of investment for the industry and provides direction regarding the leadership requirements for the Australia seafood industry.

FRDC states that "This is one of the FRDC’s most ‘people-centric’ plans to date, with a focus on capacity building, shaping culture, building relationships and establishing shared principles and values.” Importantly for the seafood industry and community, capacity building is high on the agenda.

The NSILP responds to four enabling strategies
‘Strengthen adoption for transformative change’ (through increasing and improving the uptake of knowledge, skills, solutions, technology and new ways of thinking to create positive change for industry).
‘Promote innovation and entrepreneurship’ (through encouraging new solutions, products and processes as well as new ways of thinking and doing).
‘Build capability and capacity’ (through helping people from across fishing and aquaculture to have the knowledge and skills needed to be safe, happy and productive, and to adapt and flourish in the face of change).
‘Provide foundational information and support services’ (through delivering information to guide the evolution of fishing and aquaculture in Australia).

The industry needs that have been identified are:

- Capacity building and leadership knowledge.
- Although online delivery evolved and improved during COVID, face-to-face remains the preferred method of NSILP learning/delivery to enable the opportunity to build in-person connections.
- Resourced and facilitated Alumni and industry networking and connections.

Objectives

1. Engage with and enable industry to build leadership awareness and capability - communicate NSILP cohorts/programs annually and Seafood Directions 2026 NSILP Alumni opportunities
2. Review and development of materials and resources
3. Deliver four NSILP face to face programs and 2026 SD NSILP Alumni events
4. Support participants before, during and after their learning experience and support industry engagement with the program and participants.
5. Enable new and robust networks across NSILP cohorts and Alumni into the wider industry
6. Review - establish success factors for leadership learning
7. Connect NSILP cohorts with the FRDC RD&E plan and expertise
8. Explore approaches to showcase NSILP Alumni pathways
Industry
Environment
Environment

Review and quantify the cumulative effects of expanding industrial coastal developments and emerging offshore renewable energy on the fishing industry in WA

Project number: 2022-104
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $220,000.00
Principal Investigator: Carli Telfer
Organisation: Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc (WAFIC)
Project start/end date: 30 Mar 2023 - 30 Jun 2024
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The fishing industry in WA and Offshore renewable sector has the opportunity to develop and set a framework for how the industries will work side-by-side to build long term collaborative relationship. Currently, the offshore renewable sector has clearly defined statutory basis, however no marine spatial planning has been provided, to date, and no statutory authority or priority policy that allows or considers the fishing industry. Exclusions zone around infrastructure ultimately claims authority over the water with fishers excluded. In Scotland, 10 years has passed since the establishment of the first offshore wind farm and the Scottish Fishermans Federation are still grappling with the impacts from this industry. In Scotland, first it was the oil and gas sector, then decommissioning and now offshore renewable, so there are real opportunities to learn from overseas and our own WA experiences to work towards developing a framework, to avoid ongoing conflict.

The fishing industry in WA is a defender of a healthy marine environment and is supportive of low carbon emissions, sustainable marine environments and aquatic resources, with the fishing industry also playing one of the most important roles for the community by providing food security. There is currently insufficient protection for the fishing industry with existing plans, legislation, tools and mechanisms bringing balance to some industries and not others. However, in Australia we have an opportunity before wind farms are placed in Australian waters to adequately understand the science of the impacts, by reviewing the literature and learning from other jurisdictions, to provide evidence-based decision-making outcomes for both sectors.

A framework is required that values and protects a legitimate, sustainable and long-established fishing industry which remains at the core of our coastal communities and contributes to our national food security. This new framework will work to provide a key role for the fishing industry in marine spatial planning, particularly in relation to offshore renewable sector and we can jointly understand the potential impacts, co-existence opportunities and avoid displacement to ensure the long-term economic viability of the fishing industry remains.

A full assessment of the spatial squeeze that restricts fishing throughout WA needs to be understood to assess cumulative impacts and avoid displacement of the fishing industry. There is a clear need to understand the potential effects associated with offshore renewable projects and assess how fishing industries can co-design or coexist. If displacement is unavoidable an established compensation process may need to be developed. This project will therefore work with State and Commonwealth Governments to establish important marine spatial planning principles for the fishing industry.

Objectives

1. Evaluate the cumulative impacts on the fishing industry resulting in restrictive access to fish resources.
2. Review the international literature on the spatial impacts that affect fishing businesses and develop a recommended coexistence governance framework which could be adopted at a state level or potentially even nationally for future renewable energy projects or developments that impact coastal environments and aquatic resources.
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