There is a pressing national need to provide industry with services that complement and enhance those provided by peak sectoral bodies. The number and complexity of issues affecting global seafood trade will continue to increase along with the need for more rapid responses. Individual businesses and peak bodies cannot follow development in all of these areas: SSA can.

By focusing on industry development priorities and the adoption of R&D results, SSA can assist the FRDC to meet its 5 year targets and help to meet the expectations of the Australian government (see the National and Rural Research and Development Priorities and the response to the Corish Report).

FRDC investment is required to capitalize and build on SSA’s achievements and to continue to assist industry meet the challenges of sustaining seafood business profitability.

1. The need for stable supply of seafood – Australian seafood producers meet about 40 per cent of domestic demand at present, but if the status quo continues they are predicted to supply less than 25 per cent by 2020. Reducing business costs and increasing production efficiency will help close the supply/demand gap.

2. The need to sustain profitable markets – having the capacity to quickly respond to market signals and expand customer base by increasing demand for product in a broader range of markets.

3. The need to cost effectively deliver quality products to markets – collective approaches to product quality will underpin investment in branding and promotion and improve the capacity of the industry to consistently meet the expectations of premium price markets.

4. The need for access to timely and relevant expertise and knowledge – to be globally competitive Australia’s seafood businesses need access to and the capacity to use the best up to date knowledge and technology to achieve their business objectives.