The members of the SAF (industry and government) have recognized the need to provide coordinated, cohesive and robust technical advice to support Australian negotiators and delegations dealing with trade and market access issues. While this expertise is variously available from different sources a more cohesive and collaborative approach will help:
a) ensure that the most appropriate technical expertise is available to support Australian trade negotiations relating to seafood
b) coordinate robust technical advice for input to international trade fora such as Codex and bilateral and multilateral trade agreement discussions
c) deliver a multi disciplinary approach to often very complex trade issues and ensure that Seafood CRC participant business operations and practices are considered in developing Australia’s negotiating positions
d) foster open communication between Australia’s technical trade experts and assist early detection of issues
e) provide a forum for debate and discussion about technical trade issues and their impact on the CRC participant businesses
f) create an international technical trade network and enable Australia’s experts to identify and act on opportunities for national and international collaboration
g) facilitate professional development of existing and new people with technical trade expertise.
Report
SafeFish is assessing its strategic and operational strategies and structures in response to two needs: to ensure SafeFish has a long term future beyond funding cycles, and to fulfil a condition of the SafeFish funding agreement.
This report is submitted to the recently appointed independent Chair of SafeFish, Dr Anne Astin, and her SafeFish Partnership Group colleagues. The report responds to a Terms of Reference (see Appendix 1) developed by SafeFish to identify a preferred Business Model that reflects stakeholder investment needs, positions the partnership to create value for stakeholders, and enables its longevity.
This report provides independent interim advice regarding the Partnership Group’s preferred operational model and structures over the next 3 years. This advice is based on strategic discussions with stakeholders, known work programs, and priorities currently defined. A more comprehensive and longer term strategic discussion is now required to identify and strategically focus on what seafood problems SafeFish is to solve. This requires stakeholders and the FRDC to jointly consider and agree the integrated risk management and strategic investment platform that is essential to guide SafeFish and its work program over the next 5-10 years.
