The need for improved leadership development and effective leadership succession to enhance innovation within industry businesses and associations has been acknowledged in numerous reports and industry plans. While the need for innovation is recognised, the industry also needs simple action-research models that enable them to do it.
The People Development Program plan 2008 - 2013 identified among others the goals of "enhance industry leadership within all sectors" and "build industry capacity to drive change to achieve goals".
A range of drivers including (i) the shortage of industry leaders, (ii) the urgent need to develop people's skills to effectively contribute to debates, policy development and resource management, (iii) the need for development of skills to enhance business profitability and sustainability (iv) learning from other industries that have embraced a culture of knowledge and innovation. These areas were identified as needing capacity building within industry.
The inability to attract, train, engage and retain leaders in fishing industry bodies is often instrumental in organisational failure, together with falling numbers of industry participants and the aging of the industry's workforce. How to invigorate organisations to embrace an innovative culture, build leaders and provide them with capacity to apply those skills is critical to the future of the seafood industry.
Building the capacity to effectively represent the interests of the industry and their fishery to government, the community and consumers is critical to commercial fishers (wild-catch and aquaculture), while similar skills are essential to empower recreational and indigenous fishers to be able to effective contribute to the management and research debates that underpin long term sustainability. Building this capacity begins at the most basic level, namely helping the young, the new and the less confident find a voice within their association. It is here that the greatest gains in participation and leadership can be achieved.
