The recreational fishing sector is facing a national shortage of people to take on roles in leadership, administration, management, advocacy and representation. There is an urgent need to build capability to address real and practical issues that are impacting on the sectors development. This shortage of new people is hindering the advancement of the needs, goals and aspirations of the recreational fishing community.
The recreational fishing sector has passionate and committed individuals who continue to strive for a better deal for the sector. However, these same people work largely in a voluntary capacity and struggle to cope with the constant deluge of administration and advocacy required. The sector needs targeted programs with additional resources to develop new leadership. It is hoped that through this project, 10 budding future leaders from Victoria, Tasmania, NSW and South Australia are identified and provided the opportunity to better understand leadership concepts and fisheries management. In doing so, it will help them take the first step on a development journey that will see them chart and steer the sector forward to reach its full potential.
This proposal will benefit recreational fishing by building the next generation of recreational fishing leaders that can effectively advocate for sustainable and responsible fishing practices, but also against future threats to the sector. The proposal is critical if we are to have a proper succession plan in place to nurture future advocates for recreational fishing in the South East. Failure to invest in this area will lead to a future gap in new and informed fishing advocates and continue a concerning trend that new leaders are hard to find for the many and varied consultation processes run by Government departments.
The importance of investing in people development programs has been endorsed by the Fisheries Research Development Corporation, State fishery managers and RecFish Research. This application aligns closely with the proposal by Jill Briggs to conduct a skills audit and develop a broader framework for leadership development in the recreational fishing sector nationally.
Final report
The recreational fishing sector has passionate and committed individuals who continue to strive for a better deal for the sector. However, these same people work largely in a voluntary capacity
and struggle to cope with the constant deluge of administration, representation and advocacy required. The sector needs targeted programs with additional resources to develop new leadership
capacities.
Following an expression of interest process run by the various State recreational fishing peak bodies, 11 budding future leaders from Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and South
Australia were identified and provided the opportunity to better understand leadership concepts and fisheries management. A five day intensive live-in course was held in Port Fairy in June
2016, with the support and assistance of fisheries managers, scientists, industry and peak bodies from across the South East. In doing so, it provided a forum for participants to take the first stepon a development journey. It is envisaged that this journey will see them steer the recreational fishing sector forward in the future, to reach its full potential.
