A successful World Fisheries Congress 2021
Like many of our stakeholders, some of the FRDC staff participated in the recent virtual World Fisheries Congress 2021 (WFC). The congress saw 1100 delegates from over 60 countries converge online for four days to discuss the future of the world's fisheries. The virtual format provided a thoroughly enjoyable and highly stimulating forum that is a model for how we can connect better in the future. Congratulations to the WFC Organising Committee for coordinating this successful event – especially given the ongoing COVID-19 challenges.
It was great to see so many familiar faces (or at least their online avatars) throughout the weeklong virtual gathering. It was also exciting to see a large number of presentations that extended the excellent research and development work being undertaken through FRDC-funded activities. These presentations highlighted the breadth of FRDC-funded research – tropical to sub-Antarctic – as well as the diversity of our research community. The WFC also saw the extension of:
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The Adaptation of fisheries management to climate change handbook funded through FRDC project 2016-059
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The Stock Assessment Toolbox funded through FRDC project 2018-148
Thanks to all who dropped in on the FRDC virtual stand to have a chat with one of our staff. Please see our new FRDC corporate video that promotes our research community.
FRDC funding round update
The latest open call funding round for the FRDC closed on 16 August. There were approximately 50 applications received addressing the nominated research priorities in the call as well as a range of applicant-identified needs.
These requests for funds have been evaluated by a pool of external reviewers and the FRDC Research & Investment team. Applicants can expect to be informed on the outcomes and next stages of their application evaluation shortly.
What happens once applications are received?
Once an application is received by the FRDC, an evaluation process begins. The applications are matched to any nominated priorities, assigned to a Portfolio Manager and external reviewers are identified. These external reviewers could include members from our jurisdictional Research Advisory Committees (RACs), Industry Partnership Agreements (IPAs), Coordination Programs, technical experts and/or end users. For applications seeking funds from the IPAs, the relevant committees will evaluate and provide recommendations for funding to the FRDC. Evaluations are no longer undertaken as part of RAC or Coordination Program meetings.
Applications are assessed on attractiveness and feasibility as per the following table in line with the FRDC’s Investment in Research and Development Policy. The Policy also outlines other elements of consideration that include risk, avoiding duplication and achieving balanced investment.
Attractiveness |
Feasibility |
Relevance to R&D plan |
Likelihood of success |
Stakeholder support |
Well defined planned outcomes |
Likelihood of adoption |
Outputs clearly defined and linked to planned outcomes |
Value for money |
Clear objectives |
Level of impact |
Sound methodology |
Linkages and collaboration |
Track record of investigators |
Contribution to new knowledge |
Capacity to deliver |
Consequence of not undertaking research |
|
The FRDC management team collates information from these external reviews and prepares an evaluation sheet following similar criteria outlined above and makes a recommendation to either approve or reject the application. Occasionally, there are further questions or further information that may be required to complete an evaluation of an application. On these occasions, the applicant will provide correspondence outlining the further information required to complete the evaluation of an application.
Once the evaluation is complete, the application is provided to the FRDC Board or senior management, such as the Managing Director, for final decision. The applicant will be notified soon after, via a decision notification email outlining the outcome of the evaluation process.
Schematic outlining the FRDC’s planning and investment process.
FRDC’s advisory structures
The FRDC consults with a network of advisory structures to seek assistance in the nomination of investment priorities in research, development, and extension against the FRDC’s R&D Plan 2020-25. These advisory structures include:
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8 jurisdictional Research Advisory Committees
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The Australian Fisheries Management Forum (representing the Directors of Fisheries from the 8 Jurisdictions)
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The Research Provider Network (representing the major fisheries research agencies and universities)
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The three representative organisations of the FRDC, appointed under the legislation – Seafood Industry Australia, Commonwealth Fisheries Association, and Recfish Australia (Australian Recreational and Sport Fishing Industry Confederation Inc.)
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The FRDC also involves the Indigenous Reference Group and the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation in all representational organisation activities.
Each of these groups provides the FRDC with insights into needs, priorities and opportunities requiring investment. To support collaboration and the sharing of issues and solutions, the FRDC facilitates an annual stakeholder workshop. The first of these workshops for the FRDC’s R&D Plan 2020-2025 will be held later this month with subsequent workshops to be held in April of each year to coincide with the development of the FRDC’s Annual Operational Plan that outlines future investment areas for the nominated financial year.
Contact the Research, Development, and Investment team if you would like more information – programs@frdc.com.au.
Research Advisory Committee update
The new Research Advisory Committees met virtually for the first time since their inductions in July. The meetings provided an opportunity for the committees to work through the process of identifying stakeholder needs and aligning priorities to the FRDC’s R&D Plan 2020-2025. The FRDC encourages all stakeholders to visit the jurisdictional Research Advisory Committees webpages.
All committees will meet again throughout September and October to finalise the nominations of priorities to submit to the FRDC. These will then be collated and disseminated in a subsequent call for applications. It is anticipated that the next call for applications will be in November 2021.
Contact the Research, Development, and Investment team if you would like more information – programs@frdc.com.au; or the relevant FRDC Advisory Group contact.
New and improved FRDC website
The FRDC website has received an update to provide a new look and a more user-friendly experience. This website allows users to search current and completed FRDC projects, access FRDC corporate documents including the R&D Plan 2020-25, FRDC’s partners and, importantly, information on applying for funding, the call for applications and FRDC’s reporting guidelines. Check it out and if you have any feedback, please send it here.
Milestone submissions via Fishnet
This is a reminder that all deliverables for your active projects are now to be submitted via Fishnet. They are no longer being accepted by email.
This allows all partners to easily submit reports and receive a notification that the submission was successful. This process will also allow for streamlining of the FRDC’s review of the submitted deliverable and improve turnaround times. More information on how to submit your milestone via Fishnet can be found at the quick start guide.
Increased FRDC capacity to affect culture change
The FRDC has identified that achieving the vision by 2030 of “a collaborative, vibrant fishing and aquaculture, industry creating diverse benefits from aquatic resources, and celebrated by the Australian and global community” will require a shift in the beliefs people hold, their capability and capacity to adopt new ways of thinking and behaving, and the culture they operate within and contribute towards. This is the basis for Enabling Strategy 4 of the FRDC’s R&D Plan 2020-2025 – Build Capacity and Capability.
To help deliver this strategy, a new position at the FRDC has been created, the Capacity, Capability and Culture Change Manager. This role is to develop a strategy, informed by stakeholder input, to help build the capacity, capability and enhance the culture of the fishing and aquaculture community.
Sally Roberts has been appointed to this new position. Sally joins the FRDC from Dairy Australia where she worked extensively in bringing change in a challenging environment to the dairy industry as their People Development lead. Welcome Sally. As Sally immerses herself in the fishing and aquaculture community and its culture, she will be engaging with stakeholders to better understand perceived capacity and capability needs as well as the existing programs of work.
Transforming FRDC’s approach to extension and communication
Another underpinning Enabling Strategy to assist in the delivery of the FRDC’s R&D Plan 2020-2025 is Strengthen Adoption for Transformative Change. Jamie Allnutt has taken on the role of Transformational Extension and Adoption Manager at the FRDC. Jamie is exploring options and opportunities to improve extension and adoption to realise transformational change including regional extension capacity, re-establishing an extension network and improve mechanisms for uptake of knowledge generated through FRDC investments.
Kate Harvey started in early October as General Manager Stakeholder Engagement. Kate will work with Jamie to further improve the benefits that stakeholders receive from the FRDC.
External funding opportunities
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has recently released research priorities for AFMA funding for Commonwealth managed fisheries. More information here.
Projects approved since last update in June 2021
NOTE: some projects may be in the process of contracting
Project Number |
Title |
Applicant |
Principal Investigator |
Budget ($) |
2018-100 |
Optimisation of treatment of Cryptocaryon irritans in Barramundi aquaculture |
University of Adelaide |
Marty Deveney |
415,057 |
2020-026 |
Habitat ecological risk assessment for eco-regions with high trawl footprints, in southern Queensland and northern NSW |
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart |
Roland C. Pitcher |
1,803,130 |
2020-070 |
Overcoming propagule supply bottlenecks for seaweed production |
University of Technology Sydney (UTS) |
Manoj Kumar |
267,706 |
2020-074 |
Understanding white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) transmission in Moreton Bay - epidemiological modelling of surveillance data |
AusVet Pty Ltd |
Brendan D. Cowled |
135,000 |
2020-111 |
Accelerating the adoption of digital technology on Queensland prawn farms |
Australian Prawn Farmers Association (APFA) |
Kim Hooper |
30,000 |
2020-115 |
Demonstrating the impact of prawn viruses on prawn aquaculture production |
James Cook University (JCU) |
Kelly M. Condon |
126,186 |
2020-120 |
Assessing the effectiveness of IRG R&D projects to deliver change |
Land to Sea Consulting |
Leila Alkassab |
147,938 |
2020-121 |
Indigenous Branding in the Fishing and Seafood Industry - Economic Creation and Capture |
Ridge Partners |
Ewan Colquhoun |
100,000 |
2020-122 |
Human Dimensions Research Coordination Program 2021-24 |
University of Tasmania (UTAS) |
Emily Ogier |
321,780 |
2020-123 |
Biology and Ecology Program: Strategically targeting research on Panulirus cygnus and its ecosystem to suit the needs of the WRL fishing industry and stakeholders |
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) |
Simon de Lestang |
750,000 |
2020-127 |
ABFA IPA: RD&E project investment and management via ABFA strategic plan 2021-2025 |
Australian Barramundi Farmers Association (ABFA) |
Jo-Anne Ruscoe |
100,000 |
2020-130 |
Workshop to examine the viability of establishing a peak seafood industry body for South Australia |
Wildcatch Fisheries SA (WFSA) |
Ian Knuckey |
30,000 |
2021-003 |
Maintaining productivity and access to Estuary Cockle across sectors through improved science-based decision making |
NSW Department Of Primary Industries Port Stephens |
Matt D. Taylor |
685,927 |
2021-015 |
Estimating narrow sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata) abundance using close-kin mark recapture |
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart |
Toby Patterson |
281,904 |
2021-024 |
Development of an Indigenous Engagement Strategy for fishing interests with a focus on Commonwealth fisheries |
University of Technology Sydney (UTS) |
Nicholas R. McClean |
343,707 |
2021-026 |
Water disinfection for influent water biosecurity on prawn grow-out farms |
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Bribie Island |
David Mann |
125,430 |
2021-028 |
Can novel seismic survey sources mitigate potential impacts to fisheries? |
Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) |
Ryan Day |
875,328 |
2021-030 |
Digital transformation of the WRL industry to help resolve challenges and leverage opportunities to grow GVP and maintain competitiveness |
Western Rock Lobster Council Inc (WRLC) |
Matt Taylor |
2,352,000 |
2021-032 |
Provision of strategic advice to Oysters Australia - identifying opportunities and associated value for the Australian Oyster Industry in Carbon Neutral Accreditation and Environmental Accounts. |
NineSquared |
Rachael A. Marshall |
15,200 |
2021-036 |
Management and delivery of the Oysters Australia RD&E Plan 2020-2025 |
Oysters Australia Ltd |
Andy Myers |
332,000 |
2021-037 |
Determining if the CCSBT Management Procedure sufficiently demonstrates sustainability credentials of Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna |
Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association |
Brian Jeffriess |
41,000 |
2021-038 |
Shark depredation in Australian fisheries: understanding the scope of the issue and identify potential mitigation options |
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) |
FRDC to coordinate delivery through multiple providers |
80,000 |
2021-042 |
Impacts of COVID19 on the Australian Seafood Industry: Extending the assessment to prepare for uncertain futures |
Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) |
Emily Ogier |
169,564 |
2021-046 |
Review of regulation and policy guiding use of artificial reefs and Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD) in Australian waters |
Bond University |
Daryl McPhee |
256,000 |
2021-051 |
Preliminary evaluation of electro stunning technology for farmed Barramundi |
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Bribie Island |
Brian Paterson |
21,123 |
2021-076 |
Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis (AVG) R&D Needs Workshop |
Abalone Council Victoria Inc (ACVI) |
Craig Fox |
30,000 |