Industry investment fund (residual funds)

1. To develop and implement agreed arrangements to transition the STAG to a new business model (communications, governance, operations and funding) within the SIA

ORGANISATION:

Honey and Fox Pty Ltd

PROJECT NUMBER • 2020-108

PROJECT STATUS:

COMPLETED

Seafood Market Access and Trade: Part 1. Australia-European Union FTA negotiations (non-tariff barriers) Part 2. Australia - India FTA negotiations Part 3. Reports– India/EU/GCC identifying opportunities and impediments for Australian seafood exporters

Commercial in confidence

ORGANISATION:

Seafood Industry Australia (SIA)

Population biology of octopus species in NSW: research to support developmental octopus trap fisheries

Project number: 2020-008

Project Status:

Current

Budget expenditure: $298,713.00

Principal Investigator: Karina C. Hall

Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)

Project start/end date: 17 Apr 2022 - 16 Mar 2025

Contact:

FRDC

TAGS

Rac Nsw

SPECIES

Octopuses

Need

Commercial in confidence. To know more about this project please contact FRDC.

Objectives

Commercial in confidence

Related research

All research

PROJECT NUMBER • 2020-008

PROJECT STATUS:

CURRENT

Population biology of octopus species in NSW: research to support developmental octopus trap fisheries

Commercial in confidence

ORGANISATION:

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)

Maintaining productivity and access to Estuary Cockle across sectors through improved science-based decision making

Project number: 2021-003

Project Status:

Current

Budget expenditure: $685,927.00

Principal Investigator: Matt D. Taylor

Organisation: NSW Department Of Primary Industries Port Stephens

Project start/end date: 2 Oct 2022 - 29 Mar 2026

Contact:

FRDC

TAGS

Rac Nsw

SPECIES

Cockles

Need

The lack of knowledge on fundamental fisheries biology, uncertainty in stock structure, population dynamics, and cross-sectoral harvest levels, means that current stock assessments are unequipped to reliably determine stock status or inform recommended biological catches (RBCs), and that management of the resource occurs within a high degree of uncertainty. These EXCEPTIONAL INCREASES IN HARVEST and UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING SUITABLE RBCs create an URGENT NEED TO DEAL WITH THE SUBSTANTIAL KNOWLEDGE VACUUM FOR THIS RESOURCE. Without this improved knowledge, the reasonable assessment of the status of the resource, estimation of appropriate harvest levels, harvest strategy development, implementation of appropriate management, and informed decision making on how best to utilise the resource, will continue not to be possible. Furthermore, environmental variability and species-habitat-fishery interactions are likely to impact stock dynamics and biomass, which in turn affects the magnitude, profitability, and social outcomes derived from the resource. Thus, efficient exploitation and effective management of the resource within a harvest strategy framework cannot occur without: 1) spatial definition of likely management units (stock structure); 2) estimates of stock biomass within those units; 3) estimates of basal population parameters and some appreciation of the influence of environmental stochasticity on resource productivity; and, 4) an appreciation of resource access across sectors. There is likely potential for further development in this fishery, to satisfy growing markets for the species both locally and abroad, but this will never be realised until these information needs are met.

Objectives

1. Identify stock structure for Estuary Cockle across NSW

2. Design appropriate fishery-independent survey methodologies to support both priority research objectives, and ongoing monitoring of stock biomass

3. Characterise basal population parameters and spatial and temporal patterns in biomass and recruitment, within a broader context of environmental drivers and species-habitat interactions

4. Improve knowledge on recreational, aboriginal and IUU harvest of the resource

5. Integrate information on biology, ecology, harvest, stressors, impacts, and current/future management arrangements into an Ecological Risk Assessment framework, to define future management, compliance, and communication priorities

Related research

All research

PROJECT NUMBER • 2021-053

PROJECT STATUS:

CURRENT

Building capability in food safety in Australian shellfish

1. Understand the training needs to support the continued development of Australian shellfish industries covered by ASQAP

ORGANISATION:

University of Tasmania (UTAS)

PROJECT NUMBER • 2021-003

PROJECT STATUS:

CURRENT

Maintaining productivity and access to Estuary Cockle across sectors through improved science-based decision making

1. Identify stock structure for Estuary Cockle across NSW

ORGANISATION:

NSW Department Of Primary Industries Port Stephens

PROJECT NUMBER • 2010-304

PROJECT STATUS:

COMPLETED

Impact of management changes on the viability of Indigenous commercial fishers and the flow on effects to their communities: case study in NSW

1. Case study of indigenous commercial fisheries focussing initially on NSW as a basis for a national study

ORGANISATION:

Southern Cross University (SCU) Lismore Campus

Exploring changes in recreational fishing participation and catch due to COVID-19 – A WA case study

Project number: 2022-001

Project Status:

Current

Budget expenditure: $360,000.00

Principal Investigator: Karina Ryan

Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Hillarys

Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2022 - 29 Jun 2024

Contact:

FRDC

TAGS

Recreational Fishing

Rac Wa

Need

Robust data is critical to ensure sustainability and demonstrate the social and economic benefits of recreational fisheries. Traditional data collection methods can be cost-prohibitive, especially for fisheries operating across large scales, or those requiring real time information. Challenges associated with data collection have been highlighted during COVID-19, where travel restrictions have changed the dynamics of regional tourism and associated recreational fishing. Increased domestic travel is delivering economic benefits to many regional locations, however, there have been concerns about increased effort and the longer-term impact of increased catches on stock sustainability.

Federal and State Governments have implemented a range of policy responses during COVID-19, with support measures and stimulus packages for businesses, including tourism. Many jurisdictions have implemented measures to assist commercial and recreational fishing sectors, while few jurisdictions have implemented changes to recreational fishing regulations. In Western Australia, recreational fishing rules were revised to address sustainability concerns for valuable stocks of demersal finfish. This policy shift was supported by evidence from ongoing monitoring and stakeholder engagement. Further reviews will be conducted following the current state-wide survey (September 2020–August 2021), which will provide estimates of participation, effort, catch and expenditure in regional Western Australia attributed to local and non-local residents and to recreational fishing.

While intensive survey methods are repeated periodically, the adoption of indicators between these intervals can inform ongoing assessments. Social and economic indicators, such as those obtained from administrative data or record of sales, have the potential to provide rapid assessment of changes in participation, fisher demographics and catches. While benchmarking these data against traditional surveys may be required, there is a need to investigate a range of data sources that could measure change and inform rapid assessments.

Objectives

1. Investigate community indicators that could inform sustainability and policy objectives and a performance assessment framework for recreational fisheries in Western Australia.

2. Assess attitudes among stakeholders regarding perceived confidence in social and economic indicators for recreational fisheries based on case study.

3. Assess the impacts on recreational fishing associated with COVID-19 using the agreed performance assessment framework (and case study).

4. Provide recommendations for future collection of social and economic indicators to inform sustainability and policy objectives for recreational fisheries in Western Australia.

Brochure

Brochure • 2024-02-01 • 890.23 KB

2022-001-booklet.pdf

Project products

Brochure • 2024-02-01 • 890.23 KB

2022-001-booklet.pdf

Brochure • 2024-02-01 • 890.23 KB

2022-001-booklet.pdf

Climate resilient wild catch fisheries

Project number: 2021-089

Project Status:

Completed

Budget expenditure: $292,985.00

Principal Investigator: Veronica Papacosta

Organisation: Seafood Industry Australia (SIA)

Project start/end date: 30 Jan 2022 - 29 Sep 2022

Contact:

FRDC

TAGS

Climate Resilience

Climate Mitigation

Need

The need for this project is to activate and engage industry in viable options towards climate resilience by 2030. This includes the need to demonstrate that immediate options exist and are viable and meaningful, while also gaining support for a clear plan to transform the industry and supply chain with support both internally and beyond the sector. The key needs are:

01 | Industry awareness of the problems and solutions around climate change and resilience is below where it needs to be to activate broad transformation. There is little action towards climate resilience (1 player) in comparison to other agricultural sectors.

02 | There will be increasing competition within the protein market to validate and promote sustainable practices and positive contributions to the environment/climate.

03 | Leaders and innovators in the industry are attempting to act in isolation with few resources to support industry and supply chain coordination and acceleration.

04 | Change around the edges that can be achieved by some stakeholders operating alone will not deliver the transformation at a scale or pace that is required to meet growing and broadly felt consumer expectations that indicate demonstrable action on climate change.

05 | There is a surplus of tools, resources and research around climate change and resilience, but to this point, little of that work has been translated into forms fishers find usable and valuable.

06 | There is a need to identify early adopters and innovators in the space to lead new ways operating into the future.

07 | There is an FRDC funded project to undertake a Lifecycle Assessment being concluded early November. This work has been preliminarily identified fuel, transport, and refrigeration as key challenges requiring new solutions/opportunities for industry.

08 | Propulsion and fuel have been identified as key challenges in wild catch fisheries achieving climate resilience and reducing carbon emissions, and will be the focus of this project.

Objectives

1. To understand challenges facing the commercial wild-harvest sector relating to a changing climate

2. To determine opportunities to respond to those challenges, and validate solutions

3. To engage with industry leaders and innovators to explore and validate viable, feasible and scalable options towards climate resilience

4. To demonstrate rapid and practical progress towards climate resilience and elements of SIA’s Our Pledge

5. To build partnerships and relationships with global leaders to enable advancement of prioritised solutions that will enable improved climate resilience

Final report

Authors: Veronica Papacosta Clayton Nelson Tom Cosentino Allen Haroutonian Angus McDonald

Final Report • 2023-12-12 • 8.11 MB

2021-089-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report outlines the impending need for the fishing industry to reduce GHG emissions by 2030. Over 8 months, the project evaluated alternative fuels' potential to cut emissions, recognising challenges in regulatory stimulus and incomplete research. Among numerous options, certain solutions emerged, while others like ammonia and liquid hydrogen faced constraints. The analysis prioritised solutions based on maturity and industry suitability. Economic assessments underscored the significance of fuel prices in shaping viability. The report introduces the "energy transition paradox," emphasising incremental positive steps toward change. Scenarios and roadmaps were crafted, identifying renewable diesel and battery/electric outboards as short-term solutions, while green methanol and emissions capture show promise for the medium term.

Final Report • 2023-12-12 • 8.11 MB

2021-089-DLD.pdf

Summary

Final Report • 2023-12-12 • 8.11 MB

2021-089-DLD.pdf

Summary

Industry moving towards a Zero-Waste Fishery: a case study to future proofing South Australia's Marine Scalefish Fishery

Project number: 2021-065

Project Status:

Completed

Budget expenditure: $15,205.78

Principal Investigator: Barbara Venn

Organisation: Marine Fishers Association Inc (MFA)

Project start/end date: 31 Jan 2022 - 22 Dec 2023

Contact:

FRDC

TAGS

Need

Commercial in confidence. To know more about this project please contact FRDC.

Objectives

Commercial in confidence

Identifying mechanisms and data collection options to aid socio-economic analysis of the NT seafood industry

Project number: 2021-034

Project Status:

Completed

Budget expenditure: $99,000.00

Principal Investigator: Katherine Winchester

Organisation: Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC)

Project start/end date: 24 Feb 2022 - 27 Oct 2022

Contact:

FRDC

TAGS

Wild Catch

Social Science

Rac Nt

Human Dimensions Research

Need

This project seeks to position the NT seafood industry to have a clear understanding of suitable and cost effective, valued systems and processes for adoption. It is the critical first step required to aid a shift in the behaviour and culture from a government driven data collection process for legislative purposes, to a process that is trusted and valued by industry to deliver data insights beyond regulatory requirements. As a result, it will help position the NT wild harvest and aquaculture sectors with securing access, investment and development opportunities.

Current negotiations for access to Aboriginal-owned tidal waters have reached a critical point. A gap exists in understanding what level of industry adjustment might be required to ensure Indigenous investment in the industry is not unnecessarily impacted. Better understanding the full value of the NT seafood industry to the NT community could assist with all strategic decisions related to Blue Mud Bay negotiations, infrastructure investments – and help support investment in the industry going forward.

Without a plan to enhance the visibility of the wider socio-economic value and benefits of our industry, we will continue to face increasing pressure on our social licence to operate – which has the potential to impact all aspects of the local industry, including access, industry structure and increased fees. It will also limit our ability to identify the best opportunities for future growth and sustainability.

Further, there is limited availability of current financial and economic information for our individual NT wild harvest fisheries and sector specific aquaculture activities. Due to this lack of information there is little scope for economic analysis, hence limiting opportunities for providing advice to policy and decision makers.

Objectives

1. Consolidate a methodology for ongoing valuation reporting and capacity for impact assessment of the NT's seafood industry via application of the FRDC’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry social and economic contributions study

2. In consultation with the relevant fishery sectors and the NT Government prepare a list of agreed economic indicators for annual reporting

3. Establish a set of protocols with NTG to provide, on an annual basis, the data already collected and held by NTG that will underpin the preparation of annual economic indicators

4. Develop a program/schedule for undertaking an economic survey of concession holders in NT commercial fisheries

Improving the management of wildlife interactions in pelagic longline fisheries

Project number: 2021-078

Project Status:

Current

Budget expenditure: $269,600.00

Principal Investigator: David Ellis

Organisation: Tuna Australia Ltd

Project start/end date: 15 Dec 2021 - 7 Mar 2025

Contact:

FRDC

TAGS

Threatened Endangered Protected Species

SPECIES

Southern Bluefin Tuna

Need

Commercial in confidence. To know more about this project please contact FRDC.

Objectives

Commercial in confidence

Related research

All research

PROJECT NUMBER • 2021-078

PROJECT STATUS:

CURRENT

Improving the management of wildlife interactions in pelagic longline fisheries

Commercial in confidence

ORGANISATION:

Tuna Australia Ltd

PROJECT NUMBER • 2020-041

PROJECT STATUS:

CURRENT

Improving the effectiveness, efficiency and safety of mitigation tools for protected species interactions in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery

1. To trial several new and/or modified protected species mitigation tools and processes in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery to further reduce the rate of protected species interactions.

ORGANISATION:

Tuna Australia Ltd

PROJECT NUMBER • 2018-194

PROJECT STATUS:

COMPLETED

Forecasting spatial distribution of Southern Bluefin Tuna habitat in the Great Australian Bight – updating and improving habitat and forecast models

1. Update SBT habitat preference models for the GAB using additional new archival tag data

ORGANISATION:

CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart

Review of regulation and policy guiding use of artificial reefs and Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD) in Australian waters

Project number: 2021-046

Project Status:

Current

Budget expenditure: $226,750.00

Principal Investigator: Daryl McPhee

Organisation: Bond University

Project start/end date: 31 Jan 2022 - 30 Jan 2023

Contact:

FRDC

TAGS

Rac Qld

Rac Nsw

Rac Cmwth

Need

Globally, Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) and artificial reefs are increasingly used tools to enhance fisheries – particularly recreational fisheries. Over the last decade there has been greater use of these tools in Australia. In recent years, FADs have been increasingly deployed including in Commonwealth waters for the purpose of enhancing recreational fisheries managed by state governments. There are concerns that the recent rapid deployment of FADs, particularly in Commonwealth waters have negatively impacted the operations of some Commonwealth fisheries such as the East Coast Tuna and Billfish Fishery. There are also marine safety concerns which extends beyond just commercial fishing vessels. There is a need to better understand the regulatory environment for FADs and artificial reefs to ensure that benefits can be realised while impacts avoided or mitigated. The regulatory environment for the deployment of FADs (and artificial reefs) in Commonwealth waters is potentially different from that when they are deployed in state waters. It also extends beyond fisheries legislation and includes the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999), the Sea and Submerged Lands Act 1973, and the Navigation Act 2012. The administration of these Acts and associated subordinate legislation crosses several government agencies. In relation to the EPBC Act 1999, the Commonwealth marine area is a Matter of National Environmental Significance (MNES). There is however little specific guidance as to whether FADs potentially impact MNES and how any impacts can be mitigated. In addition to better understand the complex regulatory environment, there is a need to develop more effective and fit for purpose engagement strategies with all stakeholders. There is a need for national project as it is an issue which is now cross jurisdictional.

Please note we have attached responses from three State Ministers indicating their support for a collaborative approach to this issue.

Objectives

1. Identification of the current regulatory and policy frameworks in all Australian jurisdictions that guide or impact the deployment and use of FADs and artificial reefs in State, Territory and Commonwealth waters.

2. Identification of the current and projected use of FADs and artificial reefs in Australian jurisdictions.

3. With relevant input through a workshop and other tools where appropriate, development of a best practice guide for the planning, sighting and deployment of FADs and artificial reefs.

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