Mapping The Economic And Social Contributions Of The NT Seafood Industry – Part 2
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$295,760.00
Summary
The Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC) and the Northern Territory Government (NTG) recognise the vital need to bridge the knowledge gap regarding the economic impact of the NT seafood industry. This gap severely impedes effective advocacy for industry growth and development by the NTSC and hampers evidence decision-making. Without a comprehensive understanding of the industry's economic footprint throughout the supply chain of each major fishery/sector, it is challenging to address critic ....The Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC) and the Northern Territory Government (NTG) recognise the vital need to bridge the knowledge gap regarding the economic impact of the NT seafood industry. This gap severely impedes effective advocacy for industry growth and development by the NTSC and hampers evidence decision-making. Without a comprehensive understanding of the industry's economic footprint throughout the supply chain of each major fishery/sector, it is challenging to address critical issues and identify vulnerable points within the sector.
A whole of fishery and sector analysis, will provide essential insights for targeted advocacy and informed decision-making, fostering sustainable growth, enhancing resilience, and addressing critical issues within the Northern Territory's seafood industry.
Understanding the complete value of the NT seafood industry to the local community is crucial for making strategic decisions related to negotiations such as those concerning Blue Mud Bay and infrastructure investments. It will also contribute to ongoing investment in the industry.
The project aims to test economic protocols and processes identified in FRDC Project 2021-034 to establish cost-effective and valued systems beyond its duration. These systems will incorporate socio-economic information into decision-making processes and shift the culture from a government-driven collection process to one driven by the industry.
Without a plan to highlight the wider socio-economic value and benefits of the industry, the industry may face mounting pressure on its social license to operate, impacting access, industry structure, and fees. Moreover, the lack of understanding regarding the consequences of uncertainty surrounding secure access and potential loss of access for commercial fishers may have unintended effects on the NT seafood industry. Additionally, the limited availability of current financial and economic information for NT fisheries hampers economic analysis and the provision of advice to policymakers and decision-makers, hindering opportunities for growth and sustainability.
With that context in mind, NTSC experience to date identifies a number of known issues with existing data, including: - Limitations in the scope of data available which has historically excluded measurement of the contributions made by commercial charter fishing, processing of imported seafood, and activities downstream of immediate seafood processing (i.e. transport to retail markets, retail sector activity). - The poor quality of economic data (such as production, price and employment data) necessary to improve estimates of direct or initial effects from fishing, aquaculture production and processing in some fisheries and for some sub-sectors and seafood processing (where there is a need to further disaggregate ANZSIC categories or investigate alternative means of measurement for fisheries with too few licence holders for data to be reported). - Gaps in data regarding indirect contributions, including downstream production-induced and consumption-induced effects, where key data regarding employment, household-income and enterprise-level cost of production (i.e. expenditure on goods and services as inputs to fishing and aquaculture production) are unknown. - Gaps in data for a range of monetised and non-monetised social, environmental and cultural activities which contribute value to individuals and communities. While previous estimations have referred to the social contributions of fisheries and aquaculture to regional communities this has not involved any primary data collection or analysis of secondary data, requiring further work to select specific indicators and the basis of evidence.
In scoping and analysing the available data, the project will use third party providers to: - Ensure data collection methods are consistent and participant consent and privacy is achieved. The privacy of participants must be protected through adherence to the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), such that names of individuals are not recorded. Where the explicit informed consent of participants is required this may include a requirement to sign a consent form. Under circumstances where a vulnerable group is consulted, such as Indigenous Territorians, specific consent may be required from a Human Research Ethics Committee to ensure the data collection process causes no harm to participants. - Ensure data storage is secure and access is limited to the reasonable requirements of the project. All digital data (i.e. from an online survey) would be stored on a secure network with file access restricted to the nominated project team through use of file encryption and passwords. Any primary data collected cannot be used for any purpose other than that required to meet study objectives.
Objectives: 1. Understanding of the economic footprint of the NT seafood industry within the NT economy 2. Understanding of the economic footprint of the NT seafood industry within the Australian economy 3. Understanding the economic footprint of the main fishery sectors and their supply chains 4. Improved understanding and valuation of the NT seafood industry 5. Improved understanding of where the vulnerable points in the supply chain are Read moreRead less
Human Dimensions Research Coordination Program 2021-24
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$440,705.00
Summary
The operating environment within which Australian fisheries and aquaculture are positioned is complex, comprising economic, social and political institutions and organisations that are continuously being re-shaped by multiple external and internal drivers.
Addressing these specific drivers requires understanding of the human dimensions of fisheries and aquaculture, along with the biophysical. Human dimensions refers to the social, economic and cultural factors that affect outcomes for b ....The operating environment within which Australian fisheries and aquaculture are positioned is complex, comprising economic, social and political institutions and organisations that are continuously being re-shaped by multiple external and internal drivers.
Addressing these specific drivers requires understanding of the human dimensions of fisheries and aquaculture, along with the biophysical. Human dimensions refers to the social, economic and cultural factors that affect outcomes for both the seafood community and in terms of public good. This includes the attitudes, processes and behaviours of individual people, companies, management agencies, communities, organisations, consumers, and markets. Human dimensions research has been successfully applied to understand how to enable better outcomes for Australia's fisheries and aquaculture (e.g. improved social acceptability, resilience through shocks, inclusive growth, economic productivity), and what are the effective strategies to achieve this (e.g. market based mechanisms, behavioural approaches). It brings together research capability from a broad range of disciplines.
Historically, achieving the level of coordinated investment required to effectively deliver against this need has been hampered by a range of factors, which have included: • effective integration of human dimensions RD&E with biophysical sciences; and • research capability and expertise capable of undertaking such research to ensure end user needs are met.
The FRDC has invested substantively in human dimensions R&D capability in recognition of this need. Ongoing coordination and strategic development of human dimensions R&D activities will support the FRDC to deliver its Fish Forever 2030 vision: Collaborative, vibrant fishing and aquaculture, creating diverse benefits from aquatic resources, and celebrated by the community.
The FRDC considers Coordination Programs as critical to delivering relevant outcomes of the R&D Plan. With respect to Human Dimensions, it is evident that a planned R&D outcome can be achieved more successfully if expertise and related activities are developed and managed in a coordinated manner. Objectives: 1. Identify and coordinate the development of human dimensions R&D priorities through review and consultation with key stakeholders, and assist to develop scopes to address those priorities 2. Ensure quality and relevance of human dimensions R&D through technical and extension advice and support for FRDC management and project teams 3. Support management of external partnerships delivering human dimensions R&D across FRDC 4. Support development of FRDC human dimensions data and analytics 5. Inform FRDC and stakeholders of state of knowledge and capability, and emerging needs, in key human dimensions R&D areas relevant to the FRDC's R&D Plan outcome and enabling strategy areas 6. Support extension and adoption of R&D in key human dimensions R&D areas relevant to the FRDC R&D Plan outcome and enabling strategy areas 7. Develop and foster R&D collaboration on international initiatives in human dimensions research of relevance to Australian fisheries and aquaculture Read moreRead less
Establishment Of A Coordination Program For Social Sciences In The Fishing Industry
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$38,000.00
Summary
To address the action arising from Board 99 to establish a social research co-ordination program. Objectives: 1. To resource Kal Analysis to develop the social sciences coordination program
Social Sciences Research Coordination Program - Advisory And Technical Group Expenses
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$13,031.07
Summary
The need for the program 2008/041 Fisheries Social Sciences Research Coordination Program is to coordinate the percieved social issues in the fishery industry and align these with the research plan for project funding. The need for this 'sub project' is to efficiently manage the governance expenditure associate with managing the program. Objectives: 1. Provide governance support for the establishment and maintenance of a social research coordination program to facilitate the leve ....The need for the program 2008/041 Fisheries Social Sciences Research Coordination Program is to coordinate the percieved social issues in the fishery industry and align these with the research plan for project funding. The need for this 'sub project' is to efficiently manage the governance expenditure associate with managing the program. Objectives: 1. Provide governance support for the establishment and maintenance of a social research coordination program to facilitate the leverage of effort between projects; assess the synergy of project proposals and optimise beneficial resource allocation and opportunities for all fishery activities. Read moreRead less
Social And Economic Evaluation Of The Victorian Wild-catch Seafood And Aquaculture Industry – STAGE 1
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$6,200.00
Summary
The need to evaluate the economic and social contribution of the Victorian Seafood Industry to Victorian communities has been identified by the VicRAC (formally VicFRAB) as an urgent and high priority. Currently no such data exist, but the need is clear. Firstly, an evaluation is required to inform the Victorian Government of the likely impacts of resource management decisions on coastal communities. Second, an evaluation is necessary to provide information to the Victorian public about the ben ....The need to evaluate the economic and social contribution of the Victorian Seafood Industry to Victorian communities has been identified by the VicRAC (formally VicFRAB) as an urgent and high priority. Currently no such data exist, but the need is clear. Firstly, an evaluation is required to inform the Victorian Government of the likely impacts of resource management decisions on coastal communities. Second, an evaluation is necessary to provide information to the Victorian public about the benefits that flow from the professional fishing sector, beyond a total annual value calculated from beach prices.
FRDC also have identified a strong need for a coordinated approach to evaluate the Industry across the States and Territories, so that a national picture of the value of Australian Seafood Industry can be determined.
Recent FRDC-funded research in NSW, led by A/Prof Kate Barclay, to evaluate the social and economic value of coastal professional wild-catch fisheries, has provided a strong basis for developing this national framework, and the methods suitable for addressing the specific needs of the Victorian Industry.
We propose the Victorian social/economic evaluation study consist of a two-stage approach, in order to ensure the most appropriate methods are used, the outputs are relevant, and that the evaluation achieves a high level of industry support and participation.
Stage 1 consists of developing a fully-costed methodology for a Victorian evaluation which also could be scaled up for a national evaluation. This stage would also develop collaborative partnership with, and support from, the Victorian Industry sectors.
Stage 2 would consist of the Evaluation Study itself – data collection, analysis and dissemination – based on the outputs of Stage 1.
Stage 1 would run in January 2017 – March 2017. Stage 2 EOI would be submitted to VicRAC for consideration in March 2017.
This application seeks support for Stage 1.
Objectives: 1. To develop a proposed set of work packages to evaluate the social and economic contribution of the Victorian seafood industry 2. To prioritise work packages in terms of cost, available data, feasibility, time, and what would be lost if not included in a Victorian evaluation of the seafood industry 3. To collaborate with the seafood industry to develop priorities and good engagement for a Victorian evaluation of the seafood industry 4. To collaborate with national stakeholders to ensure a Victorian study will be appropriate for scaling up to a national evaluation of the seafood industry 5. To use the workshops to develop a proposal for Stage 2, the social and economic evaluation itself Read moreRead less
Application Of Tracking Technologies To Understand Space-time Explicit Patterns Of Movement, Residency And Habitat Use Of Pelagic Sharks In Spencer Gulf: Resolving Overlaps With Key Community Activities And Marine Industries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$382,063.00
Summary
Following many expressions of public concern regarding the potential for finfish/tuna aquaculture to attract sharks to coastal areas, at both regional development and individual site applications, PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture identified the need for an understanding of the factors that may explain associations between sharks and finfish/tuna aquaculture activities. This view was reinforced at meetings of the AAC (including a presentation from the PI on 22 Feb 2013), who are a legislated body ....Following many expressions of public concern regarding the potential for finfish/tuna aquaculture to attract sharks to coastal areas, at both regional development and individual site applications, PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture identified the need for an understanding of the factors that may explain associations between sharks and finfish/tuna aquaculture activities. This view was reinforced at meetings of the AAC (including a presentation from the PI on 22 Feb 2013), who are a legislated body under the Aquaculture Act 2001, advising the State Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries on matters relating to aquaculture development. As a consequence, this project was listed as a priority area for investment by the SAFRAB.
A previous FRDC funded workshop (2002/040) identified a need to understand factors that may explain interactions between pelagic sharks and aquaculture activities. Some of the findings highlighted during this workshop are now considered to be outdated. For example, anecdotal accounts from finfish farmers and commercial fishers suggest that white sharks sightings have increased in the past decade in Spencer Gulf and this may have implications for the frequency of interactions with the fishing and aquaculture industry. The provision of data to further inform the public’s current perception of the aquaculture industry represents a key priority in South Australia’s Fisheries and Aquaculture R&D Strategy. During the development of this project the need for this research was discussed with key industry representatives. This proposal addresses key objectives of the Draft White Shark Recovery Plan, 2010 (2c, 7a, 9a and 9b).
Objectives: 1. Determine if activities associated with finfish aquaculture correlate with spatial and temporal residency and migration patterns of pelagic sharks. 2. Assess and compare patterns of residency of pelagic sharks in ‘natural’ foraging areas, and any overlaps with community activities. 3. Develop a Code of Practice for removal and release of pelagic sharks from finfish aquaculture cages. Read moreRead less