Social Science And Economics Research Coordination Program (SSERCP) – Economic Consultant Services
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$67,000.00
Summary
Request from Emily Ogier to sub contract Sarah Jennings for the economic component of the parent project 2015-300 Objectives: 1. To provide economic consultancy to the Social Science and Economics Research Coordination Program (SSERCP).
Social Science Research Coordination Program (SSRCP) II
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$297,703.50
Summary
The initial project/phase of the SSRCP has been effective in creating recognition of the need for social science expertise. It has also identified need for a point of reference for FRABs and researchers and is relied upon by industry agencies as a point of co-ordination for fisheries social science research. The continuation of this coordination program is endorsed by the emerging understanding of the depth of social factors in fishing activities at the individual, business/group and sectoral le ....The initial project/phase of the SSRCP has been effective in creating recognition of the need for social science expertise. It has also identified need for a point of reference for FRABs and researchers and is relied upon by industry agencies as a point of co-ordination for fisheries social science research. The continuation of this coordination program is endorsed by the emerging understanding of the depth of social factors in fishing activities at the individual, business/group and sectoral levels, and the ways in which these activities interact with the broader community. Increasingly, external economic impacts such as market and competing industry influences; energy costs; distance to market; and potential new taxes, influence the shape of fishing and aquaculture industries, and are emerging as significant issues that remain unaddressed by biological or economic approaches alone.
Through a range of different techniques, social science research can address these issues and complement biological and economic research to support change in practice and community perceptions. The past three years of focus on social science research has encouraged and facilitated leveraging of previous research work, minimising the expense of duplication, and increasing the ability to identify solutions to resource use issues. Continuation of the program will support the efficient use of FRDC funds, and the pursuit of research project outcomes with greater reach than if implemented in isolation of previous research and other FRDC Program activities. Objectives: 1. Continue the social sciences program in the existing framework, subject to ongoing industry and research community feedback 2. Collaborate with the industry to identify emerging issues in wild harvest, aquacutlure, post harvest, recreational and indigenous fishery sectors, that could benefit from early integration of social science research for the identification of potential solutions. 3. Addresss research needs arising from FRDC's existing programs and ensure the quality and relevance of proposed social research projects 4. Co-ordinate and undertake the communication of key social research needs to the research community and SSRCP research outcomes to fishers and managment agencies. 5. Provide FRDC relevant program management for social projects including evaluation, commissioning of projects and milestone reviews. Read moreRead less
A Human Dimensions Research Subprogram presents the FRDC and stakeholders with the opportunity to maximise investment in and effectiveness of human dimensions RD&E for Australian fisheries and aquaculture. This is achieved by: - Providing the Subprogram with capacity to lever greater overall investment in human dimensions RD&E through co-investment arrangements: Capacity to co-invest or directly commission will enable the Subprogram to ensure that a higher number of human dimensions RD&E needs, ....A Human Dimensions Research Subprogram presents the FRDC and stakeholders with the opportunity to maximise investment in and effectiveness of human dimensions RD&E for Australian fisheries and aquaculture. This is achieved by: - Providing the Subprogram with capacity to lever greater overall investment in human dimensions RD&E through co-investment arrangements: Capacity to co-invest or directly commission will enable the Subprogram to ensure that a higher number of human dimensions RD&E needs, as identified by RACs, IPAs and other Subprograms, are addressed through successful applications. This capacity to collaborate and co-invest with RACs, IPAs and/or other Subprograms not only acts as an incentive for further investment in human dimensions RD&E, it increases the likelihood that high quality and effective research is undertaken which will meet stakeholders' needs. It will achieve this through a number of mechanisms including: providing funding for appropriate expertise to be included in teams of research applicants; and, creating incentives for more integrated RD&E in which human dimensions research can be embedded in more traditional fisheries and aquaculture research projects. - Providing leadership and coordination where required to draw on a range of expertise to tackle complex problems: Capacity to directly commission or call for RD&E will enable the Subprogram to meet needs for targeted, strategic RD&E to address some of the issues which are preventing improved outcomes for fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders. These include issues such as the previously uncoordinated investment in measurement of the economic and social contributions made by different sectors, in response to which the Subprogram will draw on recognised expertise to develop a common position on metrics, methods of measurement and interpretation. This will in turn increase credibility of contribution studies and the return on investment in such studies. Objectives: 1. Identify human dimensions RD&E priorities annually, through review and consultation with key fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders (RACs, IPAs, Subprograms, AFMF) and develop projects to address those priorities 2. Promote coordination and co-investment in human dimensions RD&E across RACs, IPAs and Subprograms 3. Ensure quality and relevance of humans dimensions RD&E through review of applications and project reports 4. Support the FRDC in the management of a portfolio of projects with significant human dimensions research components 5. Facilitate extension and adoption of human dimensions R&D outputs 6. Build and support capability in human dimensions research to meet the needs of fisheries and aquaculture Read moreRead less
Given the growing importance of social science research in the seafood industry – or recognition of its relevance – there’s a need to consolidate what we have done in the past, and to look to the future. The workshop will do both. In the past, there has been a tendency for social science to be reactive – to ‘autopsy’ – a crisis in the industry after it has happened (or to be invited to autopsy the crisis by the industry). One of the key gaps in the design of social science research is the capaci ....Given the growing importance of social science research in the seafood industry – or recognition of its relevance – there’s a need to consolidate what we have done in the past, and to look to the future. The workshop will do both. In the past, there has been a tendency for social science to be reactive – to ‘autopsy’ – a crisis in the industry after it has happened (or to be invited to autopsy the crisis by the industry). One of the key gaps in the design of social science research is the capacity to anticipate issues and design responses that can enhance the adaptability of the industry, both socially and economically. In order to do so the discipline needs to be communicating effectively with each other in regards to best-practice methodologies for working effectively with industry. We also need to situate our research within a global context that anticipates and speaks to international imperatives, challenges and frameworks (e.g. FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication. In the Australian context the potential issues to be engaged with at the workshop may include; sharing the fish (resource sharing, property rights, global food security); adaptability (fishing as livelihood, practice, culture, in a climate of rapid change and need for adaptation and innovation); research practice, data and decision support (how can social dimensions be monitored and incorporated more formally into decision making?; what innovations in social science practise are needed?).
Objectives: 1. To workshop and build upon the thematically documented FRDC audit of Social Science research (FRDC2009/317) 2. To workshop and thematically document current and ongoing research activities and drivers of participants. They key to this objective is the identification of research-setting processes, and the ways in which social scientists perceive gaps in knowledge and how this might be better aligned with the voices of industry 3. Updated themes, key gaps and emerging issues (from 2009/317) that can be drawn upon by RACs in the immediate future 4. Sharing of knowledge regarding emerging methodologies to maximise contributions of the social scientists to the investigations of identified challenges and research pathways 5. Improved connections between social scientists and a fostering of a coherent voice for social science research in Australia which can be drawn upon to respond collectively to the industry's needs to address emerging issues Read moreRead less
Social Science And Economics Research Coordination Program (SSERCP)
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$160,416.00
Summary
Phases I&II of the SSRCP successfully raised awareness of the need for, and increased the use of, social science fisheries research to improve fisheries and aquaculture sector outcomes. SSRCP I&ll also highlighted the need for a social sciences reference group for FRABs, researchers, industry and managing agencies, and for coordination of social science fisheries research.
Across this same period the societal needs and drivers impacting marine resource management have increased in impor ....Phases I&II of the SSRCP successfully raised awareness of the need for, and increased the use of, social science fisheries research to improve fisheries and aquaculture sector outcomes. SSRCP I&ll also highlighted the need for a social sciences reference group for FRABs, researchers, industry and managing agencies, and for coordination of social science fisheries research.
Across this same period the societal needs and drivers impacting marine resource management have increased in importance (Barclay 2012; Mazur, Curtis et al. 2014). Further research activity is needed to address challenges regarding the social impacts, acceptability and sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture and to better integrate research across the social sciences (including economics) and between social and biological sciences. The 2014 FRDC Social Sciences Survey indicated broad support for continuation of SSRCP activity and highlighted the Program’s role in linking social science research outputs with decision-making and representations of the industry, brokering collaborations and in facilitating the uptake of FRDC’s key national interest projects.
While there is clear need for continuing the activities that have been the SSRCP’s remit, there is the scope to extend the suite of activities by working closely with the 'FishEcon' project and, post- 30/06/15, with its legacy activities (in particular the FishEcon Network). Such a partnership will result in efficiencies in the delivery of project activities, including newsletters and other networking activities, and in project administration; provide the opportunity to develop tighter integration between economics and the social sciences in research, extension and capability building.
Objectives: 1. Support the FRDC to meet relevant objectives as outlined in its 2015-2020 RD&E Plan and the National Fishing and Aquaculture RD&E Strategy, as well as other needs arising from FRDC's existing programs and projects 2. Collaborate with the industry and managing agencies to identify emerging issues in wild harvest, aquaculture, post harvest, recreational and indigenous fishery sectors and the associated key social science and economics research needs 3. Co-ordinate and undertake the communication of key social science and economic research needs to the research community and research outcomes of the Program to fishers and management agencies. 4. Provide program management for social science and economics projects to ensure quality and relevance by undertaking evaluation and review of project proposals, and milestone and final reports. 5. Build further capability in fisheries social sciences and economics research to meet the needs of industry and managing agencies in addressing emerging issues in wild harvest, aquaculture, post harvest, recreational and indigenous fishery sectors Read moreRead less
Valuing Victoria's Wild-catch Fisheries And Aquaculture Industries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$507,438.75
Summary
A study which measures the contribution of Victorian wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries to community wellbeing will meet multiple needs:
• Generate detailed, spatially-defined knowledge on the economic and social contributions of fisheries to community wellbeing, and elicit where contributions could be enhanced • Inform government (local, state) of the importance of fisheries and likely impacts of policy or management decisions on regional and metropolitan communities • Enhanc ....A study which measures the contribution of Victorian wild-catch and aquaculture fisheries to community wellbeing will meet multiple needs:
• Generate detailed, spatially-defined knowledge on the economic and social contributions of fisheries to community wellbeing, and elicit where contributions could be enhanced • Inform government (local, state) of the importance of fisheries and likely impacts of policy or management decisions on regional and metropolitan communities • Enhance community engagement and support for fisheries through demonstrating the benefits that flow from professional fishing and aquaculture sectors into communities
Audience: 1) industry representative organizations; 2) government; 3) general public. Currently, very little data exists about the economic and/or social benefits of professional fisheries to communities in Victoria. Existing data only calculate total value of production (beach/farm gate price x volume), and the number of business owners or fisheries employees identified in the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census. There is no reporting of the multiplier effects in communities of having businesses based there, through service industries or seafood product going into markets. The lack of sophisticated information about the contributions of professional fishing puts the industry as a group at a disadvantage compared to competing resource users which do have such reporting and have been persuasive in negotiations.
Information on social contributions dovetails with economic contributions to build a picture of the overall contributions fisheries make. This can help address the lack of community support for fisheries and consumer influence on the regulatory environment, which has grown to constitute a threat to the continued viability of fisheries. While information generated via this project will not fix the problem – relationships between industry and community must be improved via sustained, strategic engagement – credible data on the social and economic contributions commercial fisheries make to Victoria is useful for boosting the industry’s ‘social license to operate’. Objectives: 1. Evaluate the economic contribution of commercial wild-catch fisheries and aquaculture to community wellbeing for seven regions of Victoria, including the regional economic impacts such as multiplier effects and employment and contributions to related sectors within regions, building on previous Australian studies. 2. Evaluate the social contributions of commercial wild-catch fisheries and aquaculture to community wellbeing for the same regions, including the social aspects of economic contributions, food provision, health and nutrition, services and infrastructure, interactions with tourism, consumers, and recreational fishers, contributions to community identity and heritage, and knowledge networks, building on previous Australian studies. 3. Build on and refine a methodology to be used for ongoing social and economic evaluations of industry as part of FRDC national framework. 4. Disseminate findings, identifying the social and economic contributions of seafood production to community wellbeing for each study region, highlighting threats to sustainability and viability, as well as opportunities, in a form suitable for engaging: 1) local and state government agencies; and 2) the general public, to raise awareness of the role of professional wild-catch fisheries and aquaculture in Victorian communities. Read moreRead less
Retrospective Assessment Of ITQs To Inform Research Needs And To Improve Their Future Design And Performance
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$70,000.00
Summary
As stated in the call for proposals, the implementation of individual tradeable quota (ITQ) in Australian fisheries has brought about many demonstrable gains (e.g. increased capacity utilisation and profit). At the same time, there have been some social, economic and environmental consequences associated with the move to tradeable fishing rights that, even if predictable, may have been unintended. For example, ITQ markets have not always operated as envisaged; thin markets (few buyers and selle ....As stated in the call for proposals, the implementation of individual tradeable quota (ITQ) in Australian fisheries has brought about many demonstrable gains (e.g. increased capacity utilisation and profit). At the same time, there have been some social, economic and environmental consequences associated with the move to tradeable fishing rights that, even if predictable, may have been unintended. For example, ITQ markets have not always operated as envisaged; thin markets (few buyers and sellers), high transactions costs and the de-coupling of the ownership of quota from fishing practice may have undermined the performance of some ITQ systems. Ownership of quota by processors, exporters and others further along the value chain has also distorted the price incentives in some fisheries. In others, non-fisher quota ownership has resulted in a lease-dependent component of the fishery that are not capturing the benefits generated by the ITQ system. Changing quota ownership characteristics also have an impact on the configuration of industry representatives on co-management committees. It is not yet clear what the longer term impact of this is on stewardship and the decision making process and ultimately on management outcomes. As the extension of ITQs in Australia to a greater number of commercial fisheries, and potentially to support inter-sectoral allocations, is contemplated there is a need to learn from experience of ITQs both in Australia and internationally
ITQs globally have come under intense scrutiny in the fisheries management and economics literature. Synthesising and critically analysing learnings from these studies, as well as relevant knowledge from individuals/groups/organisations involved in the administration of, or affected by, existing ITQ systems will help identify key issues and, where possible, reforms that through adaptive management can improve the performance of existing markets and inform the design of new tradable rights markets.
Objectives: 1. Identify the extent of use (current and proposed) of ITQs in Australian fisheries 2. Identify the demonstrable benefits to their use in Australia, and what outcomes have emerged that were largely unintended 3. Identify critical knowledge gaps and further research needed to improve their future design and performance Read moreRead less
Discretionary Time: A New Method of Cross-National Welfare Comparison Focusing on Freedom. Cross-national comparisons of welfare regimes and their gender divisions explore issues of income and employment. Those bring liberation of a sort, but they do not exhaust people's freedom and autonomy. This Project will explore how paid and unpaid labour responsibilities interact, impinging on people's discretionary time and thus autonomy. A new measure of 'discretionary time' will be developed and its ....Discretionary Time: A New Method of Cross-National Welfare Comparison Focusing on Freedom. Cross-national comparisons of welfare regimes and their gender divisions explore issues of income and employment. Those bring liberation of a sort, but they do not exhaust people's freedom and autonomy. This Project will explore how paid and unpaid labour responsibilities interact, impinging on people's discretionary time and thus autonomy. A new measure of 'discretionary time' will be developed and its usefulness for cross-national comparisons illustrated through analysis of time use data from Australia, Finland, Canada and Sweden. Different ways of targeting social assistance to the most time-pressured groups in society will be examined for policy lessons from abroad.
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Community Trust In Rural Industries - A Framework For Advancing Social Acceptance Of The Agriculture Sector In Australia - A Joint RDC Initiative
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$105,000.00
Summary
AgriFutures Australia, on behalf of the RDC funding partners, is seeking to develop a sector wide understanding of community trust in rural industries. This scope includes identifying key and material issues with industry stakeholders in order to effectively baseline community sentiment quantitatively. This baseline will then provide data against which additional data collection activities in years two and three may be used to assess sector initiatives designed to improve trust, monitor changes ....AgriFutures Australia, on behalf of the RDC funding partners, is seeking to develop a sector wide understanding of community trust in rural industries. This scope includes identifying key and material issues with industry stakeholders in order to effectively baseline community sentiment quantitatively. This baseline will then provide data against which additional data collection activities in years two and three may be used to assess sector initiatives designed to improve trust, monitor changes in community trust and its drivers due to external factors, and clearly communicate sector sustainability narratives to key external and internal stakeholders. Moreover, there is significant power in approaching this as a collective of agricultural industries to develop a consolidated, consistent framework for community trust that may then be used in industry-specific ways as required. Objectives: 1. A stakeholder engagement process to determine the industry’s key social license issues 2. An annual quantitative benchmark survey of community sentiment, including issues identified in the stakeholder engagement process 3. Pathways and models for improving community trust and acceptance over time 4. A report outlining the social insights and trust building strategies 5. Supporting communication material to facilitate interpretation of the data insights and research outcomes Read moreRead less
Identifying Mechanisms And Data Collection Options To Aid Socio-economic Analysis Of The NT Seafood Industry
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$99,000.00
Summary
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 se ....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 Read moreRead less