ESD Reporting and Assessment Subprogram: a social assessment handbook for use by Australian fisheries managers in ESD assessment and monitoring

Funded Activity Summary

Social assessment is an area of fisheries management that has received little attention and has been identified as a priority by the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (SCFA). Assessing social impacts can inform the choice between management options that have similar resource and economic outcomes, but which may have significantly different social impacts. Additionally, understanding the social implications of fisheries management decisions or policy approaches may enable co-ordinated government approaches that eases transitions associated with any structural adjustment processes in the industry.

The project will produce a Handbook that will enable all Australian fisheries to finalise their SCFA assessment process using an approach to social assessment that is consistent with the issues and values articulated in Section 6 “Impacts of the Fishery on Community Wellbeing” and Section 7 “Impacts of the Fishery on National socio-economic benefits”. The Handbook will provide a social assessment framework and guidance on methods/approaches for each stage of a social assessment that will assist practitioners to develop skills and confidence to undertake or commission assessments. Use of the Handbook will also facilitate increased awareness of potential social impacts and improve the planning and management of social impacts, amongst fisheries managers. This project includes a case study to trial the Handbook and will provide an illustration of the application of social assessment principles and practices.

The Handbook will be useful to both fisheries managers, to facilitate resource use decisions, and to the industry through providing a further basis for discussion and negotiation around resource use and access.

Objectives:
1. Provide a user friendly “how to” Handbook for practitioners that will include:1) A framework outlining the scope and content of social assessments for fisheries management;2) Describe the range of methods or approaches that can be employed at different stages of a social assessment; 3) Provide an assessment of the relative strengths and limitations of different methods and approaches;
2. Undertake a case study to1) Refine and trial the social assessment principles and approaches contained in the Handbook;2) Modify the Handbook where necessary for final publication, to ensure ease of use by both fisheries managers and industry.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 31-08-2003

End Date: 05-08-2005

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $132,264.00

Funder: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

There are no FoR codes available for this funding activity

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Co-Management | Fisheries Management | Health And Safety | Social Science | Stakeholder | Sustainability

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