In a scan of FRDC projects with “co-management” in the title five projects identify a need for a culture change to allow co-management, but none provided a process by which such culture change could occur.
The NSW wild harvest industry needs support with culture change skills to allow the Industry Vision to become real. The Industry Vision speaks to fisheries management built on co-management and stakeholder consultation. The current culture of the fishing industry is limiting the industry from being an active participant to this vision. Unless this is urgently addressed the combative relationship between industry and Government will not change.
We focus on developing a process of culture change involving both the seafood sector and government. A new culture will underpin and support initiatives between government and the seafood sector. Co-management provides a tangible goal for the participants in this project, but the need being addressed is testing and developing of a process of culture change explicitly for seafood industry and government agencies.
The Industry Vision needs stakeholders to adopt new ways of thinking, relating, and working so they are receptive to the Industry Vision. Significant growth in this sector is possible, in NSW landings of fish could grow as much as 30% (Smith et al 2019). Unless the industry has confidence to commit to the long-term future of the fishing industry and encourage young fishers to see this future this value will never be realised.
This project will pilot an culture change approach never tried in the seafood industry to:
• identify and explain the current relationship dynamics between industry and regulators ;
• design and implement a suite of projects to transform the relationships to build a trusting and collaborative culture;
• develop the framework and practices that will enable and support self-perpetuating culture change.
There is goodwill and intent by NSW Government to move forward to strong working relationships with industry eg Harvest Strategy Working Groups, and a culture change process will provide the confidence to invest in building relationships and being engaged.
