The Five Strategic Challenges

Challenge 1: Natural resources sustainability – the challenge is to maintain and improve the management and use of aquatic natural resources to ensure their sustainability.

• Provide a leadership role in coordinating climate change research and development projects for fisheries
• Measure and mitigate the interactions of fishing and non-fishing activities on the aquatic environment and fish stocks
• Meet the regulatory requirements of natural resource and environmental legislation such as the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and improve fisheries environmental management performance
• Develop spatially explicit management models for fish stocks
• Develop and implement industry-based environmental management systems

Challenge 2: Resource access and resource allocation – the challenge is to optimise resource access, resource allocation and opportunities for each sector of the fishing industry, within a rights-based framework.

Priorities for 2009-10

• Determine the types of environmental, social and economic costs and benefits that arise from different closure systems, and their effectiveness in achieving multiple natural resource management objectives.
• Develop processes to inform and define inter-sector resource allocation.
• Develop methods for adjustment to address re-allocation between the three sectors.
• Develop a better research-based process for defining marine protected areas.
• Definition of property rights and its importance in inter and intra-sectoral resource management decisions.

Challenge 3: Response to demand; profitability – the challenge is to respond to, and take advantage of, increased demand for seafood and for recreational and customary fishing experiences; and to enhance the profitability of the fishing industry.

• Increase the profitability of businesses supporting the three sectors of the fishing industry
• Develop aquaculture capacity to produce more fish for consumption or for fishing experiences
• Assist the fishing industry to reduce production costs, such as fuel, through gear, engine and vessel configuration changes
• Develop systems to increase market intelligence
• Develop innovative processes for value-adding through product development
• Develop efficient, market-based supply chains that add value to product
• Improve fishing practices to increase survival of released fish

Challenge 4: People development – the challenge is to develop people who will help the fishing industry to meet its future needs.

Priorities for 2009-10

• Implementation of the FRDC’s people development program
• Provide knowledge and processes that help to develop a market-based culture in the industry.
• Develop mechanisms to deliver better measurement and adoption of R&D results by industry.
• Enhance industry leadership, for all sectors, through appropriate training.
• Enhance opportunities for information and technology transfer within and between sectors.
• Promote an environment for adoption of business best practice.
• Foster an environment that encourages innovation and R&D adoption. 

Challenge 5: Community and consumer support – increase community and consumer support for the benefits of the three sectors of the fishing industry.

Priorities for 2009-10

• Develop relationships with community groups that can assist the fishing industry.
• Increase consumers understanding of the health benefits of eating seafood.
• Address animal welfare and biosecurity issues.
• Educate the community about fisheries and aquaculture management and its contribution to Australia.
• Communicate the benefits of government and industry investment in R&D.
• Contribution to the biosecurity review.