To help make progress towards the five R&D Plan outcomes easier, the FRDC will also invest in five enabling strategies:
- ‘Drive digitisation and advanced analytics’ (this means expanding capacity to make decisions based on data).
- ‘strengthen adoption for transformative change’ (this means increasing adoption of results from R&D to bring about beneficial change).
- ‘Promote innovation and entrepreneurship’ (this means encouraging new solutions, products and processes as well as new ways of thinking and doing).
- ‘Build capability and capacity’ (this means helping people from across fishing and aquaculture to have the knowledge and skills needed to be safe, happy and productive, and to adapt and flourish in the face of change).
- ‘Provide foundational information and support services’ (this means delivering information to guide the evolution of fishing and aquaculture in Australia).
These enabling strategies aim to equip fishing and aquaculture sectors with tools and ways to tackle shared challenges in the future. each strategy can support one or multiple outcomes.
Enabling Strategy I: Drive digitisation and advanced analytics
Technology is changing the way people live, work and relate to one another. some of these ‘new technologies’ present opportunities for fishing and aquaculture to easily combine and analyse data to make decisions that reduce costs and increase benefits. Commercial wild-catch fishers will have access to data previously unavailable, including near real-time information on:
- gear performance and efficiency,
- costs and usage of energy and other inputs,
- behaviour and distribution of target species,
- markets and prices.
In aquaculture, new technologies already mean that operators can remotely monitor:
- stock health and welfare,
- feed efficiency,
- disease incidence,
- responses of fish to medicine and treatment.
These new technologies are called ‘advanced analytics’ (see Figure 4). They allow for automated collection and analysis of large datasets that translate into tools for decision making. Implementing advanced analytics in Australian fishing and aquaculture means that all sectors could conduct their activities ‘smarter’ and add value to their products. In addition to the economic and social benefits, these technologies can be used to improve ecosystem health. all fishing and aquaculture sectors, including managers, must be open to change to make the most of these decision-support tools.
Falling technology costs are making broadscale adoption of advanced analytics in Australian fishing and aquaculture more affordable. Increased collaboration across sectors and industries should also motivate the uptake of advanced analytics across fishing and aquaculture.
The FRDC will explore how to invest in, manage and promote adoption of R&D to:
- encourage collection and sharing of data to support advanced analytics that will benefit fishing and aquaculture and the community,
- work towards building trust and confidence in digital technologies and data,
- support the development of systems and tools,
- contribute to a series of cross-disciplinary ‘lighthouse projects’ showing how advanced analytics can help transform Australian fishing and aquaculture.
Increased capacity for data-driven decision making will provide opportunities for all stakeholders.
- Fishers and aquaculturists will be able to fine-tune their operations to reduce costs and maximise benefits, including profit (R&D Plan Outcome 1).
- Fisheries managers will be able to address environmental and social impacts, and fishers and aquaculturists will be able to show best practice (R&D Plan Outcome 2).
- Post-harvest operators will be able to benefit from increasingly transparent and controllable supply chains (R&D Plan Outcome 5).
- Researchers will be able to access large volumes of data on markets, consumer choices, fish stocks and ecosystems (all R&D Plan Outcomes).
- Managers will have capacity to flexibly and responsively integrate biological and commercial imperatives into decision making (R&D Plan outcomes 1 and 4).
Figure 4
Enabling Strategy II: Strengthen adoption for transformative change
Research and development only deliver benefits for industry when results are shared and used. Adoption of research results by end users is determined by factors including:
- degree of end-user participation in delivery,
- complexity of research outputs,
- financial cost of adoption,
- time period to recover expenditure following adoption,
- end-user beliefs and opinions,
- level of end-user motivation,
- perceptions of relevance of research outputs,
- end-user attitudes towards risk and change,
- the ease or difficulty with which outcomes of adoption may be observed.
A review in 2019 reported variable results from FRDC’s past extension (or adoption) efforts. It found that these could be more structured, but that a ‘one size fits all’ approach would be difficult to apply across all fisheries. Feedback from stakeholders noted that:
- the FRDC may be well-placed to coordinate extension activities, even if they are delivered by someone else,
- the most efficient extension methods are not always the most effective because end users are more likely to take up the results of research when they are explained or shown by a trusted colleague,
- successful extension of research requires awareness of local context, effective networks and understanding who the ‘adopter’ is, what they need, what will encourage them and any constraints they are facing along the way.
Over the life of this R&D Plan the FRDC will:
- take a new approach to adoption by moving beyond transferring knowledge to helping end users make changes in their businesses,
- support end users in forming ‘communities of practice’ — informal groups that work together to use their local knowledge and experience to refine and improve adoption.
This enabling strategy will help to make progress against all R&D Plan outcomes.
| THE FUTURE: Bringing together performance measurement Adoption of research happens when people understand how to use the results and the benefits of doing so, believe they are capable of doing what is needed, and feel everyone else is doing it too. Adoption of R&D can be increased by understanding human behaviour and how to influence it, communicating effectively, and supporting people and communities to undertake necessary changes. Adoption and change can also be supported in informal ways, such as creating spaces for people to chat about new information and responses and encouraging them to ask questions. |
Enabling Strategy III: Promote innovation and entrepreneurship
Fishing and aquaculture need inventive people with the ability to solve problems more than ever before. In the face of many changes, societies need to think differently, work together and explore solutions to varied problems. Making a difference usually demands that a new product or process is not just developed but is used to deliver increased benefits. This is the process of innovation.
There are many ways innovation occurs, but all require different ways of thinking about the future and how we interact with it.
Doing things better
This involves ongoing small improvements to how business is conducted, usually by introducing new but well-understood advances. adoption and benefits are usually over shorter timescales.
Doing things differently
This involves a business’s capability to change the way it normally does things. It often means applying ideas or technology in new ways but takes longer to implement or see the benefits from.
Doing different things
This involves creating new things — or ways of doing them — in response to changes in the world and requires innovation and invention. Without knowing what is needed in the future, breaking new ground usually involves envisioning an outcome (be it a product or process) and being committed to achieving it. There may not be a preconceived plan and results may take years to emerge, but could change how businesses or communities operate.
Balancing FRDC’s investment
Much of the FRDC’s past investment has focused on ‘doing things better’. This is understandable because innovations in small steps usually solve problems for present-day problems. In contrast, investments seeking to change or disrupt how things are done (or do entirely new things) need different ways of thinking and problem solving. Although these are less likely to provide immediate pay-offs, they may come up with unexpected results.
Innovations that disrupt will continue to emerge, and their effects will be felt in fishing and aquaculture even if they are not actively sought. an example is the emergence of laboratory- cultured protein alternatives. Consequently, fishing and aquaculture sectors need to imagine and shape the future they would like to see by solving problems over variable timescales and using different approaches.
Over the life of this R&D Plan the FRDC will trial more effective ways to invest in:
- sharing ways of solving problems,
- exploring alternative solutions,
- using the results of R&D to foster longer-term, high-impact innovations that aim to generate new capabilities.
Investment in this enabling strategy aims to improve FRDC’s impact across all R&D Plan outcomes.
| THE FUTURE: Spotting opportunities on the horizon Using new technologies can improve or upgrade the efficiency of contemporary fishing. Drones instead of spotter aircraft can make aerial surveillance cheaper, easier and more accessible. The same technology can be applied to aquaculture to identify issues with ponds or disease outbreaks. |
| top |
Enabling Strategy IV: Build capability and capacity
The FRDC has an ongoing commitment to supporting the development of people across fishing and aquaculture. As the needs and demands of fishers and aquaculturists evolve, so will the need to invest in building capability and capacity to ensure their resilience and preparedness. The FRDC recognises that capacity will not always be equal among sectors, and will make sure it has an up-to-date understanding of each sector’s needs so it can target investment in the future.
Building capacity will be an area of increased focus over the life this R&D Plan. The FRDC will explore ways to invest in and manage adoption of R&D for stakeholders across fishing and aquaculture to:
- promote a globally oriented outlook,
- encourage a culture of transparency,
- support collaboration across sectors,
- provide skills and mindsets necessary to respond to this uncertain world.
Informed by stakeholder input, FRDC investments will focus on the skills required for success in a changing world. these are likely to include:
- digital and technological proficiency (e.g. the ability to use decision-support tools to increase profits, reduce costs and enhance environmental outcomes; R&D Plan Outcome 1),
- leadership and managing change (e.g. the willingness to implement best practice in workplace safety and culture, technology adoption, environmental stewardship and animal welfare; R&D Plan Outcomes 1, 2, 3),
- conflict resolution (e.g. the expertise to engage with opposing sides on resource access and allocation issues; R&D Plan Outcome 4),
- effective communication (e.g. the ability to convey clearly the integrity and transparency of supply chains, refine sector research and management needs, and tell the stories of seafood; R&D Plan Outcome 5).
- biosecurity (e.g. the capacity to take a proactive role in detecting, and managing biosecurity risks as part of day-to-day activities; R&D Plan Outcomes 1, 2, 5),
- environmental stewardship (e.g. the ability to identify, develop and adopt practices and technologies that sustain and enhance stocks and ecosystems; R&D Plan Outcomes 1, 2, 5).
Another priority of this R&D Plan is to increase the capacity of Australia’s fisheries research to benefit from collaboration.
| THE FUTURE: Digital solutions to build capability The world is ever-changing and those who will thrive are constantly upgrading their skills, knowledge and networks. Events including COVID-19 have changed the way people connect and organise themselves when they want to learn how to operate at greater scales, engage larger audiences and increase their impact. Online tools have the potential to expand existing approaches to build capability and capacity throughout fishing and aquaculture across Australia’s vast expanse. |
Enabling Strategy V: Provide foundational information and support services
Organised information provides the ability to make and justify good decisions. the FRDC delivers a range of services on its websites to support fishing and aquaculture. these track and report on:
- sustainability status of fish stocks and performance of fisheries,
- environmental impacts and risk,
- international trade and market access,
- consistency of best practice,
- consumer/community perceptions and behaviour, which inform sectors about emerging trends.
FRDC’s stakeholders have emphasised the value of these services. however, there is a need to assess how well they continue to meet the needs of end users. under this R&D Plan, the FRDC will review and improve the services it delivers, including national reporting that:
- extends beyond standard measures of economic performance (e.g. GVP) to include more informative, near-real-time economic indicators,
- integrates broader metrics that better describe and track environmental and human wellbeing across fishing and aquaculture,
- expands performance reporting of species and sectors so that consumers and the community have access to accurate information.
All FRDC-funded services are reviewed regularly and receive feedback from end users on their awareness, use and impact of these resources. this ensures FRDC’s investments are deployed in areas that deliver value to stakeholders.
Providing foundational information and support services will benefit FRDC’s stakeholders in the R&D Plan outcome areas, including:
- expanded environmental management to cover areas other than stock status of target species (R&D Plan Outcome 1),
- improved decision making by fishers and aquaculturists so they can get the most from their business and the products delivered (R&D Plan Outcomes 1, 2, 5),
- increased capacity for managers to consistently and adaptively inform their decision making (R&D Plan Outcomes 1, 2, 4, 5),
- greater transparency and product traceability so the community and consumers will be able to confidently make more informed choices (R&D Plan Outcome 5),
- more up-to-date information so researchers will be able to target their work to areas of need (all R&D Plan Outcomes).
| THE FUTURE: More holistic reporting of performance Looking forward, performance will be measured by more than target stock sustainability and GVP. More producers will need to tell a story — supported by evidence — about their bycatch levels, carbon footprint, wellbeing of fishers and and farmers, quality along the value chain, and how benefits will be distributed. Transforming performance reporting for fisheries and aquaculture will involve being able to collect new information both cheaply and effectively, although this may take years to be fully implemented. |
