Back to FISH Vol 24 2
PUBLISHED 1 Jun 2016
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Adelaide nets World Fisheries Congress

Photo of Adelaide Convention center,

A successful joint Australia–New Zealand bid to host the 2020 World Fisheries Congress is expected to bring more than 1500 delegates to the Adelaide Convention Centre on 11 to 15 October 2020.
The World Fisheries Congress is organised by the World Council of Fisheries Societies and held every four years, with the aim of advancing and promoting international developments and cooperation in fisheries science, conservation and management.

This year, the South Korean city of Busan will host the 2016 World Fisheries Congress on 23 to 27 May.

Australia last hosted the congress in Brisbane in 1996, where an action plan for the next 25 years was put forward. The Adelaide event will provide a timely opportunity to assess what has been achieved in the interim.

The 2020 congress will also focus on the challenges of fishing sustainably and maintaining prosperous fishing communities from oceans and rivers whose functional integrity and conservation values are facing increasing pressure.

The bid was led by the Australian Society for Fish Biology, the South Australian Research and Development Institute and the FRDC. Other bid members included the University of Adelaide, the Adelaide Convention Bureau, CSIRO, the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries and the SA and New Zealand seafood industries.


New board leads women"s network

Photo of Leonie Noble Leonie Noble
Photo: Kerry Faulkner

By Irene Stefanou

Western Australia’s Leonie Noble has taken on the position as president of the Women’s Industry Network Seafood Community (WINSC). WINSC promotes and encourages women to better themselves by offering scholarships and opportunities to attend national conferences and advocate on behalf of women with the main goal of increasing female representation in industry and government bodies.

Leonie Noble will be supported by immediate past president and New South Wales director Mary Howard. Other executive members are: WA director and vice-president Gaylene Newton; Queensland director and executive treasurer Anne Whalley; and South Australian director and secretary Karen Holder. Other WINSC directors include Trixi Madon (Australian Capital Territory), Marianne St Clair (Northern Territory), Mary Brewer (Tasmania), Maria Manias (Victoria) and Barbara Konstas (director at large).


Animal health scholarship

Photo of Suzanne Martin

By Irene Stefanou

Tasmanian veterinarian Suzanne Martin has been awarded a scholarship to help develop her personal and professional skills through the Women’s Industry Network Seafood Community (WINSC).

She plans to use the scholarship to study advanced aquatic animal care and husbandry at the Canadian Aquatic Institute at the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada this year.

“The scholarship is a tremendous opportunity to learn more about aquaculture management systems overseas and develop relationships with and learn from farmers and researchers dealing with similar challenges to those facing aquaculture enterprises here in Tasmania,” she says. The scholarship funding is provided through a grant from the FRDC on behalf of the Australian Government.


Focus on leadership

The FRDC is sponsoring two seafood sector participants in the next Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP), to begin in August 2016.

They are Helen Jenkins from Deception Bay, Queensland, and Alex Ogg from Fremantle, Western Australia.

Helen Jenkins is executive officer of the Australian Prawn Farmers Association. Alex Ogg is operations manager at the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council.

The 23rd ARLP will begin in August with an experiential session in the Kimberley, WA. Five sessions will follow over 15 months, including immersion in regional communities, involvement in Canberra’s political scene, and an eye-opening visit to one of our closest neighbours– Indonesia.

Participants will be eligible to undertake a Graduate Certificate of Australian Rural Leadership, from James Cook University, in concert with the ARLP.