These same issues are impacting on the broader industry. The seafood industry requires solid intelligence in order to build a case for DEEWR's priority training places, as well as inform DEEWR generally on industry trends and needs. Secondly, the current state of communication between AFISC and its seafood standing committee is preventing effective consultation on workforce and training needs, and training package review.
For some time, this situation has been worsening and the FRDC is in a position to demonstrate leadership and facilitate a way forward in collaboration with AFISC and other stakeholders.

This project addresses the need to encourage and support early career researchers and innovation, as identified in the FRDC people development strategy

There is a need for a forum for discussion that is organised and supported by recreational fishers. While other conferences such as ASFB allow the scientific community to meet and discuss aspects of fisheries science, there is no national forum which brings together fisheries managers, recreational fishers and industry representatives.

There is a need to recognise volunteers and other paid individuals involved in sustainable management of recreational fisheries. This is best achieved through a well publicised awards ceremony.

The Next Generation of Leaders program has identified a resource of future fisheries leaders at both the national and state level. There is a need to harness the creative strength of these individuals.

Representatives of the recreational fishing sector met in August 2005 “to develop a more strategic approach to setting research and development priorities” for the sector. The workshop’s main outcomes were the development of 12 priorities and the formation of Recfishing Research to promote and coordinate their implementation.

However, while progress is being made on some national R&D priorities, there is a clear lack of strategic direction and detail on what the current needs are.

Two things are needed:
• a review of the 3-year old R&D priorities and,
• more explicit details of the most immediate and pressing needs under each priority.

An examination of what is being achieved under each priority will help to identify key areas of under-investment and to refocus project development and investment on topics of greatest strategic need. The workshop will place special emphasis on involving young people in industry and research. As well as assisting industry and researchers, the outcome of the workshop will inform FRDC’s immediate investment in recreational fisheries R&D projects and the development of its R&D plan beyond 2010.

On one level there is the need for new and innovative ways to share knowledge between seafood industry workers. The current model relies upon a cascade effect of information to trickle down to workers through various channels. This project will employ a different method for transferring knowledge, through direct fisher to fisher exchange programs. To generalise, most fishers would probably fall into the kinesthetic style of learning. Kinesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. An exchange program where by fishers directly exchange practical knowledge could prove an ideal method for improving the capacity of the seafood industry.

On a second level, the current skills shortages at all levels of the economy is constraining efficiency and growth. The seafood industry has a national pool of skilled workers at its disposal, but it is possibly one of the least mobile. Many other industries have mobile workforces, eg horticulture and the wool industry. In Europe there is a program that promotes mobility between countries for all sectors. There is no reason why the Australian seafood industry workforce cannot be more mobile. Due to management measures to ensure sustainability, the seafood industry is no longer a 365 days per year industry. This doesn't promote job security and those people that have skills could be lost to the industry seeking more secure income. Meanwhile in other parts of the country sectors of the industry requiring skills for short periods of time could utilise those skills, if they could get them. Therefore there is a need to understand the impediments that face workers in shifting between sectors of the industry.

This project aims to begin to identify these impediments and provide the foundations for programs to mobilise the pool of workers.

The seafood industry operates in a diverse and dynamic environment and although the volume produced in Australia is small by world standards, the quality of our product and sustainability of our practices are globally recognised. For the seafood industry to continue to be a world leader in seafood production and quality there must be an opportunity to learn from each other and plan for the future.

The role of Seafood Directions is to provide an opportunity for stakeholders of the seafood industry to review and discuss priority issues and future planning and development.

This need is supported by key stakeholders of the seafood industry, as is evident by the number of delegates previously attending the biennial conference.

Despite several successful Seafood Directions conferences there is a need to look at how the conference is run and what its focus is. There is a real need to engage the whole supply chain sector from fisher to consumer.