As part of the Extension and Adoption Program FRDC aims to take information and provide it to stakeholders and the braoder public. To do this with information on the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids, it is clear that membership to the Omega 3 Centre will be both cost effective and efficient way of disseminating this informaiton.

The Omega 3 Centre was set up specifically and operates as a centre of excellence in Omega-3 fatty acids for Australia and New Zealand. It primary focus is on communicating the health benefits of long chain Omega-3s.

All communications from The Omega-3 Centre are based on sound science. Scientific advice will always be sought from leading researchers in the area. The Centre has a good links with a range of scientific organisations in Australia, New Zealand and internationally. The Centre acts as a catalyst for scientific research into Omega-3s and benefits for human health and it helps translate the science of Omega-3s to actions.

The Australian seafood industry operates in a diverse and dynamic environment and although the volume produced in Australia is small by world standards, the value and quality of our product and sustainability of our practices are globally recognized. 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 a significant opportunity for fisheries researchers,fisheries managers and others who work in support of the seafood industry, to examine key contemporary and strategic issues and develop blueprints that will ensure a sustainable, profitable and socially resilient seafood industry in Australia. As stated previously, this function of Seafood Directions is particularly valuable in the absence of a National Peak Body representing the interests of the Australian seafood industry as a whole.

The need for Seafood Directions is indicated by the ongoing support of key stakeholders of the seafood industry, as is evident by the level of industry sponsorship and attendance at this conference series.

Climate change is now a major issue for the Fishing Industry and an area in which the FRDC has become more focused in the past two years. FRDC is now starting to develop a network of researchers and experts to undertaken activities in this field.

Climate change will have many impacts on marine ecosystems, and on human uses of them. Improved scientific support for policy and management decision-making in the face of these potential impacts is essential. In response to this need, interdisciplinary research teams have been formed around the world to analyze data and develop models to explore the likelihood and nature of future ecosystem states and strategies for sustainable use in these future states. To facilitate the advancement of this critical research, ICES, PICES and FAO are holding an international symposium. This symposium will provide a forum for scientists and policymakers to discuss the potential impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems and our uses of these ecosystems, and to consider the strategies that society can take to be prepared for anticipated impacts. Quantitative studies of the potential impact of climate change on fish and fisheries throughout the world will be featured.

It is important that the information form this conference is extended and made available for the fishing industry in Australia.

Energy is currently a major issue for the Fishing Industry and an area in which the FRDC has focused in the past five years. FRDC has developed a good international network to share research outcomes the issue of energy, fuel and improving boat efficiency.

On 20 May 2010, the first major international conference on energy and fishing will be held in Spain. E-Fishing 2010 is the first of a series of biannual conferences devoted to the study of energy efficiency in the fishing world. This symposium aims to be a forum where experts will present the latest advances in research and development aimed at improving the energy efficiency of fishing vessels and systems.

It is important that the informaiton form this conference is extended and made available for the fishing industry in Australia.

Participation of Industry and recreational members in the stock assessment process is vital and there is a real need for succession planning in MACs and RAGs. Their input provides important observations and anecdotal information that can help to interpret trends in the data, improving the quality and completeness of stock assessments and recommendations made. Furthermore, it can foster a better understanding of the science behind stock assessments, and create more support for buy-in of subsequent management policies. Without Industry and recreational sector participation, catch and effort data would be used with only a limited understanding of the factors that influence these data, beyond what is collected in logbooks and by observer programs. Participation, however, is more effective if they have a working knowledge of the data collected and processes and models used to assess fish stocks. This will lead to more efficient, beneficial, informative participation in the stock assessment process, and overall, better stock assessment and management of the fishery. Industry and recreational understanding of harvest strategies and stock assessment processes will also improve the level of co-management that can be achieved in a fishery.

Despite improvements in the assessment and harvest strategy process over the last decade, their remains a great deal of industry frustration / misunderstanding about how this translates into management decisions. Having spoken to many industry members during this time, we know that much (but not all) of this frustration is a direct result of lack of knowledge about assessment techniques and assumptions and how these interplay with the harvest strategy. Once they ahve acquired this knowledge, Industry members, with their extensive experience on the water, become extremely valuable members of RAGs / MACs and can help improve the assessment and management process and the understanding of other members.