For immediate use 26 October 2015

Fish plan aims to bring big benefits for Australia

Delegates at the Seafood Directions Conference in Perth heard how Australia’s national Fisheries Research and Development Corporation’s (FRDC) five-year Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) plan will deliver benefits for Australia’s fishing and aquaculture industries.

The plan has been developed by the FRDC, along with consultation with all fishing sectors (commercial, recreational, Indigenous, aquaculture, and post-harvest), as well as other community groups.

The FRDC Chair the Hon Harry Woods said implementation of the plan will ensure that fishing in all its forms is sustainable and ethical, while availability of a very healthy food is increased for all Australians.

The plan will result in an increase in the production of seafood and see an increase in value of $600m by 2020; supported by a tripling in trade with FTA countries.

Another key outcome will be improving community satisfaction with the industry; this will be supported by increasing the number of species in the national status of key fish stocks reports by to include over 200 species.

•  Ensuring that Australian fishing and aquaculture products are sustainable and acknowledged to be so;

•  Improving productivity and profitability of fishing and aquaculture; and

•  Developing new and emerging aquaculture growth opportunities.

The plan includes the ongoing commitment from the FRDC to support research for recreational fishing and for Indigenous fishing and aquaculture through formalised subprograms to prioritise research in these areas.

Implementing the plan will herald a new approach that will empower stakeholders to collaborate and partner on other projects. The FRDC will also deliver against its new roles in marketing and extension.

The FRDC will also continue to lead on national research initiatives that address whole of industry and community issues and opportunities. These are: aquatic animal health and biosecurity; recreational fishing; Indigenous fishing and aquaculture; people development; social sciences and economics; and delivery of key services (e.g. the Fish Names Standard, SafeFish), The Hon Woods said.

To read the FRDC RD&E plan, visit: http://frdc.com.au/research/RDEPlanningandPriorities