Review Of Approaches For Determining Commercial Fisheries Compensation
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$136,420.00
Summary
WAFIC and DPIRD are seeking an improved understanding of the methods available for valuing fishery access rights, their relative advantages and disadvantages, and more specifically which methods would be most relevant and appropriate for Western Australia’s small-scale fisheries. This is to better ensure that future compensation schemes better meet their objectives while also building increased certainty and confidence for industry and the holders of access rights, which ultimately supports impr ....WAFIC and DPIRD are seeking an improved understanding of the methods available for valuing fishery access rights, their relative advantages and disadvantages, and more specifically which methods would be most relevant and appropriate for Western Australia’s small-scale fisheries. This is to better ensure that future compensation schemes better meet their objectives while also building increased certainty and confidence for industry and the holders of access rights, which ultimately supports improved resource security.
Our proposed approach draws on relevant literature and consultation with both government and fishery stakeholders (including fishers, investors, and brokers) to understand the range of approaches applied to valuing commercial fishing rights and their relative advantages and disadvantages. We will then define some key evaluation criteria that define what an appropriate compensation method is and then assess identified methods against these criteria. This evaluation will also consider how the applicability of methods may vary for different fishery types and circumstances.
The end outcome will be identification of the most appropriate valuation methods for the development of future compensation schemes for different fishery types, with a particular focus on small-scale fisheries. This advice will be developed to be readily adopted and applied by in relevant legislation and/or policy instruments.
Objectives: 1. To review and summarise methods that can be used to value fishery access rights for compensation purposes, including each method’s advantages, disadvantages and appropriateness for given circumstances. 2. To understand the views and perspectives of those that hold or trade fishery access rights regarding how they value fishery rights. 3. To identify and recommend compensation calculation approaches that are most suitable for Western Australian small-scale fisheries and that could readily be adopted in Western Australian government legislation, policy or processes. Read moreRead less
Social Science And Economics Research Coordination Program (SSERCP) – Economic Consultant Services
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$67,000.00
Summary
Request from Emily Ogier to sub contract Sarah Jennings for the economic component of the parent project 2015-300 Objectives: 1. To provide economic consultancy to the Social Science and Economics Research Coordination Program (SSERCP).
International franchising success factors: A guide for Australian franchise systems. Australia is considered the most 'franchised' nation in the world. With 850 franchisors, it has over three times the number of systems per capita than the United States. However, Australian franchises are small due to the country's limited population, with 60% of systems holding fewer than 30 units. One third of Australian franchisors now operates internationally, however little is known about how they plan an ....International franchising success factors: A guide for Australian franchise systems. Australia is considered the most 'franchised' nation in the world. With 850 franchisors, it has over three times the number of systems per capita than the United States. However, Australian franchises are small due to the country's limited population, with 60% of systems holding fewer than 30 units. One third of Australian franchisors now operates internationally, however little is known about how they plan and implement their expansion strategies. It appears that franchisors are reacting to approaches made by overseas investors rather than proactively developing international expansion strategies. This research will examine the practices of successful exporters to develop a model of best practice for future activity in the sector.Read moreRead less
Meeting Sustainability Expectations: Translating And Aligning Objectives, Reporting And Evaluation Of The Performance Of Australian Fisheries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$164,674.50
Summary
The Australian fishing industry is under increasing scrutiny due to campaigns that communicate that stocks are overfished and poorly managed (AMCS 2011). This contributes to calls for MPAs, resistance to consumption of some seafood, and a general erosion of community support for fishing industries (Hilborn & Kearny 2012). FRDC is addressing these issues through a suite of initiatives, including the SAFS and NHSP projects. The project proposed here examines the consistency and transparency of fis ....The Australian fishing industry is under increasing scrutiny due to campaigns that communicate that stocks are overfished and poorly managed (AMCS 2011). This contributes to calls for MPAs, resistance to consumption of some seafood, and a general erosion of community support for fishing industries (Hilborn & Kearny 2012). FRDC is addressing these issues through a suite of initiatives, including the SAFS and NHSP projects. The project proposed here examines the consistency and transparency of fisheries governance. The need is to ensure that the Australian community’s expectations for the management of its fisheries are adequately reflected and accounted for throughout governance processes, from the objectives of legislation through to reporting and evaluating performance and status of fisheries.
This project was developed to directly address the following needs as identified in the National R,D&E Strategy 2010: - provide greater clarity in management objectives, - develop governance models for better accountability; and - develop performance indicators, including social, ecological and economic.
The project will also contribute to the following priority areas: - integrating social, environmental and economic considerations into fisheries management strategies; and - identifying and understanding community aquatic values and how these can be integrated into fisheries management .
This project will meet these needs by generating knowledge about ways to improve the design of: 1. legislative objectives for fisheries resources and management objectives for specific fisheries, and thereby achieve greater alignment with the Australian community’s expectations for management of fisheries resources; and 2. management objectives for specific fisheries so they can be operationalized to achieve greater articulation with reporting and evaluation of performance and status. In addition, the project will contribute to the development of common reporting frameworks and formal classifications for social, economic, ecological and management performance and status of key Australian fisheries.
Objectives: 1. Determine the extent of alignment between the Australian public's expectations for the performance of fisheries and legislative objectives for fisheries resources in each of the jurisdictions 2. Determine the extent of alignment between legislative objectives for fisheries resources between Australian jurisdictions 3. Determine the extent of alignment between management objectives and reporting frameworks for each of Australia's key fisheries 4. Determine the level of articulation between management objectives and reporting for each of Australia's key fisheries 5. Identify options and provide recommendations for common reporting frameworks and formal classifications for social, economic, ecological and management performance and status of Australia's key fisheries 6. Develop guidelines and identify instruments and processes for the optimal design of fisheries legislative objectives and management objectives for specific fisheries. Read moreRead less
Social Science Research Coordination Program (SSRCP) II
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$297,703.50
Summary
The initial project/phase of the SSRCP has been effective in creating recognition of the need for social science expertise. It has also identified need for a point of reference for FRABs and researchers and is relied upon by industry agencies as a point of co-ordination for fisheries social science research. The continuation of this coordination program is endorsed by the emerging understanding of the depth of social factors in fishing activities at the individual, business/group and sectoral le ....The initial project/phase of the SSRCP has been effective in creating recognition of the need for social science expertise. It has also identified need for a point of reference for FRABs and researchers and is relied upon by industry agencies as a point of co-ordination for fisheries social science research. The continuation of this coordination program is endorsed by the emerging understanding of the depth of social factors in fishing activities at the individual, business/group and sectoral levels, and the ways in which these activities interact with the broader community. Increasingly, external economic impacts such as market and competing industry influences; energy costs; distance to market; and potential new taxes, influence the shape of fishing and aquaculture industries, and are emerging as significant issues that remain unaddressed by biological or economic approaches alone.
Through a range of different techniques, social science research can address these issues and complement biological and economic research to support change in practice and community perceptions. The past three years of focus on social science research has encouraged and facilitated leveraging of previous research work, minimising the expense of duplication, and increasing the ability to identify solutions to resource use issues. Continuation of the program will support the efficient use of FRDC funds, and the pursuit of research project outcomes with greater reach than if implemented in isolation of previous research and other FRDC Program activities. Objectives: 1. Continue the social sciences program in the existing framework, subject to ongoing industry and research community feedback 2. Collaborate with the industry to identify emerging issues in wild harvest, aquacutlure, post harvest, recreational and indigenous fishery sectors, that could benefit from early integration of social science research for the identification of potential solutions. 3. Addresss research needs arising from FRDC's existing programs and ensure the quality and relevance of proposed social research projects 4. Co-ordinate and undertake the communication of key social research needs to the research community and SSRCP research outcomes to fishers and managment agencies. 5. Provide FRDC relevant program management for social projects including evaluation, commissioning of projects and milestone reviews. Read moreRead less
Platelets are key blood elements that are essential for the prevention of bleeding in response to injury or infection. Overactive or spontaneously active platelets cause thrombosis and blood clot formation. My laboratory has identified new physiological pathways of activation of platelet metalloproteinases, the enzymes that regulate surface levels of the prothrombotic platelet receptors. By understanding this mechanism of receptor regulation, we can uniquely target platelet receptors in people w ....Platelets are key blood elements that are essential for the prevention of bleeding in response to injury or infection. Overactive or spontaneously active platelets cause thrombosis and blood clot formation. My laboratory has identified new physiological pathways of activation of platelet metalloproteinases, the enzymes that regulate surface levels of the prothrombotic platelet receptors. By understanding this mechanism of receptor regulation, we can uniquely target platelet receptors in people with prothrombotic pathologies.Read moreRead less
A Human Dimensions Research Subprogram presents the FRDC and stakeholders with the opportunity to maximise investment in and effectiveness of human dimensions RD&E for Australian fisheries and aquaculture. This is achieved by: - Providing the Subprogram with capacity to lever greater overall investment in human dimensions RD&E through co-investment arrangements: Capacity to co-invest or directly commission will enable the Subprogram to ensure that a higher number of human dimensions RD&E needs, ....A Human Dimensions Research Subprogram presents the FRDC and stakeholders with the opportunity to maximise investment in and effectiveness of human dimensions RD&E for Australian fisheries and aquaculture. This is achieved by: - Providing the Subprogram with capacity to lever greater overall investment in human dimensions RD&E through co-investment arrangements: Capacity to co-invest or directly commission will enable the Subprogram to ensure that a higher number of human dimensions RD&E needs, as identified by RACs, IPAs and other Subprograms, are addressed through successful applications. This capacity to collaborate and co-invest with RACs, IPAs and/or other Subprograms not only acts as an incentive for further investment in human dimensions RD&E, it increases the likelihood that high quality and effective research is undertaken which will meet stakeholders' needs. It will achieve this through a number of mechanisms including: providing funding for appropriate expertise to be included in teams of research applicants; and, creating incentives for more integrated RD&E in which human dimensions research can be embedded in more traditional fisheries and aquaculture research projects. - Providing leadership and coordination where required to draw on a range of expertise to tackle complex problems: Capacity to directly commission or call for RD&E will enable the Subprogram to meet needs for targeted, strategic RD&E to address some of the issues which are preventing improved outcomes for fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders. These include issues such as the previously uncoordinated investment in measurement of the economic and social contributions made by different sectors, in response to which the Subprogram will draw on recognised expertise to develop a common position on metrics, methods of measurement and interpretation. This will in turn increase credibility of contribution studies and the return on investment in such studies. Objectives: 1. Identify human dimensions RD&E priorities annually, through review and consultation with key fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders (RACs, IPAs, Subprograms, AFMF) and develop projects to address those priorities 2. Promote coordination and co-investment in human dimensions RD&E across RACs, IPAs and Subprograms 3. Ensure quality and relevance of humans dimensions RD&E through review of applications and project reports 4. Support the FRDC in the management of a portfolio of projects with significant human dimensions research components 5. Facilitate extension and adoption of human dimensions R&D outputs 6. Build and support capability in human dimensions research to meet the needs of fisheries and aquaculture Read moreRead less
Given the growing importance of social science research in the seafood industry – or recognition of its relevance – there’s a need to consolidate what we have done in the past, and to look to the future. The workshop will do both. In the past, there has been a tendency for social science to be reactive – to ‘autopsy’ – a crisis in the industry after it has happened (or to be invited to autopsy the crisis by the industry). One of the key gaps in the design of social science research is the capaci ....Given the growing importance of social science research in the seafood industry – or recognition of its relevance – there’s a need to consolidate what we have done in the past, and to look to the future. The workshop will do both. In the past, there has been a tendency for social science to be reactive – to ‘autopsy’ – a crisis in the industry after it has happened (or to be invited to autopsy the crisis by the industry). One of the key gaps in the design of social science research is the capacity to anticipate issues and design responses that can enhance the adaptability of the industry, both socially and economically. In order to do so the discipline needs to be communicating effectively with each other in regards to best-practice methodologies for working effectively with industry. We also need to situate our research within a global context that anticipates and speaks to international imperatives, challenges and frameworks (e.g. FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication. In the Australian context the potential issues to be engaged with at the workshop may include; sharing the fish (resource sharing, property rights, global food security); adaptability (fishing as livelihood, practice, culture, in a climate of rapid change and need for adaptation and innovation); research practice, data and decision support (how can social dimensions be monitored and incorporated more formally into decision making?; what innovations in social science practise are needed?).
Objectives: 1. To workshop and build upon the thematically documented FRDC audit of Social Science research (FRDC2009/317) 2. To workshop and thematically document current and ongoing research activities and drivers of participants. They key to this objective is the identification of research-setting processes, and the ways in which social scientists perceive gaps in knowledge and how this might be better aligned with the voices of industry 3. Updated themes, key gaps and emerging issues (from 2009/317) that can be drawn upon by RACs in the immediate future 4. Sharing of knowledge regarding emerging methodologies to maximise contributions of the social scientists to the investigations of identified challenges and research pathways 5. Improved connections between social scientists and a fostering of a coherent voice for social science research in Australia which can be drawn upon to respond collectively to the industry's needs to address emerging issues Read moreRead less
Demand Conditions And Dynamics In The Southern And Eastern Scalefish And Shark Fishery: Empirical Investigation
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$146,216.00
Summary
The FRDC HDR has identified the lack of information on markets and price formation in Australian fisheries as a major research gap. The need for such analyses has also been discussed within the AFMA Economics working group, as such information was seen as essential in supporting fisheries management.
This project is an attempt to reduce this research gap. In doing so, the information produced will be of benefit to fisheries managers, fishers and the broader community as we move our fish ....The FRDC HDR has identified the lack of information on markets and price formation in Australian fisheries as a major research gap. The need for such analyses has also been discussed within the AFMA Economics working group, as such information was seen as essential in supporting fisheries management.
This project is an attempt to reduce this research gap. In doing so, the information produced will be of benefit to fisheries managers, fishers and the broader community as we move our fisheries closer to maximising net economic returns.
The focus of this study is on the markets relevant to the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF), which is the main supplier of fresh fish to the Sydney and Melbourne markets. To date, only very limited empirical research has been conducted for these fisheries in Australia [4-6], most of which is now fairly old and is unlikely to be valid for current market conditions. Since the early 2000s the seafood market in Australia has changed, for example, due to increasing seafood imports and increasing domestic aquaculture production. Hence, market dynamics for products supplied by domestic fisheries may have also altered.
This case study was identified by the FRDC HDR as of high importance due to the current challenges facing the fisher in terms of unfilled quotas. One potential contributing reason that quotas are not being taken is that to do so would result in lower prices; of potential benefit to consumers but not to producers. Instead, the lower catches may be supporting higher prices. The outcomes of this project can provide insights into the extent of to which the marker is contributing to quota undercatch.
The study will focus on the impact of changes in supply on the price received on the markets. While the potential response of fishers to these changes in price (including avoiding large catches) is also of relevance to fishery managers, this will require further bioeconomic modelling work that is beyond the scope of this study, but may be seen as a high priority for future research.
Objectives: 1. Estimate the degree of integration between the different species and between the markets for fresh fish in Sydney and Melbourne; and 2. Estimate the short term and long term effects of changes in quantity supplied of key species in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) on the price received on the Sydney and Melbourne fish markets Read moreRead less
Media Messages About Sustainable Seafood: How Do Media Influencers Affect Consumer Attitudes?
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$85,550.36
Summary
From television cooking shows to social media, an intensified media focus on food has increased public visibility of issues of food provenance and sustainability in recent years. This has profoundly changed the communications landscape in which Australian food industries operate. There is now increased scrutiny and criticism of food industry activities not just from the ‘usual suspects’ (such as environmental activists), but also from a range of new players: celebrity chefs, food bloggers, socia ....From television cooking shows to social media, an intensified media focus on food has increased public visibility of issues of food provenance and sustainability in recent years. This has profoundly changed the communications landscape in which Australian food industries operate. There is now increased scrutiny and criticism of food industry activities not just from the ‘usual suspects’ (such as environmental activists), but also from a range of new players: celebrity chefs, food bloggers, social media ‘clicktivists’, and other media influencers. On the issue of sustainable seafood, these influencers have often been successful in securing a greater share of media ‘voice’ than industry itself. This is concerning because influencers’ messages are not always aligned with industry claims or with Government sustainability assessments. We know from international research that food celebrities and food media can either encourage or deter seafood consumption depending on the message (Bowman & Stewart 2013), but we don’t yet know what the impact is of Australian media, and media influencers, on consumer purchasing intentions, their attitudes and beliefs regarding the sustainability of Australian seafood, and the social acceptability of the industry. Aligning with National Priority 1 and its focus on industry communications strategy, this project will examine media coverage of Australian domestic fisheries sectors to identify: the messages about sustainable seafood prominent in Australian media; the media influencers, strategies, and professional networks underpinning their circulation; and how these messages are understood and interpreted by consumers. This knowledge will be used to inform communication strategies that will ensure clearer sustainability messages, reduce consumer confusion, and improve consumer trust in the Australian seafood industry. Objectives: 1. To identify the role and preferred mechanisms of media influencers in shaping media messages about the sustainability of Australian produced seafood and the Australian domestic seafood industry that are successful in achieving the greatest share of media ‘voice’, and to evaluate the impacts of this on consumer perceptions. 2. Contribute to the ongoing development of National Priority 1 Communications Strategy. 3. Offer best-practice strategies for dealing with the divergent messages from industry, and media influencers, and in doing so, boost the profile of the Australian seafood industry achievements in relation to sustainability initiatives. Read moreRead less