Australia’s Fishing Industry Who’s in control of the future?

Dr Kate Brooks – Manager, FRDC Social Science Research Co-ordination Program; & Visiting Fellow – Australian National University, Canberra.

This presentation....• Demographics of the industry;• Industry resilience• Pressures on the industry;

– Operational/productivity

– Environmental (sustainability & climate variability)

• Community perceptions influencing decisions;• Fishing in the food chain; and • Who is in control and who should be?

Industry Demographics

• Average age 45+

• Approximately 95% male/ 5% female

• Married or de-facto with dependents

• Average of four years of high school education

• Represented 0.06% of Australia’s direct employment in 2006

Average Employment in Commercial Fishing Financial Years 1997 - 2008

Direct employment in Commercial Fishing = 0.06%* of all Australian employment * Source: 2006 Australian Population and Housing Census.

Source: Brooks, K., (2010), “Health and Safety in the Australian Fishing Industry”, RIRDC, March , Canberra

External Pressures• Productivity and profitability – access &

operating costs;• Coastal development/Marine Protected Areas

and Marine Parks, • Increasing environmental/sustainability concerns • Changes to environmental flows; and

• Climate variability.• Public Perceptions.

Resilience and change• The flexibility to continue despite changes in

circumstance.• Resilience /Vulnerability• Resilient is not infinite.

Isolation to collaboration – the next step?

• Nature of fishermen

• Solitary style of working environment

• Questionable comparisons to other industry collaborations to achieve community support - e.g. farmers/NFF

• Few with the capacity to engage in changing public perceptions;

Summary• No one is currently in control of the

future of our fishing industry;• Australians need to decide if fish is to be

one of our future protein source options. • The fishing industry needs to identify

collaborators to help in countering

misperceptions.• Governments need to engage with

industry in community assurance and

education: co-management approaches.

Thank you – Questions?

Australia’s Fishing Industry - Who’s in control of the future?

Dr Kate Brooks - Kate@kalanalysis.com.au M; 041 2 091143.