About the Fisheries Capacity Building Network

Creating sustainable Australian fisheries for everyone

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) issued a Commonwealth Fisheries Policy Statement that sets out the Australian Government’s objectives for the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. It outlines the government’s approach to managing fisheries and the marine environment. The statement sets out guiding principles to inform their approach to fisheries management, policy and program design. The statement highlights the shared nature of Australia’s marine resources, the government’s efforts to maximise the benefits for all Australians, and the importance of the continued sustainability of the marine environment.

The objective of the Grant is to drive more effective engagement in Commonwealth fisheries management processes by Indigenous, recreational and commercial fisheries representatives.

To achieve this objective, the Fisheries Capacity Building Network will:

• develop a portal with information, resources and links to help educate stakeholders about fisheries science and fisheries management;
• develop training activities in consultation with Indigenous, recreational and commercial fisheries representatives; and
• deliver training activities to Indigenous, recreational and commercial fisheries representatives.

 The intended outcomes of the training programs are to:

• improve and increase participation of Indigenous, recreational and commercial fisheries representatives in targeted capacity building activities; and
• develop a network of Indigenous, recreational and commercial fisheries representatives to enable the sharing of information and lessons learned from engagement with Commonwealth fisheries management processes.