Industry-Science Mixer

Why it’s important?

The value of involving industry and using the intimate knowledge and experience of fishermen has historically been side-lined in scientific research and fisheries management, despite industry being most directly affected by management decisions in terms of their economic livelihoods and well-being. The difficulty of bringing industry into the fold has ultimately impacted the sustainability of fisheries and has contributed to data deficient fisheries, poor research capacity and a siloed approach to conducting and developing fisheries science and management.

It is now widely accepted that industry, academia, and government all have unique contributions to fisheries research, and no single group can provide the information required to meet the increasing challenges of fisheries sustainability alone. Research that is collaborative (i.e., involving industry, academia, and government) will help to solve persistent and emerging problems in fisheries; effectively utilising the skillset of stakeholders; and help to build new capacity in fisheries science. Collaborative research also allows stakeholders to disseminate insight to a wider audience so that the science is effectively understood and accepted outside the scientific community.