Partnering to deliver national research, development and extension for Australia’s recreational fishing sector: management project 2022-2024

The partnership between the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) and the FRDC for national research, development, and extension in the recreational fishing sector brings several benefits. Firstly, it enables the aggregation of information from regional and jurisdictional levels to a national forum, providing valuable insights to the FRDC for prioritizing strategic and tactical investments in research, development, and extension (RD&E). This ensures that the investments are aligned with the needs and priorities of the Australian recreational sector, leading to positive outcomes. Additionally, the partnership facilitates effective and targeted extension and adoption of RD&E outputs, promoting cultural and behavioral changes within the recreational sector. By actively engaging with the recreational fishing community and key partners, the partnership identifies and coordinates national and regional RD&E priorities, ensuring that the research conducted by the FRDC is relevant and beneficial to the sector. Moreover, the partnership allows for the management of external national and international partnerships delivering recreational RD&E, expanding collaborative opportunities and knowledge exchange. It also facilitates co-investment in RD&E, attracting additional resources and support for the recreational fishing community at a national level. Overall, this partnership model benefits the recreational fishing sector, its supporters, the broader Australian community, and the FRDC by aligning research efforts with sector needs, promoting adoption of research outcomes, and enhancing the capacity and capability of the recreational fishing community.