A New Approach to Setting Research Priorities in Recreational Fishing
Many readers will be familiar with the RecFishing Research Coordination Program. Operating for over many years, it has played a key role in advancing research to benefit recreational fishing in Australia, with several notable achievements along the way. In just the past two years, the program has helped secured over $1.2m funding for new projects through the FRDC—clear evidence of its effectiveness.
The current phase of the program, which began in October 2022 and is scheduled to conclude later this year, has taken things a step further. It has highlighted the growing ability of the recreational fishing community to lead strategic research and development on a national scale.
Strong Partnerships for Greater Impact
This recent phase of RecFishing Research was jointly delivered by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF). ARFF, as the national community-based representative body, led the coordination and management of program activities, supported by FRDC’s technical and organisational strengths. This partnership has proven highly successful.
Dr Andrew Rowland, the program’s Principal Investigator, commented on the scale of the challenge:
“Coordinating research priorities for such a large and diverse sector is a tough job. That’s why we made sure to put the right structures in place and engaged the best people for the task.”
One of the key decisions was to form a Steering Committee closely connected to grassroots recreational fishers. This approach helped ensure that the research focused on delivering real, practical benefits to Australia’s 4+ million recreational fishers.
Building a Long-Term Vision
A central goal of the program was to set clear, long-term research and development (R&D) priorities for recreational fishing over the next 5 to 10 years.
To help with this, FRDC engaged Dr Mark Stafford-Smith to lead a Theory of Change exercise that resulted in the creation of the RD&E (Research, Development and Extension) Strategic Frame. This framework defines a long-term vision, outlines the major challenges facing the sector, and identifies the outcomes needed to overcome them. It also details six focus areas—called “Pathways”—that link research outputs to short-term outcomes and longer-term goals.
Mr. Danny Simpson, RecFishing Research Coordinator explained;
“The Strategic Frame provides a clear sequence of actions and results needed to achieve national goals for recreational fishing. It allows us to bring together strategic research in a way that delivers strong value to both the sector and the FRDC.”
You can view the full RecFishing Research RD&E Plan 2024–2029, including the Strategic Frame, by following this link.