Contents
Foreword............................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 3
The context for this plan ........................................................................................................ 4
The Northern Territory’s aquatic resources sector ............................................................. 4
Legislation ......................................................................................................................... 4
Policy ................................................................................................................................ 5
Stakeholders ..................................................................................................................... 6
Important Partnerships ...................................................................................................... 6
Societal drivers for the Plan ............................................................................................... 6
Our Vision ............................................................................................................................. 8
Our Mission ........................................................................................................................... 8
Our Values ............................................................................................................................ 8
Four key objectives ............................................................................................................... 9
1.
Build our knowledge foundations to underpin progress with appropriate evidence ..... 9
2.
Deliver ‘whole-of-community’ benefits from our decisions ........................................... 9
3.
Establish co-management models as the core element of delivering business ........... 9
4.
Facilitate fisheries development ................................................................................. 9
Six strategic lines of work .................................................................................................... 10
1.
Build local and regional partnerships ........................................................................ 10
2.
Involve people .......................................................................................................... 10
3.
Expand our knowledge ............................................................................................. 10
4.
Employ evidence-based decision making ................................................................. 10
5.
Improve our management and administrative frameworks ........................................ 11
6.
Create opportunities ................................................................................................. 11
Actions and Outcomes ........................................................................................................ 12
Implementation and Evaluation ........................................................................................... 15
Performance Management Framework............................................................................ 15
Client Service .................................................................................................................. 15
Reporting ......................................................................................................................... 15
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Foreword
The Aquatic Resource Group’s (ARG) Strategic Plan details our vision for the stewardship
and development of Northern Territory’s aquatic resources for the next five years. It provides
a framework which sets priority objectives, actions and outcomes related to the future
sustainability of the resource.
In developing this strategy we have recognised the diversity of user groups who benefit from
the Northern Territory’s aquatic resources – encompassing recreational and commercial
fishers, traditional owners, conservationists, and the broader community who may simply
value the integrity of the NT’s aquatic environments. All of these groups use and value the
resource in different ways and have different expectations of the ARG. Given the variety,
and sometimes competing nature, of expectations from these groups, the challenge facing
us is to forge a path which balances these while maintaining a focus on sustainability.
Of significance too, is the crucial role that aquatic resources and associated businesses play
in developing the NT economy and in supporting our communities. The ARG is committed to
furthering the role of fisheries industries in the management of our aquatic resources and to
support and facilitate the development of the aquatic resource sector. The NT is fortunate to
have an abundance of aquatic resources, giving us the opportunity to plan for continued
sustainable development for the benefit of all Territorians from an economic, social and
environmental perspective.
Our intent in developing this strategy has been to provide clear direction on priorities for the
next five years so as to allocate the ARG’s resources most effectively. By making this a
public document and circulating it widely for consultation, we also aim to provide
transparency to our business planning decisions.
Before finalising our strategic plan, it is important to gain feedback from our stakeholders
and partners and all groups who use and value the NT’s aquatic resources. We would like
your opinions on our proposed direction and balance between economic development and
sustainability. Ideally, we would also like to see broader commitment to our vision and would
welcome linkages between our strategy and those of our partners and stakeholders.
The consultation period will run for a period of six weeks ending on Wednesday 26 June 2013.
Please forward your comments to:
Fisheries Division
Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries
GPO Box 3000 Darwin NT 0801
Or email to: fisheries@nt.gov.au
Mr Ian Curnow
Executive Director Fisheries
15 May 2013
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Vision
Thriving and healthy aquatic resources
benefiting all Territorians
Mission
To ensure the sustainability, optimal use and
equitable distribution of the Northern Territory’s
aquatic resources through collaborative, innovative
and evidence-based management
Objective 1
Objective 2
Objective 3
Objective 4
Build our
knowledge
foundations
Deliver wholeof-community
benefits
Establish comanagement
models
Facilitate
fisheries
development
Strategy 1:
Strategy 2:
Strategy 3:
Strategy 4:
Strategy 5:
Strategy 6:
Build local and regional partnerships
Involve people
Expand our knowledge
Employ evidence-based decision making
Improve our management frameworks
Create opportunities
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Introduction
Northern Territory (NT) Fisheries, within the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries
(DPIF) consists of the Fisheries Development Group (FDG) and the Aquatic Resource
Group (ARG). The ARG comprises four units: Aquatic Science Unit; Technical Services Unit;
Aquatic Resources Policy and Planning Unit (incorporating Licensing and Legal Services);
and a Recreational Fishing Unit. The public is our major client whom we serve by providing
advice to the NT Government on managing our aquatic resources in a way that balances the
opportunities of today with the future needs of the community.
This Strategic Plan is intended to identify the role of the ARG in achieving our vision for
thriving and healthy aquatic resources benefiting all Territorians. This plan complements the
strategic plans for the FDG’s Aquaculture and Indigenous Development Units. Together,
they define the broader activities and directions of NT Fisheries. In addition, this plan has
linkages to DPIF’s strategic plan.
Central to the ARG’s strategic plan is recognition of the complexity of the business within
which we operate. Our strategy needs to align with the aspirations and needs of our end
users, the strategic directions of the government and with national fisheries policy
development. With a strong strategy that prioritises short term (next five years) actions with
long term impact and collaborative partnerships, we can focus on the timely, effective and
efficient delivery of services.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
The context for this plan
The Northern Territory’s aquatic resource sector
The NT has diverse aquatic resources including (but not limited to) barramundi, snappers,
black jewfish, mackerels, sharks and mud crab. Individuals, families and businesses utilise
these resources for sport, culture, food and to derive an income. The diversity of the
resource supports 16 commercial fisheries generating a gross value of production in the
order of $35 million per annum (excluding aquaculture). Recreational fishing injects some
$51 million into the NT economy and in excess of $16 million is estimated to be generated
by the guided fishing industry. Additionally the integrity of the aquatic environment holds
important intrinsic aesthetic, cultural and knowledge values.
Legislation
Northern Territory legislation
The ecologically sustainable use and development of the NT’s aquatic resources is
governed by the Northern Territory Fisheries Act 1988 (the Act). The Act specifies three
objects by which the government must manage the NT’s aquatic resources:
1. Sustainability: managing the aquatic resources of the NT in accordance with the
principles of ecologically sustainable development and to ensure appropriate
protection of fish1 and fish habitats;
2. Equity: promoting fairness, equity and access to resources for all stakeholder groups;
and
3. Optimisation: promoting the optimal utilisation of resources to benefit the community.
The Act lays out how these objects are to be met and includes licensing requirements, the
development of regulations or fishery management plans, stakeholder consultative
processes, responsibilities of users of the resource (including the supply of information) and
penalties for non-compliance. The primary role of the ARG is to provide advice to
government on how these objects are best met, with a focus on sustainability.
Delivery against the objectives of the Act involves work across several disciplines including
monitoring, research, development and extension, resource management and policy,
administration and legal compliance. All of these need to occur in an environment of
transparency and collaboration locally, regionally and nationally.
Australian Government legislation
The Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
1999 (EPBC Act) provides a framework for the use of aquatic resources and the harvest of
species listed as endangered (the Australian Government must issue a non-detriment finding
for the harvest to continue). Eight of the NT’s fisheries are export-accredited under the
EPBC Act. The re-accreditation schedule has a direct influence on our priority setting and
annual work planning, as will any new accreditation process for fisheries currently not
accredited should export markets emerge.
1
Under the Fisheries Act, ‘fish’ means any species or class of fish including crustaceans, echinoderms, and
molluscs, and includes an aquatic animal (except a species of bird) declared by the Minister by notice in the
Gazette to be a fish for the purposes of this Act.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
The EPBC Act also provides a framework for defining the use and management of
Commonwealth waters and the establishment of marine reserves. The Australian
Government recently implemented a management plan for the North marine bioregion and
declared five marine reserves in Commonwealth waters adjacent to the NT. A management
plan for the marine reserve network will be implemented shortly. It is important for the ARG
to continue to work with the Australian Government in pursuing a “sea use” planning
framework that not only delivers the objectives of the EPBC Act, but is consistent with
broader management frameworks and aspirations.
To provide for the Australian Government and the NT to jointly manage declared fisheries
and fisheries resources in waters adjacent to the NT, the NT Fisheries Joint Authority
(NTFJA) was established in February 1983 under Commonwealth legislation in accordance
with the NT Fisheries Act. The function of the NTFJA was revised with the passage of the
Offshore Constitutional Settlement (OCS) arrangements in 1995. Three separate fisheries
are managed under the NTFJA: the Offshore Net and Line, Demersal and Timor Reef
fisheries. Day-to-day management of these fisheries is undertaken by NT Fisheries.
Policy
Northern Territory Government policies
The NT Government has committed to a three-hub economy based on mining and energy;
tourism and international education; and food production and exports. The sustainable
development and growth of food and tourism industries is central to this commitment, as is
development that provides health and wellbeing, employment and economic improvement
opportunities for communities and people throughout the NT. NT Fisheries’ role in delivering
a three-hub economy straddles both tourism and food production. To be effective the ARG
must enable the sustainable development of all industries reliant on aquatic resources.
These include the commercial seafood, recreational fishing and fishing tourism sectors, but
equally important are those sectors reliant on a well-managed environmental resource such
as the cultural and eco-tourism industries.
The government is also committed to improving the health of and advancing development
opportunities for Aboriginal Territorians. In supporting this commitment the ARG must
prioritise the creation of fisheries development opportunities for Aboriginal communities as
well as increasing the incorporation of traditional knowledge and Aboriginal engagement in
the management of aquatic resources.
Fisheries compliance in the NT is the responsibility of the NT Department of Police, Fire and
Emergency Services (NTPFES). A Memorandum of Understanding between the Minister of
Police and the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries provides for a collaborative
approach to fisheries compliance. The Water Police Section (WPS) of the NTPFES works
closely with the ARG to deliver against this responsibility. The WPS conducts its own
strategic planning processes and its enforcement strategies are not within the scope of this
document.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Australian Government policy
The direction of aquatic resource management policy in Australia is set through the
Australian Fisheries Management Forum (AFMF) which comprises heads of Australian, state
and territory government agencies responsible for fisheries. AFMF discusses issues relating
to fisheries and formulates a strategic national agenda for fisheries management. The ARG
is mindful of national strategic policy decisions and participate in their development and
implementation.
Stakeholders
We pursue the best interests of the NT community through the provision of advice to
government underpinned by the objects of the Act. Our key external stakeholders include
Aboriginal communities; the commercial fishing industry; the recreational fishing, charter
fishing and tourism industries; the broader community and the conservation sector. We
engage with our stakeholders directly and seek input and advice from peak stakeholder
representatives including the various Aboriginal Land Councils, Marine Rangers, the
Northern Territory Seafood Council, the Northern Territory Guided Fishing Industry
Association, the Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the Northern Territory and the
Environment Centre.
Important Partnerships
The ARG comprises resource managers, scientists and technicians, a statistician and
support staff. As a small team focussed on applied outcomes, we rely on effective
partnerships to foster innovation and development, and to make the most of our local
expertise.
We partner closely with our stakeholders, local and regional research providers (such as
Charles Darwin University, the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences and the Australian
National University), other NT departments, the Water Police, the Australian Fisheries
Management Authority and Western Australian and Queensland fisheries management
agencies. Project-specific partnerships are an important feature of our research programs,
with an emphasis on stakeholder consultation in the planning phases and involvement in the
delivery phases of our research work.
We also participate actively in the development and uptake of national level fisheries
management and research policies and strategies, and contribute to inter-jurisdictional
management planning for fisheries with shared stocks.
Taken together, our partnerships merge significant capability across Northern Australia that
will improve our ability to attract science investment and deliver management outcomes.
Societal drivers for the Plan
Sustainable development
Shifts in societal attitudes, both globally and in Australia, are highlighting broad ecological
and social issues associated with natural resource use and development. The community
expects a sustainable, well managed resource sector that does not have undue impact on
the health and integrity of the local environment. There is also an increasing recognition that
cultural and social development outcomes are as important as economic return, along with
an increasing demand for the equitable distribution of wealth to be realised.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Allocation and access
Territorians have varied expectations regarding the use of our aquatic resources which
reflect diverse cultural, social and economic backgrounds and environmental opinions. A
clear understanding of these expectations is needed to inform how the optimal and equitable
use of our resources is defined.
For the successful development and growth of seafood, lifestyle and tourism industries in a
way that benefits all Territorians, allocation and access arrangements need to be determined
against a transparent and repeatable Resource Sharing Framework that clearly sets out
principles and objectives.
Social respect
Gaining respect from the broader community is dependent on how well the ARG addresses
community expectations regarding aquatic resource sustainability, allocation and access,
and communicates its advice. Society also expects that public funds are used appropriately
and that the return on investment made from the use of those funds is relevant and
meaningful.
Management standards ensuring rigorous business planning and the responsible use of our
resources are central to the work of the ARG. However, improvements are needed in how
information is shared with the community to foster understanding of the broader
sustainability issues and prudency of our advice.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Our Vision
Thriving and healthy aquatic resources benefiting all Territorians.
The NT has the opportunity, over the five year life of this plan, to realise our potential as a
seafood provider, a globally recognised sports fishing destination and a leader in Aboriginal
fishery development whilst preserving the integrity of our environment and the lifestyle that
the NT is known for. The quality and condition of our aquatic resources caters for
development and creates opportunities for proactive management that is contemporary and
innovative. To achieve this we need, as a priority, to make significant progress towards the
establishment of meaningful co-management frameworks that bring everybody to the table
to share ideas and foster real benefits for all Territorians from our aquatic resources.
Our Mission
To ensure the sustainability, optimal use, and equitable distribution of the NT’s
aquatic resources through collaborative, innovative and evidence-based
management.
Over the next five years the NT has the opportunity to establish its reputation as a
jurisdiction that innovates and shows leadership in fisheries management, research and
compliance. Through implementation of the Act, the ARG will strive to ensure the
sustainability, optimal use and equitable distribution of benefits from our aquatic resources.
In doing so we will:




Provide an innovative and stimulating environment for the development and
implementation of aquatic resource policy and management that is underpinned by
quality science.
Have partnerships in management, research and compliance as a central theme to
our business.
Focus on delivering balanced social and economic development outcomes.
Pride ourselves on service excellence.
Our Values
With an ambitious vision, a team culture based on explicitly communicated values is
important. Our values reflect the thinking of all members of the ARG and guide ‘how’ we do
business. They will not only influence work within our team, but will be built into staff
performance review processes, extend to our partnerships and will feature in the Terms of
Reference that guide our co-management frameworks.
Founded on a common belief in the importance of sustainability, we will conduct ourselves
according to the following values:




Professionalism and accountability
Innovation and lateral thinking
Diversity and equal opportunity
Leadership and teamwork.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Four key objectives
The Act requires sustainability, equity and optimisation in the management of the NT’s
aquatic resources. Our work priorities will first be determined by resource sustainability and
then by issues of resource development and sharing. Over the next five years, we will
achieve these legislative requirements by working towards the following four objectives:
1. Build our knowledge foundations to underpin progress with
appropriate evidence
Knowledge underpins our ability to manage the NT’s aquatic resources sustainably and is
essential to serving public and consumer expectations regarding their use. Our scientific and
technical knowledge foundations need to be built upon over the next five years. A forward
looking research plan to address critical knowledge gaps and direct business planning will
allow us to achieve this in a strategic manner.
2. Deliver ‘whole-of-community’ benefits from our decisions
Over the next five years a clearer vision is needed of how to equitably distribute benefits
from the NT’s aquatic resources. These benefits encompass food and health, jobs and
wealth, sport and recreation, and intrinsic aesthetic and knowledge benefits regarding the
integrity of our aquatic environments. Delivering long term benefits while giving full
consideration to the diversity of uses will involve protecting culture and (within sustainable
limits) creating job and business opportunities for Aboriginal communities, securing
commercial seafood supply chains, establishing a greater national presence as a seafood
producer, and realising the NT’s potential as a prestigious fishing tourism destination.
3. Establish co-management models as the core element of delivering
business
Fisheries co-management can be defined as an arrangement in which responsibilities and
obligations for sustainable fisheries management are negotiated, shared and delegated
between government, fishers, and other interest groups and stakeholders. It reflects the
need for change to a partnership approach based on joint responsibility for decision making
and implementation in fisheries management, with an ultimate outcome being the delegation
of functions to stakeholders.
To achieve this outcome, we need to set new management directions over the five year life
of this plan. We need to work towards a participatory and efficient co-management future
founded on formal engagement structures that include all relevant stakeholders. We also
need to build strong working partnerships which address issues regarding resource
allocation, research, management triggers, compliance and cost recovery.
4. Facilitate fisheries development
In contributing to the growth of a three-hub economy for the NT, the ARG needs to enable
economic growth through better use of our aquatic resources, assist development locally
and more broadly and maintain the environmental integrity of the resource The NT is ideally
positioned to influence and set directions for aquatic resource use and development within
its broader geographic context and to benefit from the growth of seafood and tourism
industries in Northern Australia over the next five years.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Six strategic lines of work
How we do our job will be underpinned by six key strategies. These strategies reflect the
process involved in resource management and are intended to focus attention on the
importance of each stage. They will define our approach to our work and will guide how we
go about accomplishing our objectives.
1. Build local and regional partnerships
Develop partnership approaches to improve the delivery of research and
management outcomes.
A priority is to substantially increase our involvement in collaborative work. Forming new and
strengthening existing partnerships will enable enhanced research, the establishment of
shared monitoring arrangements and will create meaningful co-management pathways.
Research partnerships will be particularly important for the diversification and mobilisation of
research delivery. Partnerships with Marine Rangers and recreational and commercial
fishers will be crucial to developing a substantial survey and monitoring taskforce.
2. Involve people
Involve Territorians in our work to foster stewardship as our primary and most
effective management tool.
It is important that we involve all user groups and stakeholders in our work. Increased
involvement of Aboriginal communities, recreational and commercial fishers and the broader
community in our work will lead to a greater understanding of the resources and the various
factors affecting sustainability. This increased knowledge leads to co-management
opportunities and greater stewardship for the protection of the resource which aids long-term
sustainability.
3. Expand our knowledge
Expand our knowledge strategically to improve evidence-based policy advice and
management decisions that set our future directions and growth.
It is important that we fill knowledge gaps to ensure that our aquatic resources and their
environment are managed sustainably. Our work will focus on gaining information to ensure
that new and existing fisheries are developed sustainably.
4. Employ evidence-based decision making
Ensure management decisions are based on sound scientific evidence.
This strategy has the assurance of sustainability of our aquatic resources at its core.
Through the provision of high quality and objective advice, the ARG will utilise evidencebased decision making in order to prevent sustainability issues emerging, and where issues
do arise will act quickly to prevent the development of major problems. Decisions will be
based on sound scientific evidence of stock status; a rigorous risk assessment process to
identify potential risks to sustainability at the population and ecosystem levels; and improved
reference limits that aim to keep harvest levels within sustainable levels.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
5. Improve our management and administrative frameworks
Be on the cutting edge of resource management by improving how we do our
business through innovative and strategic thinking.
To support developing fisheries and take advantage of the opportunities available in the NT
we need better management frameworks that streamline administrative processes, reduce
red tape, maintain a high quality of service and provide for the efficient delivery of
management outcomes. By moving to higher levels of ecosystem based fisheries
management, we can create harvest and access opportunities for all users.
6. Create opportunities
Work across all sectors to develop social and economic opportunities that take
advantage of the NT’s unique circumstances.
With a vision of ‘benefits for all’, we need to grasp opportunities in the areas of Aboriginal
fisheries, recreational fishing, developmental fisheries and commercial market access and
marketability. Considering the government’s commitment to a three-hub economy, these
opportunities fit well with the priority areas of commercial, tourism and Aboriginal
development advancements.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Actions and Outcomes
To direct progress towards our objectives, priority actions and associated major outcomes have been identified.
Objective
1: Build our
knowledge
foundations
(Supporting
strategies:
1, 2, and 3)
Priority Actions
Major Outcomes
Target
1. Conduct annual monitoring of fishing activities to
provide information to underpin stock assessments
2. Capture fisher and traditional knowledge about
stock status, seasonal changes and traditional
management techniques
3. Identify how fishing practises interact with and
impact on ecosystems
4. Investigate gear technology to mitigate Threatened,
Endangered and Protected species interactions
Targeted research
and monitoring
programs are in place
to underpin decisions
regarding
sustainability and
environmental
impacts.
Within 5 years, 50% of fisheries have an
environmental impact assessment, and fisher
and traditional knowledge incorporated into
status reports
Within 5 years, target species in 50% of
fisheries have contemporary stock
assessments in place
5. Develop contemporary framework for Ecological
Risk Assessments (ERAs)
Advancements in
ecosystem based
fisheries management
Within 5 years, risks identified under new
ERA framework for 50% of fisheries
Within 5 years, review of trigger points
completed for 50% of fisheries
6. Align fishery status reporting with national
framework
Improved Fishery
status reporting
Within 5 years, status of all target species
assessed under national reporting framework
7. Build on existing partnerships to maximise
efficiency of gaining knowledge
Successful
partnerships are in
place that extend our
capacity and fill
critical capability gaps
Within 5 years, at least 60% of new projects
that provide priority information to
management are developed via partnerships
8. Engagement in social research to develop an
understanding of community expectations regarding
the use of aquatic resources
Community
expectations are
understood and
inform management
processes
Within 3 years, information on community
expectations is available
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
2: Deliver wholeof-community
benefits
(Supporting
strategies:
1, 2, 5 and 6)
3: Establish
co-management
models
(Supporting
strategies:
1, 2, and 5)
1. Recognise the aspirations and interests of all user
and interest groups in management
2. Apply transparent decision-making processes
based on a Resource Sharing Framework that
includes appropriate ‘cost and benefit’ assessments
of all options.
Optimise utilisation of
NT aquatic resources
Within 5 years, community expectations are
incorporated into management frameworks
for 50% of fisheries
Within 5 years, formal resource allocation
arrangements in place for 30% of fisheries
3. Initiate community education projects on
sustainable fisheries management
4. Improve knowledge and capacity within
communities through involvement in monitoring,
research and compliance activities
5. Implement programs and activities that increase
participation and interest in recreational fishing
Increased community
stewardship and
engagement
Within 2 years, develop a youth leadership
program to engage community
representatives in fisheries management
Within 5 years, community surveys reflect
greater confidence in the management of our
aquatic resources and a better understanding
of contemporary issues
1. Develop contemporary legislation that enables
co-management that spans all stakeholders
2. Develop appropriate co-management models for
the NT
3. Apply co-management frameworks to managed
fisheries
Co-management
frameworks in place
for NT aquatic
resources
Within 2 years the NT Fisheries Act is
reviewed with contemporary legislation that
is enforceable and practical in place
Within 5 years, co-management is being
trialled in a coastal and an offshore fishery
Within 5 years, a pilot project has been
undertaken to develop an Aboriginal fisheries
management framework
1. Develop partnerships that optimise delivery of
fisheries compliance service
2. Utilise appropriate and contemporary technology to
support fisheries compliance
Optimised voluntary
compliance and
deterrence of unlawful
fishing activities.
Within 5 years, alternative fisheries
compliance models have been explored,
implemented and service level agreements
in place
Within 5 years, at least 50% of qualified
Aboriginal marine rangers have recognised
fisheries officer powers
Within 5 years, automatic electronic
monitoring of fishing activities implemented
in 50% of commercial and FTO fisheries
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
4: Facilitate
fisheries
development
(Supporting
strategies:
1, 2, 3, 5
and 6)
1. Build effective relationships to promote fishing
opportunities and to support development of and
investment in industry
2. Investigate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats to market development in all sectors of
the fishing industry
3. Develop properly zoned, managed and fully
allocated recreational and tourism fisheries,
including ‘wilderness’ fishing experiences
Growth of the fishing
sector in the NT and
across northern
Australia
Within 3 years, regular meetings are
occurring with tourism agencies and
investors to realise industry opportunities
Within 5 years a coordinated industry
support program is in place for enterprises
to develop fishing and access opportunities
Within 2 years, SWOT analysis completed
for all sectors
Within 5 years, three location specific
recreational and tourism fishery management
frameworks are in place
Within 5 years, local and visitor fisher
experience satisfaction surveys are in place
1. Apply transparent decision-making processes
based on collaboratively built harvest and allocation
frameworks
2. Streamline regulation processes and systems to
support fisheries development
Increased flexibility
and efficiencies to
expedite fisheries
development
Within 5 years, at least 60% of fisheries have
contemporary harvest strategies in place
Within 2 years, online client interface
implemented
Within 5 years, electronic logbooks
implemented for 10 fisheries
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018
Implementation and Evaluation
The ARG will implement this strategy by ensuring clear alignment with its business and
project plans. The strategy will also be clearly linked to broader divisional, departmental and
partner agency plans.
Performance Management Framework
Through identifying Priority Actions, Major Outcomes and Targets, the strategic plan sets in
place a performance management framework (PMF) against which to evaluate success. The
PMF will be built upon within business and projects plans which will specify relevant projects
and performance measures. However, ‘how’ we achieve our vision is just as important as
‘what’ is done. To this end, our values are important in guiding our work and will similarly be
incorporated in business and project plans as well as playing an important role in individual
staff performance reviews.
Client Service
We are a service provider whose performance impacts the businesses and activities of our
partners and stakeholders. We are required to conduct our business according to standards
which ensures confidentiality and privacy of business information while also adhering to
Freedom of Information legislation. A significant portion of evaluating our success therefore
depends on client feedback. To inform our evaluation process a simple, qualitative, annual
or biennial survey that involves our partners and the end users of our work is envisaged. In
order to make it as meaningful as possible, a baseline client survey will be conducted to
establish our starting point and to inform priority areas for improvement.
Reporting
Reporting progress towards the objectives of the ARG Strategic Plan will be undertaken
annually. Such reporting will highlight areas of achievement and, where necessary, will also
explore factors hindering progress. Additionally, our performance against the objectives will
be assessed via feedback from partners and stakeholders.
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DRAFT – Strategic Plan 2013-2018