About our Research and Theme
Business Plans

Our research currently sits within three research programs. These are:

Program 1A (Production Innovation)and 1B (Value Chain Technologies & Processing)- Value Chain Profitability

Outcome: Increased profitability and industry value through production innovation and efficient delivery of Australian seafood to the consumer.

Quantity and value of this outcome: This program aims to generate an increase in Australian seafood company profits by about $240 million annually through a combination of anticipated savings in input costs and improved management practices. Additional profits will be generated in new and developing sectors (e.g. Sea Cucumber fishery, inland saline aquaculture, Yellowtail Kingfish and oyster breeding and management).

By year ten (2017), directly and indirectly the seafood industry sectors investing in this program will add significantly to the gross domestic production and will generate a significant number of jobs - many being in rural and regional areas.

Program 2 - Product Quality and Integrity

Outcome: Increased access to premium markets through fulfilment of consumer demands for safe, high-quality, nutritious Australian seafood.

Quantity and value of this outcome: This program will generate additional profit margins through improved market access (Rocklobster, Southern Bluefin Tuna, prawns) and reduced spoilage and loss (processed marine finfish).

By year ten (2017), directly and indirectly the seafood industry sectors investing in this program will add significantly to the gross domestic production and generate jobs - many in rural and regional areas.

Program 3 - Health Benefits of Seafood

[Note: This program does not include funding from the Australian Government's CRC Program. The Seafood CRC will fund it by levering investment from other sources, including human health researchers and end-users of health information.]

Outcome: Increased demand resulting from consumers' improved recognition of the health benefits of Australian seafood.

Quantity and value of this outcome: This program will generate an increase in business profitability through higher sales to premium price markets and improved prices in domestic markets flowing from consumers' greater appreciation of seafood's health benefits.

Directly and indirectly the seafood industry sectors investing in this program will add significantly to the gross domestic production and will generate many jobs - many also rural and regional areas.

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Research Theme Business Plans

The Cooperative Research Centre Program descriptions broadly outline the outcomes we are seeking to achieve.

The Strategic Plans prepared by many industry sectors provide us with strong direction and we are building our research projects that will deliver the outputs and outcomes. We also build in every opportunity for industry sectors and research providers to cooperate to enable better outcomes to be delivered sooner.

To assist this planning process, the Cooperative Research Centre takes a "Research Theme" approach. A research theme describes a collection of project activities with a common underlying technical basis aimed at achieving outcomes for one or more industry sectors.

Each theme will have its own theme business plan that describes the desired industry outcome, the strategies to achieve it, the outputs (or objectives) for each strategy, costs, key “go-no go” points, agreed methods of measuring progress and evaluation.

Within each theme there will be technical, communication and educational project activities, each with their own outputs that contribute to the outcome.



Functions of Theme Business Plans:

• They are the documents that we use to consult with industry to ensure the company’s research and development directions are correct

• They identify synergies between industries and research providers that can lead to collaboration

• They set the outcomes for which our Program Leaders agree to be accountable

• They are the documents by which the Board can endorse significant expenditure

• They are documents that can be used to inform research and development providers about the nature of research and development required by the Seafood Cooperative Research Centre

• They describe agreement between the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and the Seafood Seafood Cooperative Research Centre on areas of activity for which we will be responsible

Nine Theme Business Plans Under Development:

1. Breeding for Profit - Genetics (Atlantic Salmon, oysters, abalone, Sea Cucumbers, Yellowtail Kingfish, Barramundi, farmed prawns) - Dr Graham Mair (Program 1A).

2. FinFish - Aquaculture production innovation (nutrition, larval rearing including temperate marine finfish aquaculture network). - Dr Graham Mair and Dr Geoff Allan (Program 1A).

3. Future Harvest - Wild harvest production innovation - Dr Patrick Hone and Dr Caleb Gardener (Program 1A).

4. SellFish - Consumption drivers and barriers (consumer needs, market research) - Dr Len Stephens (Program 1B).

5. SmartProcessing - Processing (new product and process development, freshness, shelf-life, packaging, waste utilisation, processing techniques) - Dr John Carragher (Program 1B).

6. OzSeaChain - Supply Chain Management Technologies (traceability, product authentication, rapid diagnostics, predictive microbiology and quality index manuals) - Ms Jayne Gallagher (Program 2).

7. TradeFish - Technical Market Access (risk assessment for specific chemicals and product integrity) - Ms Jayne Gallagher (Program 2).

8. Creating the Knowledge - Higher Education (PhDs, Post Doctoral Research Scientists and post graduates) - Professor Chris Carter (Program 4).

9. Implementing the Knowledge - Industry Participants' Skills Development - Mr Roy Palmer (Program 4).