Oral Presentation Australian Society for Fish Biology Conference 2025

Sea Change Australia: Empowering the seafood sector to navigate towards a climate resilient future (124701)

Julia Santana Garcon 1 2 , Jess Melbourne-Thomas 1 3 , Liam Fullbrook 1 2 , Rachel Kelly 1 2 , Frederic Bailleul 4 , Stephanie Brodie 1 3 , Arani Chandrapavan 5 , Katie Cresswell 1 2 , Aysha Fleming 1 3 , Maree Fudge 1 2 , Beth Fulton 1 3 , Klaas Hartmann 2 , Gary Jackson 5 , Olivia Johnson 1 2 , Gabi Mocatta 1 2 , Emily Ogier 1 2 , Scott Spillias 1 3 , Sean Tracey 1 2 , Ingrid van Putten 1 , Gretta Pecl 1 2
  1. Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
  2. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
  3. CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, TAS, Australia
  4. South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) (Aquatic Sciences), West Beach, South Australia, Australia
  5. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, North Beach, Western Australia, Australia

Climate change poses a growing threat to fisheries and aquaculture in Australia. How can climate and fisheries scientists and managers support the Australian seafood sector to thrive in a changing climate? Fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders across Australia need relevant climate information tailored to their changing needs. They also need ways to share how they are currently dealing with climate change and how they could improve their responses.

Stronger engagement between scientists and fisheries stakeholders is essential to ensure timely access to up-to-date information. The national project ‘Sea Change Australia’ brings together fishers, aquaculture producers, industry, researchers, and managers to identify priority climate information needs, understand how the sector is already adapting, explore drivers and barriers to further adaptation, and co-develop practical, localised solutions for climate resilience.

Sea Change Australia invites climate and fisheries experts across Australia to join their efforts to help address queries from the seafood sector, providing answers where possible, and identifying key knowledge gaps and research priorities, in efficient ways. In this presentation we will highlight how through collaboration, experts can strengthen their research profile and professional network, increase the reach and impact of their work, and contribute to reducing the uncertainty around climate change impacts and adaptation.