Australia - Communications Services – Data Transformation and Electronic Monitoring Program

Description

AFMA is the Australian Government agency responsible for the efficient management and sustainable use of Commonwealth fish resources on behalf of the Australian community.  AFMA manages and monitors commercial Commonwealth fishing to ensure Australian fish stocks and our fishing industry are viable now and in the future. With offices in Canberra, Darwin, Thursday Island and Lakes Entrance, AFMA looks after commercial fisheries from three nautical miles out to the extent of the Australian Fishing Zone. The states and the Northern Territory look after recreational, commercial coastal and inland fishing and aquaculture.  AFMA provides fisheries management services to Joint Authorities of the Commonwealth and state governments, including the Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority.  Through foreign compliance functions, AFMA works with other Australian Government agencies and international counterparts to deter illegal fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone.
AFMA is implementing the Data Transformation and Electronic Monitoring Program (the Program), which combines two inter-related data programs: Data Transformation (DT) and Electronic Monitoring (EM). 
The DT project combines leading edge data integration and access, while the EM program will be expanded across Commonwealth fisheries to collect fine-scale at-sea fishing data. The objective of the DT project is to modernise the IT infrastructure and systems that underpin and support the collection and integration of AFMA’s fisheries data with greater self-service and 24/7 access for industry. Modernising the systems enables AFMA to combine fisheries data with data collected by other government agencies to streamline service delivery (e.g., Australian Maritime Safety Authority) and/or enhance the insights from the marine environment to support evidence-based decisions (e.g., the Bureau of Meteorology). Investing in electronic data collection and data integration will support near real-time decisions thereby enhancing the ability for vessel level decisions and greater self-regulation.  AFMA will also work with industry to consider integrating data collected across the supply chain to support traceability, provenance and/or accreditation requirements.  The DT project builds on the outcomes of the Agency Data Capture pilot project and the recommendations from the FRDC funded eFish project. 
Expanding the EM across Commonwealth fisheries enables the collection and use of fine-scale data for evidence-based decision making and risk assessment. Investing in EM allows industry to realise the benefits of this proven monitoring tool to validate critical data needs and provide independent monitoring of high-risk components of the fishery, for example interactions with protected species. Data collected through EM allows managers to assess performance on an individual vessel level and incentivises the adoption of best practices by individual fishers, for example, supporting innovative mitigation measures. Investing in artificial intelligence and machine learning will enable the program to continually improve through reduced review times over the long-term. 
The Program will drive improvements in the way AFMA delivers its legislative objectives; it will support evidence-based business decision making to maximise economic returns to the Australian community. The Program also aims to minimise government duplication and reduce regulatory burden while supporting the Commonwealth fishing industry to cost-effectively meet data provision requirements. Together the investment in the Program will help Australian fishing businesses retain a competitive advantage and provide the information businesses need to maintain market access, diversify into new markets, and seek price premiums for existing products. This investment will also position AFMA to align with whole of Government initiatives such as the Digital Economy Strategy and the Open Government Partnerships.   
 
AFMA is seeking a communications and change management specialist to support the delivery of this new Program.

Opportunity closing date

26 August 2022

Value of contract

to be confirmed