News

Capturing seafood community’s response to the COVID-19 crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered huge changes, damage and opportunity as Tasmania’s fishing and aquaculture community adapted to the crisis.

The IMAS Human Dimensions Team is tracking these experiences and the events that triggered them, for research to support the recovery efforts.

IMAS project leader, Dr Emily Ogier, said IMAS is partnering with the state-wide Tasmania Project which is looking more broadly at the effects of this pandemic, the associated economic crisis, and the coping strategies of Tasmanian people and businesses.

“Some operators have hibernated, and others have diversified. We plan to track these experiences over time, to feed into the Premier's Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council and Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council’s recovery planning.”

“We’re also tracking the global, national and local events that have changed the operating environment for our fisheries and aquaculture industry,” Dr Ogier said.

“These events include Government stimulus and cost-easing measures. Matching this with the impacts will help us understand what helped or hindered crisis management and recovery.”

IMAS will also be supporting the research needs of the Seafood Industry State Response Group, established by the Tasmanian Government with the Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council (TSIC).

Download the COVID-19 economic shock and response timeline

Authorised by the Executive Director, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
28 October, 2022