SEA CHANGE AUSTRALIA
Building a National Map of Climate Adaptation Stories
Climate change isn't something waiting on the horizon for Australia's seafood sector.
It's already here.
Water temperatures are rising, species are moving, seasons are changing, and communities across the country are responding in creative and practical ways. The question isn't whether change is happening. It's whether we're learning from each other as we adapt.
Bringing Adaptation Knowledge Together
These changes are not being felt in isolation. Across the Great Southern Reef, people working in fisheries and aquaculture are testing ideas, adjusting practices, and responding in real time. What’s often missing is a simple way to share those experiences so others can learn from them.
That’s where Sea Change Australia comes in.
Sea Change Australia is a national platform bringing together fishers, aquaculture producers, industry members, managers, and researchers to share knowledge and co-develop climate-resilient options for Australia's fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
At its heart, the project recognises something essential: the people working on the water every day – whether they're commercial operators, aquaculture producers, or passionate recreational fishers – are already seeing changes and finding ways to respond. They're the ones with frontline observations, local knowledge, and innovative solutions that could help others facing similar challenges.
Sea Change Australia provides a space to capture these insights, share practical adaptation strategies, and build a collective understanding of what's working across different regions, fisheries, and contexts.
Learning From Real Examples
Information alone rarely drives change. What inspires action is seeing what's possible. Learning from real examples of people who've faced challenges and found ways forward.
That's why Sea Change Australia is building a national collection of climate adaptation stories from across the seafood sector. They're real accounts of practical actions, community-driven solutions, and the kind of on-the-ground innovation that's helping build resilience.
The stories already featured showcase the diversity of adaptation happening across Australia:
Aquaculture-winery collaborations that create win-win outcomes by using winery waste products in abalone farming
Post-harvest innovations that protect product quality despite warming waters
Seasonal adjustments in fishing practices responding to species movements
Community-led monitoring that tracks environmental changes and informs local decisions
learning form each other
One of the most powerful aspects of sharing adaptation stories is that they reveal the breadth of responses happening across different scales and contexts. A small-scale oyster grower on the NSW South Coast might find inspiration from an innovation in Tasmania. A recreational fishing community in Queensland might recognise patterns they're seeing reflected in observations from Western Australia.
These stories also foster optimism. While climate change presents real challenges, the adaptation stories demonstrate human ingenuity, collaboration, and resilience. They show that the sector isn't passive in the face of change –it's actively responding, adapting, and finding paths forward
your story matters
Here's where you come in.
If you're part of Australia's seafood sector - commercial fisher, aquaculture producer, seafood processor, charter operator, or recreational fisher – you likely have insights worth sharing. Maybe you've:
Adjusted when or where you fish in response to changing conditions
Modified gear or techniques to adapt to new circumstances
Collaborated with others in unexpected ways to solve a climate-related challenge
Observed environmental changes that have influenced your decisions
Tried something new (whether it worked or not) in response to shifting seasons or species distributions
Your experience could be exactly what someone else needs to see. Sea Change Australia is building a national story map of climate adaptation, and they need contributions from across the country to make it truly representative of the diverse ways Australians are responding to change.
more than just stories
Sea Change Australia also offers a range of resources for the seafood sector, including:
A climate adaptation toolbox with practical information
'Fishing for Climate Answers' – where you can submit questions about climate impacts and adaptation
Opportunities to share climate observations and connect with others facing similar challenges
The platform is designed to be a living resource, growing and evolving as more people contribute their knowledge and experience.
The future of Australia's seafood sector, from small-scale operators to large commercial operations – depends on our collective ability to adapt. Not just individually, but together, learning from each other's successes and challenges.
Your story is part of that collective knowledge. By sharing what you're seeing, what you've tried, and what you've learned, you're contributing to a national conversation about how we navigate change while maintaining the health, sustainability, and vibrancy of Australia's incredible seafood sector.
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