Business of Sustainable Seafood or BOSS Group provides services in:Technical focusSustainable seafood industry development policy, planning and strategyAquaculture and fisheries development and managementBiodiversity conservation and management strategyProfessional skillsFeasibility studies and financial and economic analysisSector performance studiesEconomic modellingStrategic business analysis and process re-engineeringMarketing, public relations and communicationsEnvironmental economics and the impacts of climate changeCapacity building, mentoring and trainingTraining courses and presentationsWorkshop design and facilitation

Carry out field research on recreational fishing industry in Western Australia through i) a telephone survey for 2010-11 season ii) charter boat owners and operators survey iii) commercial line fishers survey funded by Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and Dept of Fisheries WA.

Initiated, prepared and submitted with my respective Supervisors four proposals for project funding from Federal Research and Development Corporation (FRDC - 2 projects; $420,000 and $73,500), Aquaculture Council of Western Australia (ACWA - 1 project; $72,500) and Department of Fisheries WA (DoFWA 1 project; $15,000) - all of which were approved. Delays in funds being released severely impacted project progress. Carried out desk and field research on the impact of fisheries management changes (reduced bag limits, total allowable catch, days fishing) on the West/South west coast recreational fishing industry in Western Australia through i) a telephone survey of recreational fishers for 2009-10 season ii) an interview survey of West/South west coast charter boat owners and operators iii) and an interview survey and analysis of log book returns of commercial line fishers for Western Australian Marine Science Institute (WAMSI) Project Phase I. Presented the results at internal, national and international conferences. Organized and led a 15 paper special session on the economic analysis of recreational fisheries at the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade Conference in Montpellier, France, July 2010.Lecturer on microeconomics and macro economics courses and lecturer/course coordinator on business strategy for post graduate students; also gave lectures on postgraduate courses in natural resource economics, economics of fisheries and their management, and ran a course on understanding economics of fisheries for fisheries managers and operators in Western Australia.Presented 15 papers at international economics and fisheries industry conferences on a range of topics from economic modelling of western Australian lobster industry, to economic modelling of aquaculture and recreational fisheries. Best Paper citation at INFOFISH Tuna Bangkok 2010 for presentation on different aspects of economics of bluefin tuna aquaculture in Japan, Europe and Australia

Input into development of national, regional and district sustainable fisheries management policies, strategies and 2 annual work plans for implementation under the new Fisheries Law and Regulations (2004) and Coastal Management Act (2007);Reviewed/developed, provided training materials and training for implementation of a fisheries management and monitoring system for tropical reef fisheries in 7 COREMAP 2 districts;Developed guidelines and operational manuals for a tropical reef fisheries management and monitoring system and provided training for its implementation, including input into a strategy for sustainable i) reef fisheries ii) coral reef fish harvesting and management, including marine protected areas, in 7 COREMAP II districts;Produced policy and strategy advice and recommendations to senior management of MMAF, field consultants and NGOs in the area of fisheries management, fisheries development, alternative income generation opportunities for fishing communities;Assisted the Project Management & Budget Preparation Team in the allocation of funds for national, provincial and district level interventions required to implement the project on a twice annual basis.Member of the World Bank/FAO mid-term project report preparation and review evaluation team, provided technical backstopping to the WB/FAO team in Jakarta and on their missions in the field;Provided input into the design and preparation of the Coral Triangle Initiative (WB, ADB, GEF funded program in 6 countries, including Indonesia);Wrote, edited, translated, produced, advised on i) publicity & public awareness materials, and ii) range of project implementation training materials; Conducted range of specialist & general project management & fisheries management training courses for staff, local consultants, NGOs on the project.Total people on this project was over 500This complex multi-agency project rated by WB (June 2012) as "moderately satisfactory in all its key implementation areas"

Responsible for providing consulting services and technical expertise to National Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture (NDFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Timor Leste, in seven areas: i) Capacity building of 32 rising to 107 NDFA staff and key stakeholders (fishermen leaders, fish processors, village and sub district chiefs, NGOs) by providing training programs (both produced internally and contracted out); ii) Fisheries management and development planning to produce fisheries management plans for TL’s priority fisheries (tuna, reef fish, large marine park area) with international fisheries scientists & managers, licensing and MCS specialists (mainly Australia, Indonesia and Pacific Island based); iii) developing a legislative and regulatory framework for the fisheries sector with Legal Adviser; iv) developed 5 year (2007 – 2012) investment program to develop the fisheries and aquaculture sectors to be income generating; v) Project management, covering all aspects including financial reporting to HAI and AusAID, designing and managing work programs and outputs of advisers; vi) provided advice to the Minister and the Director of NDFA on all fisheries matters including a strategy for investment in Timor Leste fisheries and aquaculture sectors, covering skills development, job creation and revenue generation such as the potential economic value of the fisheries (coastal, oceanic) and aquaculture sectors, structure of licence fees for domestic and foreign fishing enterprises, and vii) represented the NDFA at national/international/regional meetings as NDFA adviser on fisheries and aquaculture.

Responsible for providing consulting services/technical expertise on natural resource development projects in Asia, particular focus Indonesia.Identify, plan, staff, implement natural resource management projects (agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, environmental management). Projects included ADB (USD 7 m) and AusAID (AUD 7 m) COREMAP I projects (both rated satisfactory, led to Phase II projects financed by ADB and WB – AusAID rated its project "one of its best environmental management projects" - and ADB (USD 1m) COREMAP Phase II Project Preparation resulting in net loan of USD 42.5 million with actual disbursement of 97%. As Project Manager, supervised staffing, work programs and outputs of projects and ensured delivery to a high standard and on time. Prepared and supervised technical and financial proposals, financial, administrative and technical reports. Assisted in design/development of benefit monitoring and evaluation system, including fisheries and reef monitoring, household income and expenditure surveys. Oversaw GIS/database & web design staff. Assisted design/implement national and international training activities, eg GIS/database training, integrated coastal zone planning and management, benefit monitoring and evaluation courses. Assisted with developing and managing community based management contracts. Oversaw all technical reporting, including information materials (technical and training manuals, PowerPoint presentations, conference papers, media items). Ensured quality and timeliness of all activities and reports. On preparation of ADB COREMAP Phase II project design, involved in financial and economic analysis of project interventions and some 47 alternative livelihood activities evaluated as financially and technically feasible. Contributed/edited Final Project Report. Published/presented papers on project at national/international fora (IIFET, Coastal Zone Management, World Aquaculture). Other projects included working with CSIRO Australia.

Worked as Economist/Financial Analyst on BBV's team on a $580 million loan preparatoin project comprising 2 large city water supply/hydroelectric/irrigation schemes in Heilongjang Province (Harbin 4 million people; and Mudanjiang 1 million people), China.

Advisor to several small and medium sized businesses on a wide range of change management assignments advising on technical and financial business plans, marketing plans, supply chain management, company staffing, organization and management, project management, project finance, information systems and business/customer relations. Companies worked for included: Doc Martins (reducing stock held and improving order to delivery times through rationalizing supply chain management), McDonald’s (improving customer service and waiting times within outlets), Newell Palmer, UK largest Regional Financial Adviser (advised on expanding marketing channels from only direct sales, to include mail-outs, telephone sales, website development, and internet, newspaper, radio, TV advertising). Preparing business and bank finance proposals for large shipping and courier companies in Indonesia to expand their businesses. Designed import business to supply live fish to the top 10 Japanese sashimi and sushi restaurants in central London, UK. Worked directly for several companies in UK and Indonesia on proposal preparation, bids, and as technical specialist on i) improving environmental management (solid wast disposal, reducing water, land, air pollution) in greater Jakarta area (World Bank), on ii) improving international trade conditions, reducing tariffs for seafood industry in Indonesia (World Bank), and on iii) improving fishing ports and other infrastructure to improve the operating environment of fishing companies in West Africa (World Bank).

This project was part of a series of long-term studies (with a 1-3, 5, 10 and 25 year horizons to 2020) conducted as part of the central government's long-term plan for Ministry of Environment/National Planning Agency. Conducted environmental-cum-economic (ECE) analysis of current and projected (25 years) levels of fisheries and coastal resource use/degradation with and without intervention; identified some of the investment options involving both national (2) and local (40) programs and plans addressing a wide range of requirements (eg river pollution in Greater Jakarta, Brantas River, Surabaya, designing Marine Protected Areas for coral reef conservation in Jakarta Bay and Lombok). Assisted in developing detailed 5 year investment programs, including their financial and economic analysis, in 8 high priority watershed areas covering 7% (ie 6,500 km) of Indonesia’s coastline.

Reviewed fish stocking and harvesting data, landings, income & expenditure of lake fishing teams for 22 oxbow lakes for previous 3 year period, modelling the data using single and multiple linear regression to determine the bio-economic production potential and carrying capacity of each lake. Based on physical/biological/ management features of each lake, devised general fisheries management policy guidelines and, after consultation with lake fishing teams, developed lake-by-lake annual fish stocking and harvesting plans to optimize investment, income and employment and developed a generalized stocking, catch (nos, weight, value) and effort (no of fishermen/lake fishing team, days/hours fishing) physical and financial model of the system which could be applied to each lake.

Led 4 man team of Bangladeshi specialists to investigate options for annual flood plains stocking and harvesting of fish with 6 species of carp fingerlings, comparing the impact of stocking levels, growth and survival rates and the scale of incremental costs and benefits generated nationally and to individual gear owners, fishermen, fish sellers, households. Developed a sustainable cost recovery policy for the long term stocking and management of this multi-million dollar fishery which was later adopted by the Government of Bangladesh.

Led 6 man team of international consultants to identify, on a pilot/trials basis, improvements in the Java Sea small pelagic purse seine fishery. Responsible for comprehensive bio-techno-economic studies of fishing vessel characteristics, operations and improvements in catching, storing and processing the catch, including detailed trip-by-trip analysis of representative sample (22 vessels) of different vessel types operating over a two year period (covered areas fished, catches, income, catch, income per unit effort, costs, profitability - payback period, ROI, DCF); determined the bio-economic and technical sustainability of this fishery and the scale of benefits (value added) to main participatory groups (vessel owners, fishermen, processors, fish retailers, protein supply to consumers). Designed and coordinated a socio-economic survey of inputs, beneficiaries of outputs and determined value added along the supply chain (from fisherman to final consumer). Made recommendations on improvements for the sustainable operation and management of the fishery including improved and restricting number of vessels licensed to fish. Led team’s contribution in 2 major national seminars presenting results of team studies (One Proceedings published). A number of technical reports produced. Published major study “Java Sea small pelagic fishery: tragedy of the commons?”, Marine Policy, July 1991.

Responsible for identifying tuna fishing and aquaculture projects in eastern Indonesia for improving livelihoods and developing deprived areas through project loan financing. Identified sustainable fisheries projects and formulated project implementation plans. Calculated (tuna, shrimp, seaweed, giant clam, pearls, etc) biological, economic and financial rates of return and cost benefit ratios for project participants and the projects overall and determined the available sources of financing for different project components. Projects identified included (among others) (i) upgrading 32,500 ha of ponds to semi-intensive shrimp culture; and (ii) expanding 18 ports, including 6 tuna ports, based upon an assessment of the fish resources available/underutilized in eastern Indonesia at that time. Published major study “Skipjack pole and line operations in eastern Indonesia: a comparative analysis of catch performance”, Marine Policy, 451-462, 1992, with J.C.B. Uktolseja.

Responsible for providing advice and technical assistance to private companies and government agencies of 14 Pacific Island Member Countries on technical/financial/economic and development matters concerning marine resources and fishing industries, including harvesting and resource management issues, post harvest processing, storage and marketing of all major marine products produced in the South Pacific (tuna, reef fish, small pelagics, pearls, seaweed, mother of pearl shell, etc). Produced a quarterly fish market report of opportunities, main product export prices, etc, for the FFA countries. Wrote resource management, tariff, and trade policy papers on improving trade in fisheries products and developing local and export market opportunities for FFA countries in general, for specific trade blocks (Africa/Pacific/Caribbean countries) and individual countries.

Responsible for preparation of 86 feasibility studies for national fishing ports (6 large, 10 medium), and fish landing centres (70), including Pekalongan, the largest fishing port in SE Asia (250,000 t/yr). Particularly responsible for all fisheries resource assessments, social, economic and financial evaluations (ie all non-engineering) components of proposed investments, and for transfer of skills in these tasks to counterpart staff. Reviewed resource assessments of fish stocks throughout Indonesia. Developed and led, with lecturing staff of University of Indonesia, 3 month training course on fisheries assessment and management, fishing port development and management for DGF infrastructure staff. Published major study “Indonesia’s tuna fisheries: past, present and future prospects”, Marine Policy, 1989 13(4) pp 285-308.

Responsible for developing, managing and implementing commercial contracts in water operations. Helped setup and run a WRc consultancy service to UK and overseas water companies (Europe, Middle East, Asia) of state-of-the-art services/software in water distribution operations, including real-time monitoring and management systems. Improved management of major city water distribution systems (Plymouth, London, Bahrain, Oman, Seoul, Singapore) and saved millions of dollars in unneeded investments. WRc consultancy income rose from £52,000 to over £4 million by year 3. Worked on the privatization of the UK water industry including on the design and operational aspects of managing and monitoring 27 technical and economic performance measures for the purpose of assessing value for money monitoring of the privatized water companies – the basis for increase in charges to customers. Published six papers in water industry journals. Gave training workshops for water engineers from SE Asia/Pacific for WHO (in Singapore).

Part of an 11 person expedition to Anegada for 10 weeks. Carried out baseline reef fish studies (species identification, relative abundance) of Anegada Island and contributed to fish and fisheries section of Cambridge Anegada Expedition Report on their current status and made recommendations for commercial fishing & tourism development (including dive and sport fishing) which would minimize the impact of commercial and recreational fishing on the island’s rich coral reef, sea grass bed and mangrove fish resources.

Taught fisheries management, fisheries economics, natural resource economics, oceanography, quantitative methods and statistics. Developed my own research programme and had responsibility for managing six fisheries research projects covering management of marine fisheries, aquaculture development & sport fishing. Published 14 papers on improving the management and economic performance of major marine fisheries.

Established the Fisheries Division within Department of Agriculture in September 1972. Responsible for fisheries research and industry development. Hired and trained staff. Took part in Taiyo surveys of fisheries potential in late 1972. Initiated ongoing fishing surveys on the new Japanese-Solomon Islands commercial tuna fishing and canning JV, Solomon Taiyo, which commenced operations in 1973 and on commercial and indigenous small-scale fleets. Established catch and effort reporting system for tuna and reef fisheries to assess and monitor the size and sustainability of national stocks. Joint venture tuna fishery developed into the most successful in the Pacific accounting for about 50% of foreign exchange earnings and the employment of over 5,000 people on board fishing vessels, in canneries and other fish processing factories. Produced the first 5-year Fisheries Development Plan for the Solomon Islands Government. Produced first comprehensive report of marine turtle species and main nesting beaches/sites throughout Solomon Islands, and included northern part of Vanuatu based on a two week field visit there in 1974. Surveyed beche-de-mer stocks in Ontong Java lagoon, 2nd largest lagoon in the Pacific, and in the main island chain. Identified valuable species for fishermen. Initiated the twice weekly supply of fresh fish from northwest Malaita with multiple stops along 80 mile new road with final delivery to administrative centre at Auki. Did the same on Guadalcanal, with fish supplied from west Guadalcanal to Honiara. Carried out experimental capture and culture of marine turtles, freshwater shrimp, siganids. Managed a SPC project on live storage and transport of tropical Panulirus spp lobster from Western Province to Honiara by boat. Took 3 month consultancy with South Pacific Commission on beche-de-mer stock assessment and training of fishermen in processing and storage in Kiribati lagoons.

Conducted research on the diet and feed formulation for growth and cultivation of juvenile turbot under Leon Birkett.