Public Call for Research Proposals for potential AFMA funding in 2021-22

As part of its 2021 research funding round, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is making its annual public call for applications to address research priorities identified for potential AFMA funding in 2021-22.

The AFMA Research Committee (ARC) met on 26 August 2020 to consider fishery-specific research priorities identified by individual fisheries Resource Assessment Groups (RAGs) and Management Advisory Committees (MACs) for AFMA’s call for applications. A single process replaced the two staged assessment process three years ago, whereby only full proposals will be considered in the ARC recommending the final research budget at its early February 2021 meeting.  The revised process ensures final endorsement of AFMA’s research budget for 2021-22 occurs within AFMA’s budget timeframe.

Applicants should use the fishery-specific project scopes provided as a guide when developing their full proposals to meet the identified need for the project.

To assist in the quality control and to ensure that the proposal is relevant to identified research priorities, applicants are invited to discuss their applications with the relevant Fisheries Manager and / or the AFMA Research Section and prior to submitting a proposal.

The AFMA Research Section can be contacted on 02 6225 5432 or by emailing Research.Secretary@afma.gov.au.

Please note that AFMA is seeking submission of full research proposals by Friday, 30 October 2020. This is earlier than in the past to allow sufficient time for AFMA to consult relevant RAGs/MACs and the Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA) on proposals prior to the AFMA Research Committee’s assessment and recommendation on the final 2021-22 research budget at its early February 2021 meeting.

Applicants will be notified in late February 2021, whether their proposals have been selected.

Key information for applicants when completing and submitting full proposals

When completing and submitting proposals, applicants should:

• use the project scopes outlined below as a guide when developing their full proposals to meet the identified need for the project
• use the ARC application form to prepare their proposals
• include in their proposals:
  • the projected costs and expected funding source, as well as alternatives; and
  • the proposed contractor’s full legal identity/description, including each corporation’s full description and Australian Company Number or the full names of all partners/joint venturers. A trading name and/or Australian Business Number should also be notified, but only if registered to the parties described.
• email their completed full proposal to the Research Section at Research.Secretary@afma.gov.au by Friday, 30 October 2020.  

Find research project scopes on the AFMA research priorities 2021-22 page.