Partnerships

A strategic partnership could be the key to the success of your project. The benefits of working in collaboration with other recreational fishers, neighbouring land holders, local landcare or river care groups, and/or government agencies include:

  • sharing the work load
  • sharing of skills and knowledge
  • accessing different networks and areas
  • contributing additional funds and resources
  • potential access to diverse funding sources.

Successful, long-term partnerships are founded on:

  • shared goals which are aligned but not necessarily the same
  • acceptance of a partner’s contribution and level of involvement
  • regular and effective communication

  • celebration of achievements.

Planning

Good project planning is essential. Planning allows you to refine your thinking and clearly identify what actually needs to be done and what resources are required to do it. Planning enables you (and your project partners) to implement your project efficiently and effectively.

A project plan can be broken down into simple steps or tasks:

1.   Define what you plan to achieve, i.e. the purpose of your project

  • Why the project needs to happen
  • What outcomes the project will provide – ask yourself, what will success look like?

   2.   Decide how you will achieve your desired outcomes

  • Ask: Who? What? When? Where? How? and Why?
  • Identify available resources and explore options

  3.   Draw up a simple plan and organise your ideas

  • Review your ideas and expand upon them if required
  • Identify if any parts of the project carry risks and what you will put in place to overcome these. For example, some on-ground works can be affected by weather so include a contingency for this

  4.   Identify what needs to be done first to get your project started

  • Draw up a list of immediate actions e.g. funding and permit applications
  • Set yourself some deadlines, one for the project as a whole and short-term milestones for individual tasks or project stages.

   5.  Think about how you will demonstrate your progress and the outcomes of the project.

  • What needs to be measured before you get started so that you track how things change as a result of the project? Look for simple, easily repeated options, like setting up a photopoint or measuring water quality.
  • What information will you need to be sure you’re making progress and/or meeting your milestones? Even simple things like counting the number of people who come to a workshop or a carp muster can be useful – and easy to do at the time.

 

Funds and Resources

A variety of funding opportunities are available for projects to enhance fish habitat.  The funding program may not directly advertise itself as one which can be used to improve fish habitat such as the Fish Habitat Action Grants (more detail below), so it is important to keep an eye out for funding opportunities which are related to what you hope to achieve. Access to FHN and Newstreams will ensure the most up to date information on available funding.

Funding opportunities are often available through:

  • Australian Government agencies e.g. Murray Darling Basin Authority, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
  • State Government e.g. Environmental Trust, Catchment Management Authorities
  • Local Government
  • Non-Government Organisations e.g, Threatened Species Network, Wetlandcare Australia etc
  • NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts – Habitat Action Grants funded by the recreational fishing licence fee managed by Industry and Investment NSW, Fisheries

Local funding opportunities may also become available through the corporate sector as companies seek to support local communities.

Assistance is often available to help you complete application forms.  Fisheries Conservation Managers, local Council environment officers and Landcare Community Support Officers are good points of contact.

 

Implementation

As mentioned before, planning is essential, but don’t get ‘bogged down’ in the paperwork - get your project underway quickly so you can feel like you are getting somewhere and starting to achieve something.  Maybe plan for some simple tasks first Seeing a project implemented successfully will also encourage others to contribute.

Review your plan regularly and ensure you are still achieving your objectives and are on line to meet your deadlines.  If you are straying off track, don’t panic! Review the tasks ahead and adjust accordingly.  Communicate regularly with your partners to ensure everyone knows where the project is up to.

Provide notice to the funding body, in advance, if you think you will not achieve a milestone or the project will run past its original deadline.  Funding bodies will often understand the pressures involved with undertaking on-ground works, especially around rivers, creeks and wetlands.

 

Promotion

You’ve done a fantastic job but now what? Who knows about it?

Promoting your successful project to the wider community will provide an opportunity for wider recognition of what you have achieved. Many outcomes for fish habitat have knock-on benefits for the wider community such as water quality improvements and improved tourism. Other users of these natural resources such as swimmers, kayakers, boat users, local councils, commercial fishers and oyster farmers will also benefit from your project. Communicate your success through:

  • a project media release
  • articles in your local papers and popular fishing magazines
  • on-line web forums
  • fishing related newsletters and radio programs
  • a field day at your project site that could involve a local celebrity or a fishing event.

Letting others know what you have achieved may help establish future partnerships and encourage others to implement their own projects.

Most importantly enjoy the fruits of your labours – get out and wet a line in your newly improved habitat!