Fisheries Cost Recovery Standing Committee

The Government is committed to a transparent cost recovery process whereby representatives of licence holders of the aquaculture and wild catch fisheries can critically review and advise on issues pertaining to cost recovery, including the identification and apportioning of recoverable fisheries management services (FMS) costs to the sectors and secondary sectors.

In order to facilitate this, a Fisheries Cost Recovery Standing Committee (FCRSC) has been established which operates under an agreed Terms of Reference between industry and Government. The Minister for Agriculture endorsed the current Terms of Reference in November 2007. The Terms of Reference includes the principles of cost recovery agreed with the industry.

Role of FCRSC

The FCRSC advises the Minister for Agriculture on matters pertaining to industry costs associated with the partial recovery of FMS delivered by Fisheries Victoria.

Issues raised at FCRSC meetings are conveyed to all industry licence holders through a FCRSC meeting summary prepared by an independent Chairperson.

The FCRSC meets at least four times annually to review fisheries management services (FMS) (management, compliance and research services provided by Fisheries Victoria) expenditure patterns and the associated impacts on industry sectors of annual FMS levies.

Membership of FCRSC

The FCRSC comprises the following members approved by the Minister:

• an independent Chairperson;
• four nominees of Seafood Industry Victoria;
• one nominee of Seafood Industry Victoria representing the aquaculture sector, until such time that a representative body of the aquaculture sector can be authorised to make this nomination;
• two representatives from Fisheries Victoria; and
• the Executive Director of SIV shall attend as a permanent observer.