March 2020 Gear Innovation Pathway Call for Applications

Background

The fishing industry continues to face several issues which impact on its public image and reputation. Innovation will play a key role in the industry’s ability to address this myriad of issues and challenges. Fisheries Inshore New Zealand (FINZ), through a project with Seafood Innovations Ltd (SIL) have developed the Gear Innovations Pathway program, a program that facilitates a grass-roots approach to gear innovation in the inshore sector of New Zealand fisheries.

The primary objective of the Gear Innovation Pathway is to facilitate industry innovation that will reduce impacts, add value, and increase productivity in NZ fisheries. The Pathway will promote and support gear development that has benefits that may be seen at either a regional or national level.  It seeks to attract, enable and support innovation irrespective of its size, scope or stage of development.

What is the Gear Innovation Pathway?

Gear Innovation Pathway projects will provide the necessary support, guidance and financial support to enable grass roots innovation.  Applicants will not be required to provide any co-funding, as these projects will be 100% funded by SIL and FINZ.  Note that these projects will not take commercialised outcomes to market.  If these projects do develop commercially viable outcomes, applicants may then wish to approach SIL about applying for 50% funding for larger next stage projects.

Call for submissions

Interested fishers, operators and LFRs should provide submissions of the gear innovation ideas to the Gear Innovation Pathway. Please email your submissions to Brianna King, FINZ Fishery Manager, at brianna@inshore.co.nz by the 14th of March, 2020.

The submission application form can be found here.

Next steps

FINZ will evaluate submissions, based on the criteria outlined in the submission application and then select project(s) to forward on to the SIL Research Advisory committee (RAC). Applicants will be notified immediately after the RAC meetings with a decision on whether the application was successful and/or request for additional information or clarification.

We look forward to hearing your innovative ideas for commercial fishing gear in New Zealand fisheries.