A new open access study in Sustainability Science, led by Dr Roshni Subramaniam with co-authors from CSIRO, the University of Tasmania, Griffith University and the University of Western Australia, surveyed 102 people working across Australia’s rock lobster, oyster and farmed barramundi industries.

Despite COVID-19, market closures, floods and disease outbreaks, most saw their supply chains as both resilient and sustainable. Many put this down to experience: having weathered past shocks, they had learned how to keep operating. Strong fisheries management, steady demand and sustainable production practices were also widely credited.

Respondents still named real pressures, including market access, rising costs, labour shortages, freight and a changing environment. The authors link these risks to practical opportunities, with better information sharing and collaboration across the supply chain emerging as the foundation for future resilience.

Warming waters, marine heatwaves and shifting species are already changing how and where seafood is produced. This study highlights the importance of information sharing and collarborations. It also shows that the people best placed to adapt are those who share what they see and learn from each other. Every observation from fishers and growers helps build the knowledge the whole industry needs to stay ahead of change.

Read the full paper: doi.org/10.1007/s11625-026-01911-y