Yesterday, Anna Whitton shared her experiences of being a graduate at the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and what she gained from the experience. Now we hear from Daniel Beard, another graduate who is also finishing up his rotation at AFMA, about his experience with AFMA the last four months.
Daniel Beard
What has been your favourite part about working at AFMA?
My favourite part about working at AFMA is the community feel the organisation has. Being a smaller agency the atmosphere encourages cooperation and sharing. I have had the pleasure of speaking with many teams and executive managers that have been highly encouraging and supportive. Managers are approachable and genuinely eager to offer both work and career advice.
Where have you been working at AFMA and what were the main things you have been working on?
I have been working in AFMA’s Foreign Compliance Policy team, helping to develop two Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support the implementation of the Niue Treaty Subsidiary Agreement (NTSA). The NTSA is a new treaty that makes it easier for Pacific Island countries, including Australia, to cooperate in fisheries surveillance and enforcement. The SOPs will help AFMA operate under the Treaty as they detail the inter-agency arrangements for meeting data sharing obligations, and Australia’s contribution to fisheries compliance operations.
I also organised a two-day workshop at AFMA for Indonesian fisheries managers that were participating in the Monash University short course on Sustainable Fisheries Management.
Finally, I worked with an external law firm to ensure that Australia’s fisheries regulations reflect any new requirements adopted by international fisheries management organisations.
Have you had any memorable experiences?
I attended a dinner hosted by an Indonesian delegation that visited AFMA in July. This was a great experience in networking and cooperation that I believe AFMA does well.
What have you gained from being a graduate and having a rotation at AFMA?
The rotation at AFMA has provided opportunities to engage with external agencies as well as understanding AFMA’s strategic direction, how fisheries policy and compliance work together and Australia’s international work in fisheries management and enforcement.
As I said earlier, being a smaller agency you get to interact with a wider range of stakeholders and staff which has been great for my professional development.
To find out more about AFMA go to afma.gov.au.