Hughes Public Relations, Adelaide

Projects

• SEA Gas
• The Marina Hindmarsh Island

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• Clean Seas Tuna Limited

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Community Engagement

• Red Nose Day for SIDS and Kids
• South Eastern Professional Fisherman’s Association

Issues Management

• Meals on Wheels SA
• Harris Scarfe
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• Harris Scarfe
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• Harbour Town
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Health

Events

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• BankSA

Business-to-Business

• BankSA Business Focus
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South Eastern Professional Fisherman’s Association
Marine Parks: What’s below the surface.

The situation. In early 2009, the South Australian Government – through the Department for Environment and Heritage – proposed a network of marine parks comprising 46% of the State’s coastal waters, including 70% of coastal waters in the South-East.

As one of the largest commercial fishing organisations in SA, the South Eastern Professional Fisherman’s Association (SEPFA) strongly opposed the Government’s plans and its proposed proclamation of outer boundaries for the marine parks network.

Staunchly committed to the management of the State’s aquatic resources through appropriate management measures that are demonstrably in the best interests of conservation and sustainability, SEPFA required the support of a professional PR company to develop a communications campaign to support its reasoned opposition to the Government and promote its alternative position.

Working with the commercial fishing industry, marine scientists and concerned recreational fishers, Hughes PR implemented a state-wide campaign – with a specific focus on the South-East of SA – emphasising the potential threats of the Government’s proposed marine parks legislation to the future viability of a sustainable fishing industry.

Objectives. Hughes Public Relations’ task was to plan and implement a program in support of SEPFA’s opposition to the proposed outer boundaries for marine parks in SA.

In particular, SEPFA commissioned the consultancy to achieve the following objectives:

• Support a community understanding of the proposed marine parks legislation which pressures changes to the current proposal in line with SEPFA’s position;
• Express the SA fishing industry’s concerns about the proposed marine parks to key Government stakeholders, local communities and the wider public;
• Utilise and promote credible third-party information which demonstrates the SA Government’s advertising campaign is misleading and its position on marine parks is unfounded and unreasonable;
• Emphasise the potential threats of the marine parks proposal to the future viability of a sustainable fishing industry;
• Engage local communities and the wider public to ensure successful outcomes; and
• Emphasise the fishing industry’s ongoing commitment to the conservation of the marine environment.

Elements. The consultancy developed an objective-focused communication strategy for SEPFA asking key target audiences and stakeholders to consider “What’s Below The Surface?” of the Government’s contentious marine parks proposal.

The communications strategy comprised the following elements:

• Identification of key target audiences and stakeholders, including State Government representatives, commercial fisheries, recreational fishers, the aquaculture industry and local communities;
• Development of agreed “key messages” and a calendar of PR activities and opportunities which underpinned the strategic direction of the campaign;
• Oversaw a state-wide advertising program and creation of promotional materials (including posters, pennants, stickers and badges) to directly address the State Government’s advertising campaign on marine parks;
• Development of news releases and media stunts and opportunities highlighting SEPFA’s position and supporting scientific research (including an extensive “Letters to the Editor” campaign and “Opinion” editorials in metropolitan and regional newspapers);
• Creation of a dedicated website www.whatsbelowthesurface.com.au which received immediate and widespread support from the wider commercial fishing industry and recreational fishers across SA.

Outcome. The “What’s Below The Surface?” campaign surpassed the expectations of the client with a number of key outcomes achieved.
Significantly, in response to the campaign the State Government agreed to negotiate new smaller marine park boundaries in line with SEPFA’s requests, giving particular assurance to the Association for waters in the South-East.

The Government subsequently set up a series of “working groups” giving commercial and recreational fishers equal representation alongside government representatives to discuss a more appropriate marine park system for the State.

Importantly, the campaign satisfied each objective including bringing together commercial fishers with key recreational fishing groups and achieving strong industry, community and local government support for SEPFA’s position.

Extensive media coverage was also generated in metropolitan and regional areas across press, radio and TV mediums.

In addition, the campaign received widespread online attention through the www.whatsbelowthesurface.com.au website. As well as maintaining a record of news and media coverage received during the course of the campaign, the website’s specially created “Supporter Group” attracted overwhelming support from business organisations and individuals across the State adding further weight to SEPFA’s influential community relations campaign.