On 8 April, representatives of AFMA joined representatives of the National Archives of Australia (NAA) for the official handover of AFMA’s Records Authority and to mark the completion of three stages of Designing and Implementing a Record Keeping System (DIRKS).
The project started in 2005 and National Archives Director General, Ross Gibbs, made special mention of the fact that AFMA has taken only three years to complete the project. AFMA’s DIRKS process has been one of the quickest when compared to other departments and authorities.
With the first important steps of the DIRKS process complete the real work can begin, implementing the e-records or Electronic Documented Records Management System (EDRMS). AFMA has 70000 files to assess and archive, destroy or retain. There are eight steps in the DIRKS process.
AFMA’s General Manager, Governance, Geoff Richardson, said the project would allow AFMA to provide a better service to the commercial fishing industry.
"An improved, more efficient record keeping process will allow easier access to data and will allow us to gain a more accurate understanding of historical information.
"Having accurate historical information is an important part of developing productive fisheries management policies."
