Exmouth Gulf, along with the Shark Bay fishery, are the first Australian prawn fisheries to be certified to the MSC’s rigorous Version 2.01 standard (introduced in 2018).
Only four tropical prawn fisheries worldwide are now certified under Version 2.01. The MG Kailis Group has been fishing for prawns in Exmouth Gulf since 1963, and it remains owned by the family.
The Group continues to demonstrate its long-held commitment to improving the environmental performance of the fishery. In the last five years this has included co-funding, with the State, of an environmental survey across Exmouth Gulf.
127 separate sites were surveyed, building on earlier research to gain an understanding of habitat types and their distribution across the Gulf.
‘There are many challenges in maintaining the enviable environmental status of Exmouth Gulf. With major new developments being proposed for Exmouth Gulf, it is more important than ever that the prawn fishery demonstrate its own environmental performance,’ said Dr George Kailis, chair of the MG Kailis Group.
‘Good science enables good management that in turn protects the Gulf’s environment.’
He acknowledged that re-certification has only been made possible through the commitment of staff, skippers and crew and through the work of researchers and managers employed by the State Government.
The MG Kailis Group also acknowledged the support by the State Government for environmental certification, especially welcome in this Covid-19 affected year.
