Australian consumers are being challenged to leave behind their preconceived notions on commercial wild catch fishing, as a new suite of videos by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) showcases commercial fishing from a personal perspective.
The Take a deep dive: Commercial wild catch fishing online video series profiles Western Australian, Queensland and South Australian commercial wild catch fishers as they discuss the lifestyle and attraction of commercial fishing as a career.
The theme of the 17-video series includes the diverse employment opportunities within the sector, their continuous improvement and adoption of sustainability practices and equipment, and the crucial role commercial wild catch fishing plays in providing economic value and fresh seafood to local communities.
According to FRDC General Manager Stakeholder Engagement Kylie Dunstan, commercial wild catch fishing plays an important role in providing fresh, local, nutritious seafood and employment opportunities throughout regional and remote Australia. The industry contributes around $3.2 billion annually to the national economy while supporting more than 6300 businesses that employ over 17,000 people.
The campaign features stories of new employment opportunities such as Bryn Westerberg from Albany Seafoods commenting on the next fishing innovations, and Stewart Kempton, a young fisherman based in Western Australia, who fell in love with working on the ocean after just two weeks of working on a charter boat during a holiday in Exmouth.
He now works for Tonkin Fisheries as a commercial shark fisherman, with his favourite part of the job centering around his love for supplying fresh, local seafood to the community. He hopes to start his own business and become a skipper.
