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FISHERMAN OF THE YEAR sponsored by Austral Fisheries and Lobster Australia.
GARY PARKER
Nominated by his peers in the Dongara Professional Fishermen’s Association. He’s been president of the Dongara PFA for 15 years, a long time member of the WAFIC Rock Lobster sub committee, an inaugural director of the Western Rock Lobster Council and a member of the Port Denison Management Advisory Committee.
Gary has been the driving force behind the construction of the new boat ramp and mooring pens in Dongara Industry funded the two developments to the tune of $2.5 million dollars and the new facilities will greatly increase the efficiency and safety of rock lobster fishers in the area and Gary is the man who motivated the money and supervised the construction.
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Pearl Producers Association
MG KAILIS (TUNA) PTY LTD
The MG Kailis Group established its Southern Bluefin tuna farming business in Port Lincoln in 1996 share. Production innovations in cage and net design, anchoring systems, harvesting practices and improved feed have not only increased both the quality and quantity of their product but also reduced environmental impacts.
In terms of marketing they established a new strategic alliance with major Japanese tuna buyers, which has proved so successful that other operators have now followed their lead. The success in such a short period has enabled increased investment, which now sees the company as the fourth largest operator. The judges congratulate MGK Tuna on a remarkably successful entry into a sophisticated and complex industry.
CONTACT: MG Kailis Group, Alex Kailis 9239 9239
SEAFOOD QUALITY AWARD sponsored by WA Department of Fisheries
CATALANO SEAFOODS
For the second time Catalanos is a proud winner of the Seafood Quality Award and is also the winner of the 2000 National Seafood Industry Seafood Quality Award.
The judges said: Catalanos has demonstrated a level of utilization of their quality system that has positively impacted on staff moral, profitability, penetration of new markets and the attraction of both suppliers and clients with similar quality values. They urge others in the seafood industry to follow their lead and aggressively use their quality systems.
CONTACT: Catalano Seafoods, Nick Catalano 9379 3044
ENVIRONMENT AWARD sponsored by Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative Ltd
PEARL PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION
The Pearling Industry has taken a pro-active stance in terms of promoting Ecologically Sustainable Development. It has commissioned a risk assessment study, and based on this is developing a code of practice, implanting a research monitoring program and establishing industry guidelines for the implantation of environmental management systems.
The judges commend the pearling industry for their pro-activity and professionalism in dealing with, and responding to, the increased public scrutiny and concern over the impact of commercial operations on the marine environment.
CONTACT: Pearl Producers Association, Brett McCallum 9244 2933
INNOVATION AWARD sponsored by MG Kailis Group
MG KAILIS PTY LTD (The MG Kailis Group was not a judge in this category)
The judges who awarded the prize did so unanimously for the companies’ outstanding innovation in creating a “halved and cleaned” rock lobster.
MG Kailis Pty Ltd set out to produce a highly useable frozen lobster product distinguishably superior in quality, flexible in use with increased shelf-life and attractive to both small and larger users. After months of trials, which involved the end users in the product, the development of a patented automated splitting system, a new washing production line, innovations in freezing, packaging and portion control and pioneering new distribution channels the Seasnap “halved and cleaned” lobster was created It has significantly increased the product value, created broader usage and consumption of frozen lobster.
CONTACT: MG Kailis Pty Ltd, Alex Kailis 9239 9239
MAJOR INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTOR sponsored by Kailis Bros
KEN G PALMER
Ken Palmer is a man who is respected within a very competitive industry. As a young man he entered the industry in its early days as a Commerce Graduate, and went on to become a graduate of Harvard University. He worked for some of today’s leading seafood companies and then established K G Palmer and Associates, an international marketing consultancy specializing in the promotion and export of Australian products to international markets.
It was Ken’s vision that launched the western rock lobster into Taiwan; he took WA Scallops to South East and Northern Asia and our prawns to South Africa. Along the way he gave his time to the Western Rock Lobster Development Association, the Rock Lobster Industry Advisory Committee, The Australian Prawn Promotion Association and WAFIC. The commercial fishing industry is a hard school…it’s a rare man that is universally acknowledged, as a major contributor Ken G Palmer is one of those men.
PROMOTION sponsored by BankWest
The judges congratulate Peter Jecks from Abacus Fisheries for his imaginative, enthusiastic and aggressive promotion of Shark Bay’s Blue Swimmer Crab.
Traditionally seen as a humble by- product of the trawl fishery. Abacus motivated fishermen to improve the quality of the landed product, packaged and marketed the frozen result as “ready to eat” cooked and “ready to use” uncooked in the shell.
They have involved their customers in product development, capitalized on the clean green image of Shark Bay, participated in overseas Expos, and invested in technology, to deliver the new value added blue swimmer crab.
Abacus has seen the return of crab grow from 180 tonnes generating $450,000 a year to a catch of 500 tonnes that’s on its way to returning $5m a year.
CONTACT: Abacus Fisheries, Peter Jecks (08) 9941 2030
COMMENDATION: Blue Lagoon Mussel Company for the Mussel Festival in Rockingham.
SAFETY AND TRAINGING sponsored by Australian Commercial Marine
PEARL PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION AND KIMBERLEY TAFE CAMPUS
The Pearl Producers Association in partnership with Kimberely TAFE Campus has delivered a specific industry-training program that has not only improved safety of the entrants but also established a career path for them.
The program delivers training to the work site and to remote Aboriginal communities that are nearby. Industry’s commitment to the training has been demonstrated by the fact that of the 39 graduate students and 20 soon-to-be graduates…43 now have employment. The judges make special mention of PPA Safety and Training Officer, Paul Cookson, in developing and promoting this initiative.
CONTACT: Pearl Producers Association, Brett McCallum 9244 2933
FRESH FISH SHOP sponsored by Catalano Seafoods and Seafood Services Australia
SEAFRESH FISH MARKET INNALOO
Seafresh Innaloo impressed the judges with the range of seafood showcased, the level of customer information and their presentation. Seafresh is a family owned business that has made a strong commitment to promoting seafood and to working with fishermen to not only ensure supply, but its quality. A winner in 1998, the judges, once again congratulate Louis Lynch and the entire team at Seafresh Market, Innaloo.
CONTACT: Seafresh Fish Market Innaloo, Louis Lynch 9445 2451
Commendations to Kailis Bros Fish Market and Café, Oxford Street Leederville, and Sealanes, South Fremantle.
CREW MEMBER OF THE YEAR
sponsored by WA Fishing Industry Council
JEFF WHITE
Tonight’s Crew Member of the Year, Jeff White, is an avid milk drinker, but more importantly he is a qualified skipper, reliable, innovative and highly respected by his skipper and fellow crewmembers. He is a mentor and trainer to new crew; he has developed new fishing methods, and survived near disaster at sea. In every respect Jeff White from the shark fishing industry is a worthy winner of the inaugural “Crew Member of the Year”
Commendations to Zachary Jecks, Crab Fishery, Shark Bay and Glen Parker, Rock Lobster Fishermen Dongara.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AWARD sponsored by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and the WAFIC R&D Program.
GERALDTON FISHERMEN’S CO-OPERATIVE LTD
The Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative has been researching into why lobsters lose their legs for four years. This has been an important issue for the industry because a lobster without legs is unsuitable for export. The work has successfully demonstrated the cause to be excessive salt. They have gone on to find a practical method to counter the discovery, which has resulted in $2 million dollar to boost to the rock lobster industry.
Lobsters are now washed in cold water, and processed on board in cold fresh water slurries. The work has demonstrated the achievements of collaboration between fishermen, processors and researchers working in unison.
CONTACT: Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative Ltd, Glen Davidson (08) 9921 1022
Commendation: Dennis Linaker – Northern Demersal Scalefish Research
Media Award
GRANT WOODHAMS- ABC Radio
Grant Woodhams is the ABC Radio rural reporter based in Geraldton. He has a keen interest in the commercial fishing industry. While never shy about coming forward with the hard questions he is renowned for his fairness in putting both sides of a story. Grant takes the time to have a chat about the industry giving people who work in it the opportunity to speak about the challenges they face and how they’re meeting them. He is respected for his professionalism and enthusiasm.
SUNDAY TIMES PEOPLES CHOICE AWARDS
BEST SEAFOOD DISH IN A RESTAURANT
METROPOLITAN: GARLIC PRAWNS, Withes Cauldron, Subiaco.
REGIONAL: SEAFOOD CHOWDER, The Goose, Busselton
BEST FISH AND CHIPS
METROPOLITAN: KAILIS FISH MARKET AND CAFÉ, Fremantle
REGIONAL: FLATHEADS FISH SUPPLY, Kalgoorlie.
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