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THEO G KAILIS
Theo G Kailis, Executive Chairman of the Kailis and France Group and a leader in the professional fishing industry for more than 60 years was presented with the Michael Kailis Award, the most prestigious prize in the WA Fishing Industry Council Awards at a ceremony at Hyatt Regency Hotel on Friday September 24th.
The Awards were presented by the WA Fishing Industry Council, and major sponsor the Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative, to acknowledge outstanding achievements in the WA professional fishing industry in thirteen categories. Mr Kailis also won the Major Industry Contributor category, sponsored by Kailis Bros.
Theo G Kailis’s 60-year-career in the fishing industry has best been summarised as “years and years of innovation”
Throughout these years Theo has experienced the many major changes in the industry that has taken it from a humble group of fishermen plying their trade to local markets to a billion dollar export industry selling its product in the world market place and recognised as a world leader.
He has been a dominant player in the industry’s evolution through his untiring service on State and Federal advisory committees and industry bodies.
The Kailis and France Group led by Theo, in partnership with Murray France, is one of Australia’s most diversified and valuable seafood businesses with interests in every aspect from fishing to processing, to local and export marketing and to innovative value adding for fresh fish, lobster and prawns.
Amidst a myriad of achievements highlights include the commissioning of the first Randall lobster boat that revolutionised deep sea lobster fishing in ‘60’s, the many innovations introduced to facilitate the valuable live lobster export trade, Theo was a key player in the development of Northern Prawn Fishery and along with Murray France was the pioneer of the new Patagonian Toothfish fishery.
Over the years Theo has helped hundreds of fisherman get their start in the industry, and the company, under his tutelage, has been an incubator of many industry leaders.
Chairman of the WA Fishing Industry Council Max Ball said, “There is no doubt that Theo Kailis’s influence on the industry is enduring. Through his achievements and personal leadership he has become an icon figure in Australia’s fishing industry.”
MAL MILLARD, Connolly, Professional Lobster Fisherman
Mal is an exceptionally good fisherman, his yield consistently in the top 5%.
But it is his commitment to the industry and its future is what stands him apart. In particular in the last two seasons he has been a driving force in trying to resolve conflict in the Capes region between local residents and professional lobster fisherman. His involvement in the mediation process has included attending public meetings, working with recreational and conservation groups and encouraging compliance amongst fisherman of the Western Rock Lobster Council’s Code of Conduct and media liaison.
He is commended for his leadership and long-term vision for the rock lobster industry.
COMMENDATION: Ron Franceschi and Mike Davidson.
ACTION SUPERMARKETS
Action Supermarkets had taken on a specific challenge in the 2-year criteria period – integrating the small fish market business into a supermarket environment with direct linkages to WA commercial fishers.
Action has persevered with WA seafood almost exclusively - it accounts for 90% of their supply and in the past two years has increased fresh seafood sales by 48%. Their commitment is reinforced with “Buy WA First campaign”.
The Company has taken their supply commitment to the wharf by entering into direct contractual arrangements with WA fishers – requiring high quality levels to be maintained, providing regular feedback to fishers to assist with improvement and rejecting seafood that has not reached their strict quality levels.
KAILIS BROS FISH MARKET, LEEDERVILLE
An institution in the Leederville area, the Kailis Bros Fish Market has had a number of homes over three generations, and today is settled in a state-of-the-art, design-specific space for the retailing of fresh local seafood and an impressive range of value added products.
The judges congratulated Kailis Bros Fish Market for its second win in this category and salute it as a great credit to the “shopfront” of our industry.
BLUETOWN HOLDINGS
Bluetown Holdings developed an environmental monitoring program for the establishment of a tuna farm in the Zeewick Channel of the Abrolhos Islands that has set a benchmark for community consultation. For the project to proceed a range of stakeholders including conservationists, commercial lobster, scallop and pearling interests and recreational divers, fishers and bird watchers had to be convinced.
The company commissioned independent research, developed an interactive presentation which allowed observes to click on a map and view video footage of a specific area; produced information leaflets, and went on to develop a fully interactive monitoring design methodology which saw the project’s sternest detractors involved in the design task, and finally they committed to a staged implementation program allowing feed back after each stage and public consultation at the start of each new stage.
The program passed through the EPA and EA public consultation process without opposition. It was an expensive process but the panel said there was no doubt that the project is much better because of it and that it represents a fine example of the balance between economic activity and conservation.
CHALLENGER TAFE WA MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE & TIGER FISHERIES PTY LTD
Challenger TAFE and Tiger Fisheries, which operates out of Fremantle and Darwin to fish the Northern Prawn Fishery and the North West Trawl Fishery, formed a partnership in 2002 to create a “cadetship” model for deckhand training which involves pre-shore training, followed by formal at-sea-training, including maintaining a training record book, signed off by the skipper.
The Challenger TAFE staff use Tiger Fishery manuals and have access to company vessels to ensure the training is relevant. The cadets are encouraged to follow their professional development from deck hand to mate, to skipper or engineer.
The results for Tiger have been a reduction in crew turnover, and a gradual change in attitude by other crew on the benefits of formalised on-board training regimes.
CATALANO SEAFOODS
Catalano Seafood won the Seafood Quality Award for the third time. The judging panel congratulated Catalanos not only for their quality programs and outstanding customer focus, but also for their exceptional commitment to staff training.
The company has not only scooped the State Awards system, it is also a two-time winner of the National Award.
Commendation: NewWest Seafoods
MG KAILIS GROUP AUSTRALIAN PEARLS
Kailis Australian Pearls chose to create an intimate marketing relationship with wholesalers, retailers and consumers in Spain - a market that has a love affair with pearls but traditionally with a lower quality than the Australian South Sea pearl.
This strategy was implemented through creating compelling brand image, a major launch campaign focussing on creating media coverage, a strategic brand advertising campaign to compliment the PR activities, sponsorship of statement events, links with super models and a series of small special events with a well respected Spanish Private bank. The promotional plan to create “Brand Ambassadors” that would spread the word of the Kailis brand in intimate circles was reinforced at the retail level with innovative point of sale material and education program so that retailers could sell the product with confidence.
Kailis Australian Pearls brand is now stocked in 50 of Spain’s best jewellery showrooms, sales have risen 44% and the distribution company last year sold its most expensive strand in 30 years of wholesaling.
SEAN MURPHY - ABC LANDLINE
The judges commended Sean Murphy for his Landline report on the challenges facing industry. In particular, within the wide ranging report, they appreciated the acknowledgement of the industry’s commitment to sustainable management and highlighting of the Marine Stewardship Certification of the rock lobster industry.
COMMENDATION: Michael Zekulich, The West Australian
FREMANTLE OCTOPUS PTY LTD
The challenge for the new octopus fishery was to develop a Department of Fisheries approved pot that would produce a commercially viable catch within two years.
The Fremantle Octopus Company has led the way by investing in R&D to develop a pot that has achieved a 100% increase in catch rate from existing non-baited pots, and further developments are planned to double this again. Importantly the pot has been accepted by the department of Fisheries in WA, and being non-baited is ecologically sound.
The judging panel said this was a great example of how an innovative company can improve, not only its operation, but the whole industry, through the use of research.
COMMENDATION: Western Rock Lobster Development Association – Global Market Data Base.
THEO G KAILIS
Theo also won the Michael Kailis Award, the most prestigeous Award of the presentations. (See lead story).
MG KAILIS GROUP
Frozen Revolution – Osashimi Lobster
Special Sashimi Grade Live Lobster Replication
(MG Kailis Group was NOT involved in judging process)
In the Japanese market live lobster is king. The challenge was to establish a product and brand that was a genuine “live” quality alternative in times when “live” product was not available or hard to supply. Innovations introduced by the MG Kailis Group to create this new product included a new freezing system using liquid nitrogen, a new net wrapping system, a new glaze, new tank facilities for purging and improved refrigerated containers.
The judges said this innovative product development together with highly sophisticated distribution and marketing strategies have increased the value of lobster sold both domestically and for export and has provided leadership for the industry as a whole.
TERRY ELLERY, Dongara, Professional Rock Lobster fisherman.
Terry has been Bob McDaniel’s crewman for 21 years, which is testimony in itself for his reliability, loyalty and skill.
He has, according to Bob, “all the fishing requirements, under control” and “gets things done with a minimum of fuss and undertakes many tasks well beyond the call of duty.” His knowledge of plumbing has led to innovations in design for on board holding tanks which has led to the vessel winning Quality Awards
He is a qualified skipper and well versed in First Aid, which not only helps on board but for his other life as a member of the Volunteer Fire Brigade.
COMMENDATION: Trigg McAuliffe, Hillarys, professional rock lobster fisherman
"SWISH 'N CHIPS", MT LAWLEY (Metropolitan)
Finalists: "Kailis Fish Market Café", Fremantle; "Fish Shack", Scarbrough.
"FLATHEADS", KALGOORLIE (Regional)
Finalists: "Chis and Fips", Geraldton; "Aristos", Bunbury
Presented by Western Australian Fishing Industry Council
NICOLA FOX - MURDOCH UNIVERSITY
For having developed a new method of determining exactly what should be looked at before saying where Marine Protected Areas should be sited.
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