Twelve years ago my life changed,  I ventured into the seafood industry.  It has been the greatest ride of my life and an Industry I now love and advocate for.

After many years in my beloved nursing career which I went straight into from  high school, I met and fell in love with a commercial reef line fisherman in 2002 based in Mackay, Queensland, who was running his own business with his brother.  They are third generation Queensland reef line and live coral trout fishermen operating the FV Alda and now FV Vision.

In 2006, I gave up my nursing career and started my own business in seafood retail selling my husband’s catch. Today I operate 3 successful seafood/fish and chip stores in Mackay.

In 2015, I won the Queensland seafood award for best fish and chips and went on to win at the national awards in Perth. I practiced and preached the ‘We catch it, We cook it slogan’.  I take pride in selling locally caught seafood to the public.  This is what the public want and this has led to my business’ ongoing success.

Due to progressive and ongoing government reform, which I believe aims to limit commercial fisherman in Queensland which is a problem for me and other retailers as commercial fishers provide fresh seafood to our stores.  I have seen a huge decline in the supply of fresh caught, local seafood from commercial fishers.  Prices have risen over the past year which we have had to wear as a business cost and have not yet passed on the price to the consumer.

Supply and demand has had an impact on my business in a huge way.  My business has had success based on local seafood consumers wanting to eat and be able to access fresh caught Queensland fish and prawns. So called government reforms have, over time, restricting access to local caught seafood to my customers.

My family and I live in coastal Queensland and I believe the public have a right for businesses like mine to be able to buy fresh fish and prawns straight from the boats and sell it direct to them.

I will continue to promote the sale of local caught seafood in Mackay and ask Queenslanders to keep buying local seafood.

Author: Kelly Morgan, Owner and Director of Morgans Fish Mackay Pty Ltd and Queensland Seafood Industry Association Secretary.

Image Credit: K. Morgan

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