This post is the first of two focussing on missing reform discussion papers – (1) the post-harvest and (2) Queensland recreational fishing sectors.  Under the ‘Vision, Purpose and Scope’  (page 5 of the Queensland Fisheries Strategy) there is no mention of the post-harvest or recreational sectors.

Qld Sustainable Fisheries Strategy

The Queensland post-harvest sector provide seafood consumers across the state and to seafood consumers across Australia.  The ongoing viability of post-harvest businesses across Queensland are reliant on wild harvest businesses maintaining their access to fishing stocks.

David Caracciolo, retail business owner in Mackay argues that, ‘I don’t believe the Queensland government understands the reform impact on my business and others up and down the coast.  We can’t afford for commercial fishers to lose more ground and expect not to see for sale signs as our access to local product is taken away under the current reforms‘.

Commercial fishers provide seafood to post-harvest-businesses within Queensland including: (1) seafood retailers, (2) seafood wholesalers, (3) seafood processors, (4) supermarket chains, (5) fishing cooperatives and (6) restaurants.  Wild harvest catch is sold across multiple supply points ensuring economic activity is maintained along those supply chains and more importantly, allowing post-harvest businesses to provide seafood to consumers and visitors to Queensland.

Commercial fishers can chose to supply seafood to many customers and/or retail their own product.  This flexibility allows some commercial fishers to operate as retailers.  Post-harvest businesses are also able to diversify their businesses with some post-harvest businesses owning commercial fishing licences and vessels.  This degree of diversity should be a source of strength.  If commercial fishing take is restricted, remembering the government has noted no sustainability issue with our fish stocks, then businesses along our supply chains should be concerned.

Queensland commercial fishers also sell catch to post-harvest businesses in other markets such as the Sydney Fish Market or to restaurants interstate for example.  Regardless of whether Queensland seafood is sold within our borders or interstate its sale generates income for our commercial fishers and in turn post-harvest businesses.

A final comment from David, ‘Our commercial fishers deserve better than the stress this process is putting them under, I speak to commercial fishers on a daily basis and the feeling is not positive, there is no trust and just ongoing stress.  We need a viable commercial wild harvest sector and I am not 100% sure this reform process will deliver for fishers or post harvest businesses‘.

Author: David Caracciolo, owner Mackay Fish Market and Director, Queensland Seafood Industry Association and Eric Perez, CEO – Queensland Seafood Industry Association

Image Credit: D. Caracciolo

The content of this post is provided for information purposes only and unless otherwise stated is not formal QSIA policy. The information on these posts are provided on the basis that all persons accessing the information undertake their own responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of it.