Commercial fishing industry associations

You can connect with other businesses in the commercial fishing industry by contacting your industry association. They often arrange events, seminars and networking opportunities where you may be able to find suppliers, make contacts, and generate new business.

Industry organisations often run training and education programs, as well as providing you with information about your industry (i.e. how legislation changes will affect you). Importantly, they may also lobby on behalf of your industry to influence government policy.

Contact your industry association to find out how they can help you to run your business.

Statewide and national

• Queensland Seafood Marketers Association (QSMA)
  QSMA members have a number of goals, including ensuring the supply of locally caught, safe, correctly packaged and labelled seafood to consumers. QSMA also promotes the health benefits of seafood, and the sustainable production of wild seafood.
• Queensland Seafood Industry Association (QSIA)
  If you are a professional fisher, seafood processor, marketer, retailer or other business associated with the seafood industry, you could contact QSIA. As the seafood industry peak body representing Queensland wild-caught fishermen and post-harvest operators, QSIA promotes profitable and sustainable seafood. Contact:
• • Keith Harris (Senior Vice President) on 0427 713 445.
• Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) is the national peak body which represents the Australian seafood industry as a whole, including members from wild catch, aquaculture and post-harvest sectors.
• The Fishermens Portal Inc. represents professional fishers (crab, net, line and pot) from all over Queensland. The Portal's focus is on reducing costs of production and ensuring continued access to wild harvest seafood in a healthy environment, through the promotion of the sector and its products. To reach industry stakeholders on a large scale, contact:
• • Robert Pender (Chairman) on 0427 373 844 or fishermensportal@gmail.com.

East Coast

• East Coast Crabfishers Industry Network
  Seeks to represent industry participants involved in the crab fisheries, and offers Fisheries Queensland the opportunity to consult directly with a network of experienced crab fishers. Contact:
• • Peter Jackson (President) on (07) 4121 7543, 0428 688 227 or p27jackson@hotmail.com
  • Bruce Sutton (Secretary) on (07) 3410 8742, 0417 613 424 or crabfish@tpg.com.au.
• Reef Line Council (RLC)
  RLC is a member-driven industry association that primarily represents the Coal Reef Finfish Fishery stakeholders. Contact reeflinecouncil@yahoo.com.au.

Gulf of Carpentaria

• Gulf of Carpentaria Commercial Fishermen Association Inc.
  An association representing the unique group of men and women who spend the fishing season at sea in the isolated waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Members work with fisheries management agencies to get the best deal for members, and to safeguard the fish stocks they harvest.

Moreton Bay

• Moreton Bay Seafood Industry Association (MBSIA)
  MBSIA is the regional body representing the commercial fishing industry of Moreton Bay. MBSIA acts on behalf of members on a range of issues affecting the long time viability of the industry, the environmental sustainability of the Bay, and the general public perception of commercial fishers.

Also consider...

• Learn about commercial fishing in Queensland.
• See aquaculture industry associations.