The launch of Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) today in Adelaide is testament to Australia’s seafood industry coming together in spectacular fashion to create a new national peak body.

The FRDC Chair, the Hon. Ron Boswell, said “the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation looked forward to working with Seafood Industry Australia, and supporting and promoting Australia’s world class seafood industry”.

“It is important that the Australian seafood industry has a unified voice. One that can be decisive in representing the needs and best interests of the wide range of members it represents” said the Hon. Ron Boswell.

“Equally important is the need to continue to listen to members, and to work with industry members to deliver good outcomes. And, while working together makes the job easier said the Hon. Ron Boswell, everyone needs to be pulling in the same direction”.

The road to developing the new body has been long, and has only been achieved with a lot of effort. The board members are: Marshall Betzel, Chauncey Hammond, Dennis Holder, Veronica Papacosta (Chair elect), Mark Ryan, Marcus Stehr and Belinda Wilson.   They are to be commended for bringing Seafood Industry Australia to life.

A great deal of thanks should also go to the establishment Task Force and its Chair, Martin Exel, who consulted widely with industry and kept it up to date with the process.

Finally the FRDC would like to congratulate Brian Ramsay and the Inovact Consulting team for their work in managing the United Seafood Industries Project that was instrumental in the creation of Seafood Industry Australia.