Glittering gala Seafood Awards dinners have been held throughout the country to recognise the contributions of people working in, and in support of, Australian fishing and aquaculture.  

To acknowledge the pivotal role of research, development and extension (RD&E), FRDC has sponsored seven prestigious RD&E awards, spanning each state and the Northern Territory. The calibre of submissions has been consistently high, sparking extensive deliberations among the judging panel.  

Sydney – Sydney Fish Market’s NSW Seafood Excellence Awards 

OceanWatch Australia emerged triumphant at the esteemed Sydney Fish Market Seafood Excellence Awards, receiving the RD&E Award. Their outstanding achievement stems from their dedicated efforts within the East Coast Whale Entanglement Program, addressing the critical issue of preventing whale entanglement in New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania. 

Tuna Australia were recognised for their commendable endeavours in developing innovative fishing gear solutions aimed at accelerating sink lines to deter seabird scavenging, a project funded by FRDC.  

Queensland – Queensland Seafood Marketers Association’s (QSMA) Seafood Excellence Awards  

At the QSMA’s Seafood Excellence Awards, Tuna Australia once again stood out, securing the RD&E Award both for their groundbreaking work to prevent seabird scavenging, and for their efforts to improve safety for fishers on vessels by preventing flyback, an issue that can cause serious risks for longline fishers. 

Tasmania – Seafood Industry Tasmania’s Tasmanian Seafood Awards 

At Tasmania’s Seafood Industry Seafood Awards, Saltas, the Oyster Sensor Network, and Shellpoint were honoured with the Research, Development, and Extension award. 

Saltas was recognised for their exceptional selective breeding program, aimed at fostering temperature tolerance in Tasmanian waters. The Oyster Sensor Network and ShellPOINT implemented by Saltas were highly regarded for their pioneering efforts in providing the oyster sector with real-time remote monitoring capabilities, significantly advancing environmental monitoring in the region. 

Western Australia – Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC) Seafood Awards 

In Western Australia, research from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD WA) Fremantle Marine Fish Hatchery team were recognised for their work in tackling critical challenges within the seafood sector, winning them the Research, Development and Extension Award at WAFIC’s Seafood Awards.  

This research is aiding the development of sustainable aquaculture feeds and effective parasite management, with focused effort on developing single-cell protein-based feeds that contribute to the long-term sustainability and profitability of the sector. Examples include producing fish meal-free diets and reducing reliance on wild-caught fish.  

Pioneering research at the hatchery into parasite management has also improved the efficacy of parasite treatments in the aquaculture sector, contributing to the advancement of fish welfare and sustainable fish farming practices.  

Victoria – Seafood Industry Victoria’s Seafood Industry Awards  

The Victorian Shellfish Hatchery took home SIV’s RD&E Award for significantly improving bivalve spat production, for the benefit of the mussel sector in Victoria, the Sydney Rock Oyster sector in NSW, and environmental reef restoration projects. 

It was also very pleasing that Jill Briggs, Affectus Founder and Program Leader of the FRDC-funded National Seafood Industry Leadership Program, took home the Industry Ambassador Award.  

South Australia – Seafood Industry South Australia Seafood Awards 

Seatec's dedication, ran by two business partners Adam Kemp (Left) and Rob Wilson (Right), to the Sardine Observer Program singled them out for the RD&E Award at Seafood Industry South Australia’s Seafood Awards. This program, a collaborative effort between the Sardine Industry and Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) established in 2006, monitors interactions between sardine vessels and threatened, endangered and protected species in South Australia. It also assesses the effectiveness of mitigation methods used and ensures vessels adhere to the voluntary Code of Practice (CoP).  

Seatec's exceptional work in coordinating and training observers has resulted in a remarkable achievement: 20% of all nets set across 11 vessels in the fishery are consistently monitored by observers, placing this program among the most consistent in the world. 

Northern Territory – Northern Territory Seafood Industry Council’s Seafood Awards  

Finally, at the Northern Territory Seafood Council’s Seafood Awards, the RD&E Award was presented to a project titled "Tapping into the Knowledge of Professional Fishers to Inform Research and Management of Sawfish and River Sharks." Members of the project team accepted the award. 

This project aims to enhance current understanding of sawfish (Pristis spp.) and river shark (Glyphis spp.) populations in NT fishing grounds. By conducting interviews with commercial fishers and documenting their knowledge, the project will gather valuable information to guide the sampling and tagging of these species in NT’s coastal and estuarine areas. 

FRDC extends heartfelt congratulations to all award recipients and expresses gratitude to the associations and organisations who orchestrated all these truly memorable events.  

All winners from these RD&E awards are now entered into the chance to win the National RD&E Award, being presented at the National Seafood Awards, held at Seafood Directions 2024 conference being held in Hobart in September.  

Related FRDC Project

2023-088: FRDC Sponsored RD&E State Awards