About Seafood Industry Australia
Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) is the national peak-body representing the Australian seafood industry as a whole. With members from the wildcatch, aquaculture and post-harvest sectors of the Australian seafood industry, we are the voice of Australian seafood.
SIA provides consumers, Government and other stakeholders with confident and united representation. Our unity indicates that we love what we do, we stand by our products and that those products are the best in the world.
SIA provides services identified through a process involving member input to fill a critical gap that currently exists, to have more influence on Government decisions, to act as a national industry voice, to be a marketing and communications hub, and to remove obstacles to growth standing in the way of the Australian seafood industry.
Our vision is for the Australian seafood industry to be United, Effective and Respected.
Our mission is to Promote, Protect and Develop the Australian seafood industry on the national and international level.
Following industry and community research, we developed “Our Pledge”, a commitment from the Australian seafood industry to the people of Australia. The initiative has been designed to educate the community on industry management, operations and regulations via storytelling and producer transparency. The “Our Pledge” campaign will enhance the Australian seafood industry’s position as a trusted, stable, prosperous industry. Learn more about “Our Pledge” here.
Becoming SIA
The 2013 Coalition fisheries policy identified and provided funding to help develop a national peak industry body for Australia’s commercial seafood industry. The Coalition recognised the need for a united voice for our sector, and the need to promote Australia’s sustainable fishing practices.
In mid-2015 funding was provided to the National Seafood Industry Alliance (NSIA) and the process of developing a representative national peak industry body began.
An intensive and structured process was undertaken which included:
- desktop research, connecting with many industry people and organisations through a web presence, regional visits and communications/engagement strategy, and targeted industry consultations;
- a national Industry Forum held in Adelaide in March 2016, attended by Australian business leaders and opened by the Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston. Here, industry leaders committed to the development of a national peak-body;
- a Leadership Task Force was formed at the Industry Forum which consisted of nine seafood business leaders. The purpose of the Task Force was to consider options and develop the recommended structural and funding models for consideration at a second Industry Forum in July 2016. The group met six times between April 11 and June 30, 2016, with members actively involved between meetings in subcommittees to develop ideas and options;
- an industry forum from July 13-14, 2016, where industry leaders considered the Task Force report and agreed on the proposed vision, mission, structure and funding model;
- the second industry forum agreed to form and task an Implementation Group led by Veronica Papacosta to engage and consult with the wider industry between August and December 2016;
- the Implementation Group worked towards a target of $500,000 as a minimum pledged membership threshold to indicate broad industry support. The target was achieved and exceeded by the target deadline of December 15, 2016;
- a Board Selection Committee, consisting of two original Task Force members and the project manager Brian Ramsay, was formed to consider the directors nominations submitted from pledged members. The inaugural Board of SIA was then selected through this process, consisting of Belinda Wilson, Chauncey Hammond, Dennis Holder, Marcus Stehr, Mark Ryan, Marshall Betzel, and Veronica Papacosta; and
- SIA was incorporated on May 12, 2017 and formally launched on June 9 of that year in Adelaide.
Click here to access a copy of the SIA Whistleblower Policy.
