SIA launches new training and recruitment website for the seafood industry

People are the Australian seafood industry’s most valuable asset and Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) and Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) are excited to announce the launch of seafoodcareers.com.au, a training and recruitment website just for industry.

The Seafood Careers website serves as a central information hub for the Australian seafood industry showcasing the wide variety of ways to participate in industry and the available training. The site, created by employees for employees, aims to connect individuals with rewarding roles that contribute to sustainable, long term food security.  

“The shortage of capable and experienced people within the seafood industry is an ongoing challenge for many commercial seafood producers,” stated Veronica Papacosta, Chief Executive Officer, Seafood Industry Australia. “Seafood Careers has been developed as a proactive step to address industry’s ongoing workforce shortages. We want to showcase the amazing opportunities our industry has to offer”.

“Seafood Careers is part of the Australian seafood industry’s goal to position ourselves as an industry known for its conscientious, fair, and progressive employers”.  

Seafood Careers is designed to introduce, encourage and support people to participate in the Australian seafood industry by identifying opportunities to participate in the sector, career progression and training or mentoring opportunities.

The Australian seafood industry is committed to a vibrant and prosperous future, and by 2030 we believe the Australian fishing and aquaculture sectors can achieve $6 billion in annual gross value. This supports the Australian Government’s goal of growing Australian agriculture to $100 billion by 2030.

The growth of our industry delivers increased jobs and investment in all areas of Australia including the regional, rural and remote seafood communities where we typically operate.

The Australian seafood industry directly supports 17,000 families nationally.

“People participating in our industry help place more than 1.5 billion meals of the highest-quality, healthy and sustainable seafood on the table for Australian families and international customers every year” Ms. Papacosta said.

SIA would like to express sincere thanks to Seafood Careers sponsors, Austral Fisheries and Yumbah, for their support of this platform. 

Seafood Careers has been developed with funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC). We thank those organisations for their support in developing Seafood Careers to help mitigate the impact of workforce shortages in our industry.

We Did It – CoOL Decision for Australian Seafood

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Yesterday’s unanimous vote by the State Governments around Australia to support the Albanese Government plans to change Australian Consumer Law to allow for the implementation of mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL) for seafood in hospitality settings is a historic win for the seafood industry. CoOL gives consumers dining in Australian cafes, restaurants, and other food service areas clear and transparent information about the origin of the seafood, empowering them to make choices aligned with their preferences and values.
 
The implementation of mandatory CoOL for seafood in food service has been one of SIA’s key member priorities since its establishment and a cause championed by many other state representatives, sector representatives and businesses across the Australian Seafood industry for over 15 years.
 
Seafood Industry Australia CEO, Veronica Papacosta, commented on the historic decision, stating, “It’s difficult to explain how important this decision is to all of the industry leaders and advocates who have put some much time and effort over the last 15 years into achieving this outcome.  SIA is so proud and grateful to have been a part of a unified stand by the wild catch and aquaculture sectors of this amazing industry.  To have delivered a result that will provide the Australian community with the ability to make informed choices about the food they purchase and consume is a credit to the constant support and encouragement of SIA members and leaders across the industry.”
 
We acknowledge Assistant Minister Tim Ayres and his team for their strong and constant support for our industry and the delivery of the Albanese government’s 2022 election commitment.  Assistant Minister Ayres’s unwavering belief in the Australian consumers’ right to know was inspiring and comes at a time when the Australian Seafood industry is in need of a win.

“The Albanese Labor Government has delivered on its commitment to improve seafood labelling across the country, said Assistant Minister, Tim Ayres, and “I appreciate the extensive contributions of the hospitality sector, consumer interest groups and the seafood industry in developing this proposal.”
 
The new legislation is scheduled for implementation in 2025, following a suitable transition period and an extensive education campaign. In the coming months, detailed advice will be made available to assist the hospitality and seafood sectors in understanding and adapting to these new requirements.

 

Seafood Industry Australia Launches Southern Rock Lobster Marketing Toolkit

Are you an Australian seafood producer and/or exporter? Do you want access to free marketing assets?

The assets are available as a result of the Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) Program. By requesting access to the assets, you agree that you are an Australian seafood producer and/or exporter.  

Why are we providing free marketing assets?

Background

Due to disruptions with live exports of lobster into China, the Australian Southern Rock Lobster industry is looking to expand into additional markets for non-live products including frozen green, frozen cooked and value-added lines.​

USA, Hong Kong and South Korea were identified as top key markets.

Need to develop a range of marketing tools and collateral for use by industry members to promote a unified and consistent Australian Southern Rock Lobster brand story.​

These creative assets are “white label,” allowing each enterprise to take ownership of its individual brand.​ The use of creative assets is not restricted to the top key markets identified.  

The focus for this project is frozen, cooked and value-add southern rock lobster (SRL), but does not exclude other lobster species.  

What we’ve done so far

  • Reviewed all available research material shared by industry. ​
  • Conducted desktop review of publicly available information and data on the category and competitors. ​
  • Compiled a collection of creative benchmarks as the stimulus for strategic discussion and creative development. ​
  • Developed a brand messaging strategy and a range of marketing tools and collateral to support the industry in key priority export markets with an additional bonus, that the industry can also utilise these within the domestic market. 

What do we (you) need to do next?​

Tell the Australian story​ (with a focus on what sets us apart from competitors)​ … and give consumers/trade the confidence​ to choose Australian Southern Rock Lobster​ and pay a premium for it.​

Targeting high-growth markets for Aussie food and wine

Promoting premium Australian produce in overseas markets is the main driver behind new funding from the Albanese Government.
 
Australian Food & Wine Collaborators has been awarded a $600,000 Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) grant to promote Australian food and wine overseas.
 
The group is a collaboration between rural research and development corporations and five agricultural peak bodies including Dairy Australia, Meat & Livestock Australia, Wine Australia, Seafood Industry Australia, and Hort Innovation.
 
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt said the collaboration would leverage the combined groups market intelligence to better promote and position premium Australian produce in overseas markets.
 
“The Albanese Government is supporting Australian producers to expand market access and new trade opportunities for Australian fresh produce,” Minister Watt said.
 
“Australia is internationally renowned for its safe, sustainable, and premium food and wine—two thirds of which goes to markets abroad.
 
“This funding will help develop a common approach to positioning in our food and wine sectors to build on already strong demand.”
 
The group will use the ATMAC grant to extend their ‘Team Australia’ initiative—a shared marketing strategy—to incorporate more key markets and further embed a collaborative industry approach.
 
This approach will see greater sharing of knowledge and resources, utilising common communication channels and streamlining engagement with industry stakeholders.
 
Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group spokesperson Charlie McElhone said while each collaborating organisation has its own marketing and promotion strategies, this grant gives us the opportunity to strengthen Australia’s overall strategic position.
 
“We want to position Australia as a key supplier, improve market access and demand for Australian food and wine exports,” he said.
 
“We know that strong and clear positioning in these markets can also support a more favourable regulatory environment, which is critical when market access and global trade is becoming increasingly complex.
 
“A ‘Team Australia’ approach will help us leverage our collective strengths to advantage our exporters and build deeper relationships across all sectors in market.
 
“The project will communicate the positive attributes of Australian produce, leveraging the “Nation Brand”, as it delivers in-market activities in high growth markets for Australia.
 
“Taiwan will be targeted in a 6-month pilot and a similar approach will be adopted in other high-growth Asian markets.”
 
More information about the ATMAC program is available here: Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) Program
 
More information about the Collaborative food and wine market development project can be found here: Hort Innovation | Collaborative food and wine market development project (HA20005)
 
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Media contact: Brock Taylor – 0499 779 387

Food industry representatives gathered in Seoul to taste the wonders of Australia’s fine food and wine

Australia’s finest seafood was on the menu at a gala dinner in Seoul recently as food industry representatives gathered to taste the wonders of Australia’s fine food and wine.

More than 120 people attended the event including food importers, distributors and chefs, along with Australian industry representatives and government officials including the Australian Ambassador to South Korea, Catherine Raper.

The guests were treated to the wonders of Australia’s fresh seafood, including salmon gravlax produced with Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon, Australian lobster salad made with Western Rock Lobster, and Australian lobster gratin made with Australian butter and cream by Australian chef Lloyd Blackley, who runs a brunch restaurant in Mapo, Seoul.

The evening was a feast of Australia’s wonderous fresh produce and included Australian broccoli and cream soup, Australian tenderloin steak, Pavlova topped with Australian cream and grapes and assorted Australian cheese, all paired with some of Australia’s finest wines.

The evening included a cook-off between the two finalists of a competition held in the lead-up to the event to encourage young South Koreans to use Australian food and wine in their home cooking. The winner was Choi Sung-joo, who created Australia’s Sea and Land in One Bite: a rose salmon and beef pie with lemon cream sauce.

The runner-up was Dong Kyu Kim with his Lobster with Mornay Sauce, shrimp terrine and meat pie, braised dragon fruit and melon balls, carrot and asparagus.

Earlier in the day, delegates from the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group, including Seafood Industry Australia, attended an industry roundtable with Australian Embassy staff to discuss trade and market dynamics in South Korea and the opportunities available to Australian producers.

Background to the Taste the Wonders of Australia South Korea Gala Dinner, Cooking Competition and Industry Roundtable

South Korea is Australia’s fifth largest export market, after China, Japan, the US and Vietnam*, and offers huge potential for Australia’s food and wine producers, with a growing demand for fresh, safe, high-quality ingredients from among the country’s 51 million residents.

It’s the second high-potential export market targeted by the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group, after a highly successful market promotion in Thailand last year. Vietnam and Indonesia will follow in 2023-24.

Seafood Industry Australia has joined forces with Meat & Livestock Australia, Wine Australia, Hort Innovation and Dairy Australia in a Team Australia approach to champion the wonders of Australia’s fresh produce, and increase market access for farmers, food producers and the Australian seafood industry.

The partnership leverages the five individual organisations’ strengths, expertise and connections in engaging with overseas markets, along with support from an Agriculture Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) grant of $500,000.

* Data reference: ABARES, March 2023: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/trade/dashboard

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Acknowledgements

The Australian Food and Wine Trade Collaboration was created to promote quality Australian food and beverages in key international markets. The members and funding partners are Dairy Australia, Hort Innovation, Meat & Livestock Australia, Wine Australia and Seafood Industry Australia.

Seafood Industry Australia is seeking to appoint two Non-executive Directors to its Board

Click here to access the 2023 SIA Director Information pack.

Click here to access the 2023 SIA Director Nomination and Candidate Information Form.

About us

Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) is the national peak-body representing the whole of Australia’s seafood industry with members from the wild-caught, aquaculture and post-harvest sectors.

As the voice of Australian seafood, SIA provides consumers, Government and other stakeholders with confident and united representation. We are a member-based, not-for-profit organisation with the mission to Promote, Protect and Develop the Australian seafood industry at a national and international level.

Overview

Seafood Industry Australia is seeking to appoint two (2) non-executive directors to its Board. These positions present the unique opportunity to support the direction of the association, and the industry.

The SIA Board provides strategic guidance and effective oversight of the management and performance of the association in delivering its strategy. The Board operates under mature corporate governance and risk management frameworks to ensure the association’s efforts continue the prosperity of this important Australian industry.

About you

As a skills-based Board, candidates with experience and commercial skills in any of the following areas are encouraged to apply:

  • Financial Literacy

– Experience in financial governance management, accounting and/or auditing.

– Demonstrated financial management skills and ability to interpret and interrogate financial information.

  • Governance & Management

– Knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of a company director

– Significant board expertise with an ability to guide the board around governance issues and processes.

– Possess an understanding of membership-based organisations.

  • Strategy & Legal Experience

– Awareness of regulatory and statutory frameworks.

– Experience in leading change and innovation in complex multi-stakeholder environment.

– Entrepreneurial mindset.

– Ability to balance competing views and set priorities.

  • Industry knowledge & Experience

– Extensive industry experience, with a preference for the aquaculture in at least one role

– Well-connected and respected with a strong network of key stakeholders.

  • Communication & Contribution

– Be able to effectively communicate ideas to the board.

– Contribute skills, knowledge and expertise to be an effective member of the board.

– Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Directors must be prepared to attend and participate in various meetings, including at least 4 Board meetings per year, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and serve on board committees. Current committees of the Board include:

  • Corporate Governance Committee
  • Financial Audit and Risk Management Committee
  • Director Nomination Committee

Previous experience as a Board Director and/or willingness to undertake relevant professional development is desirable. GAICD or similar credentials are highly regarded.

This is a volunteer position. Reimbursement will be provided for travel, accommodation and related expenses, in line with company policy. Board appointments are 3-year terms with a maximum of 2 terms as per the Constitution.

Applications

SIA welcomes and encourages all suitably qualified candidates to apply. For further information on SIA please visit www.seafoodindustryaustralia.com.au and for an information pack outlining the application process, please click here.

To express your interest, email your application and CV to  [email protected].  Applications close by 5pm AEST Thursday, July 27, 2023.

Hobart named as host city for 2024 Seafood Directions Conference

Following a sell-out event in 2022, Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), the national peak-body representing Australia’s commercial seafood industry, has announced their biennial conference, Seafood Directions, will be held in Hobart from September 10-12, 2024. 

“It is with great pleasure we announce the Seafood Directions Conference 2024 will be held in Hobart at the Hotel Grand Chancellor from September 10-12,” SIA CEO Veronica Papacosta said. 

“The conference is the industry’s leading forum for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and networking. As one of the most prominent gatherings of commercial seafood professionals in the Southern Hemisphere, the conference attracts attendees from fields including aquaculture, wild-capture fisheries, research institutions, government bodies, processors, suppliers, exporters, and retailers.

“We’re excited to bring the Seafood Directions Conference to Hobart. Tasmania is renowned for its thriving commercial seafood industry, innovative aquaculture facilities, leading wild-catch fisheries, world-class port-harvest ventures and progressive feed producers. Its vibrant culinary scene, rich maritime heritage, and commitment to sustainable seafood practices make it an ideal location to hold this event. 

“The conference venue offers a central location amidst the hustle and bustle of a working commercial seafood harbour. The interactive three day conference program will facilitate meaningful discussions and interactions, capped off by the industry’s night-of-nights, the National Seafood Industry Awards, celebrating the contribution of individuals, businesses and organisations to the Australian seafood industry over the last two years. 

“The Seafood Directions Conference 2024 aims to explore innovative strategies, emerging technologies, and sustainable practices that will shape the seafood industry’s trajectory. The program will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and industry exhibitions, covering a broad range of topics including climate resilience, nature, collaboration,  Sustainable Development and the Blue Economy.

“The conference will provide an exceptional opportunity for delegates to gain insights from renowned experts, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and forge valuable connections with industry peers. Attendees will have ample opportunities to explore Hobart’s natural beauty, enjoy its renowned seafood delicacies, and immerse themselves in the local culture.

“This conference will foster collaboration, inspire innovation, and empower participants to address the critical challenges and opportunities facing the seafood sector today. We look forward to welcoming delegates from around the globe to experience the warmth and hospitality of Hobart.”

Stay up to date with the Seafood Directions Conference at www.seafooddirections.com.au. Early-bird ticket sales for the 2024 event will open in January 2024.

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ABOUT SEAFOOD DIRECTIONS

The Seafood Directions was established in 1999 as a Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) initiative to provide an industry forum for the exchange of ideas. FRDC remains a key funding partner and support agency for Seafood Directions 2022, 2024 and 2026 which will be hosted by Seafood Industry Australia.

The Seafood Directions Conference is a premier international event that brings together professionals, researchers, and stakeholders from the seafood industry to discuss key issues, share knowledge, and explore opportunities for growth and sustainability. With a focus on innovation, responsible practices, and industry collaboration, the conference plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the global seafood sector.

SEAFOOD DIRECTIONS SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS

Sponsorship opportunities for the Seafood Directions Conference 2024 will be opening soon. For information on conference sponsorship please contact the Seafood Industry Australia team:

CEO, Veronica Papacosta 
m: 0409 220 7884
e: [email protected]

Stakeholder Manager, Jasmin Kelly
m: 0411 430 838
e: [email protected]

SEAFOOD DIRECTIONS 2022 FAST FACTS 

  • Held at the Sofitel, Brisbane Central 
  • 500 delegates, from four countries 
  • 106 speakers, 40 sessions, three days 
  • 97% of delegates plan to attend Seafood Directions 2024 

Significant labour shortages across food supply chain weighing on growth, cost of living

Call for Federal Government to identify migration solutions

Australia’s top peak food industry bodies, which calculated the food supply chain was short at least 172,000 workers, from paddock to plate, before the Jobs & Skills Summit last September say limited progress is now weighing on both GDP growth, and the cost of household’s weekly shop.

Figures released yesterday confirm Australia’s GDP growth has slowed to a crawl. Meanwhile the food supply chain which represents more than 10% of GDP is operating at reduced capacity due to workforce constraints.

Farmers, food suppliers, distributors, independent supermarkets, grocers, butchers, food processors and hospitality are all sending a united message: if you want a stronger economy, just add workers.

With almost 80% of Australians concerned about the price of food, labour shortages are, from a ‘cost of business’ perspective, one of the contributing factors to food price increases to the consumer as well as the ability to process and move food along the supply chain.

The ‘National Food Supply Chain Alliance’ represents over 160,000 businesses with a revenue of over $200 billion. It includes the National Farmers Federation, the Australian Meat Industry Council, Seafood Industry Australia, Independent Food Distributors Australia, AUSVEG, Master Grocers Australia, Restaurant and Catering Industry Association and the Australian Association of Convenience Stores and the Refrigerated Transport and Warehouse Association.

According to the peak bodies, the food supply chain urgently requires a suite of solutions, including reducing barriers to work and providing suitable visa pathways to welcome overseas workers. This should include a greater focus on ASEAN countries for schemes which service the sector.

The Alliance believes that food price inflation – which is as high as 15% in some categories in the most recent data – is one of the few ‘cost of living’ pressures the Government can influence. This can be done by working constructively with industry to stabilise the myriad of ever- increasing input costs. Labour shortages, energy prices, increasing wages, fuel and supply chain disruptions are all issues negatively impacting the supply chain. This impacts business and ultimately, the prices paid at the checkout.

The Alliance believes the Government must, as a matter of urgency, develop a National Food Supply Chain Resilience Strategy to reduce the impact of the multiple long-term disruptors from natural disasters to future global challenges.

Contact: Richard Forbes, CEO Independent Food Distributors Australia – 0427 270 687