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OceanWatch Australia

Our vision: Healthy catchments and healthy oceans for sustainable, quality Australian seafood.

OceanWatch Australia Ltd is a national not-for-profit environmental company that works to advance sustainability in the Australian seafood industry. OceanWatch key activities involve:

enhancing fish habitats and improving water quality in estuaries and coastal environments;
working with industry and local communities to minimise environmental impacts;
introducing industry and communities to sustainable technologies and behaviours.

To achieve these positive outcomes, OceanWatch Australia works in partnership with the Australian seafood industry, federal and state governments, natural resource managers, private enterprise and local communities.

OceanWatch Australia has three funding sources; a voluntary contribution from the seafood industry, federal and state government grants and through fundraising activities.

Chairman’s message

A demonstration of sustainability……

In 1786 John White became surgeon aboard the HMS Irresistible, and four months later was appointed chief surgeon of the expedition to establish a convict settlement at Botany Bay. Below is an extract from his journal-

Botany Bay- 20th January 1788. “the boats sent to haul the seine returned, having had tolerable success. The fish they caught were bream, mullet, large rays, besides many other small species”

Before the colony of NSW was founded, fishermen had started beach seining in Botany Bay to provide fresh food for the First Fleet. In the early years of European settlement, fishermen kept the settlers alive by providing nutritious food while the initial crops failed. Without those fishermen, the colony would not have survived to become the country we know and love today.

As for the fish, those same species are still caught by our local fishermen in the NSW Ocean Haul and Estuary Haul fisheries using similar equipment and the same fishing method, 225 years later.

OceanWatch Australia, through our SeaNet program, have been proud to partner with the NSW Ocean Haul fishermen, NSW DPI Fisheries and Fisheries Research Development Corporation in recent research programs that have led to further sustainability improvements in the fishery. The fishermen involved, through their involvement in research and the adoption of more flexible working arrangements, are actively ensuring the fishery remains sustainable for the next 225 years while continuing the tradition of supplying fresh, local seafood to our community.

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OceanWatch Australia

Chairman’s message

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