Meet Our Team

Brad Warren – Executive Chairman

Brad, a commercial fisher for the past 18 years, has been a Board Member since 2003. Brad has been an owner/operator in the New South Wales lobster, estuary prawn trawl, trap and line and estuary general fisheries. Brad’s enormous capacity to forge effective working relations with government, industry and the community is based on his broad experience as an owner/operator and in representing the fishing industry in diverse forums.

Lowri Pryce – Executive Officer

Lowri is originally from Wales, and holds a Masters degree in Environment and Planning from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Lowri has previously worked in the UK Arts, corporate and non-for-profit sectors managing large-scale community and corporate sponsorship projects, in marine conservation advocacy & research, and within the yachting industry.

Eduardo Gallo – Administration Officer

Eduardo has a background in biodiversity conservation with experience in the not-for profit sector. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Environmental Science. His experience combines research, environmental education, as well as various administrative support roles. He has worked, prior to joining OceanWatch Australia, for Birds Australia and Conservation Volunteers Australia. His aim is to provide administrative support to make sure all projects on the ground are meeting our targets to contribute to the sustainability of Australia’s seafood industry.

SeaNet Team

Dave Kreutz – Extension Officer, SeaNet – Southern Queensland

Prior to starting with OceanWatch, Dave had been a professional fisher in various NSW offshore and estuary fisheries and a skipper in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (ETBF). He has been involved with Threat Abatement Plans, Pelagic Working Groups and underwater setting chute programs. He also is a committee member of Southern Seabird Solutions, an international body for the promotion and implementation of “Seabird Friendly” sustainable fishing practices. Dave’s ambition is to continue to work with fishers to make the Australian ETBF a world leading environmentally sustainable pelagic fishery for seabirds, turtles and other by-catch species. Dave is based in Mooloolaba, QLD.

David Schubert – Extension Officer, SeaNet – Northern Queensland

David is located in Townsville, North Queensland. He attained a Bachelor of applied Science in Fisheries from the Australian Maritime College Beauty Point Tasmania.  For the past three years has worked as a fisheries observer for AFMA, working throughout most Australian Commonwealth fisheries, High Seas and more recently Antarctic waters.   His aim is to work closely with local stakeholders, to develop ideas for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly industry through evolving gear technology.

Michael Wooden – Extension Officer, SeaNet – New South Wales 

Michael has extensive experience working with commercial fishers, through his previous employment with the NSW DPI in Cronulla, and recently with the NSW DPI Fisheries Conservation Technology Unit in Coffs Harbour. Michael has a Bachelor of Science degree (Fisheries Management and Aquaculture) and recently completed a Masters degree by research through the UNE- National Marine Science Centre. Michael has worked on numerous research projects which addressed species selectivity and bycatch reduction; in otter trawl, seine nets and traps.

Anita Paulsen – Extension Officer, SeaNet – Tasmania

Anita has spent time at sea in various commercial fishing sectors in Tasmania and for the past 10 years co-owned and managed a processing facility in St. Helens that specialised in the handling of live fish. Anita holds a certificate in Aquaculture and has been an industry member on various boards. She is proud and passionate about Tasmania’s seafood industry and is excited about utilising her experience and knowledge to enhance industry practises.

Nathan Bicknell – Extension Officer, SeaNet – South Australia 

Nathan’s background to commercial fishing began at an early age, growing up in a fishing family in Pt Lincoln South Australia.  This exposure to the marine environment fostered a passion for the marine life. Pursuing this passion he obtained a bachelor degree in Fisheries and Aquaculture management at Southern Cross University NSW. After graduation, he went worked with AFMA as Fisheries Observer onboard Commonwealth vessels throughout Australian and in international waters. He has contributed to a variety of new and ongoing research and development programs. Nathan returned to SA and joined OceanWatch Australia as the states SeaNet Extension Officer, based in Port Adelaide.

Lyn Lambeth – Extension Officer, SeaNet – Northern Territory

Lyn has been associated with the fishing industry for many years, as a crew member and owner-operator in various fisheries in northern WA and the Northern Territory. After completing a fisheries science degree at the Australian Maritime College in the 1990′s she worked extensively with small-scale fisheries throughout the Pacific before returning to Australia. Lyn has been more recently known among the NT fishing fraternity as co-owner of a Spanish mackerel boat and work on the wharf refuelling fishing boats.

Steve Hay - Extension Officer, SeaNet – Victoria

Steve holds a BSc in Marine Biology from the University of Melbourne and a Dipl. of Public Administration & Policy from the University of Canberra attained whilst working for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries where he did a stint with Domestic Fisheries and AQIS. Having spent time with DAFF, he has  an understanding of the many issues facing natural resource management and the channels required to address them. He  grew up in Harrington near the fishing village of Crowdy Head on the mid-North coast of NSW, has always been affiliated with all things salty and hopes to make a positive contribution to the seafood industry, community at large (especially the education system) and the aquatic environment.

Jay Shoesmith - Extension Officer, SeaNet – Western Australia

Jay studied at the Australian Maritime College Beauty Point, Tasmania, where he completed a Bachelor of Administration (Marine Resources). He later moved back to his home state Queensland and worked for Fisheries Queensland in the Long Term Monitoring Program. He has worked on fisheries dependant and independent surveys and spent time at sea. Jay is excited about promoting Western Australian sustainable fishing practices to the community, and working on new ideas with stakeholders. Jay works from the WAFIC office in Fremantle.    

Tide to Table Team

Simon Rowe – Tide to Table Program Manager

Simon has a BSc (Urban & Environmental Horticulture) with Honours in mine site rehabilitation from UTS. He has worked sampling for pesticides with the NSW EPA in Leeton and Moree, designed & implemented landscapes, sampled landfills and other contaminated sites in Sydney and had a stint in Berlin. Simon has successfully developed the Tide to Table program which includes NRM projects to benefit farmers, seafood producers & communities, by rehabilitating coastal & estuarine habitats. He is very effective in working constructively with farmers, fishers, local councils  and community and landcare/bushcare groups, securing the future productivity of the seafood industry.

Michelle Haase – Project Manager, Tide to Table – Bundaberg

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Protected Area Management from UQ (Gatton Campus). Michelle has an extensive background in developing and implementing NRM projects, and supporting community based landcare & bushcare groups. Michelle has worked for both government and non-government community groups, at a state, local and regional level. Having worked with rural, peri-urban, urban and coastal community groups Michelle has a comprehensive understanding of the diverse NRM issues facing local councils, CMA’s, landcare/bushcare groups, farmers/graziers, and rural communities. She is committed to supporting community groups in progressing their projects to on-ground action, and implementing projects in accordance with accepted best practice management.

Patrick Sachs – Project Officer, Tide to Table – South East Queensland

Patrick has a Bachelor of Science in Aquatic Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Masters of Environmental Science specialising in Marine Ecology and Management from the National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour, NSW. For the past 3 years Patrick has worked for the NSW government in a research and educational capacity while consulting to Telstra as a GIS Technician. Patrick has worked extensively on local and state wide monitoring programs of reef fish assemblages using Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations (BRUVS). He has managed estuary and creek sampling programs and delivered numerous educational activities to the public. Patrick is committed to promoting and fostering industry and community participation and stewardship through the identification, rehabilitation and monitoring of critical habitat.

Seafood Industry Partnerships in Schools

Jennifer Hemer – Project Officer, Tasmania

Jennifer has a Bachelor of Science (Zoology and Botany) and Bachelor of Antarctic Studies with Honours from the University of Tasmania. She completed a Master of Science in fisheries biology at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in Ireland.  For the past 10 years Jennifer has worked in a range of marine and environmental education and science communication roles.  She has experience working with teachers, industry, research and local interest groups to develop learning programs for schools and communities.  By combining her work and sea going experience, and her passion for the marine environment, Jennifer hopes to make a contribution to understanding marine resource utilisation through the Seafood Industry Partnerships in Schools programs.

NSW Oyster Industry: Environmental Management Systems

Andy Myers – Project Officer, New South Wales 

Andy has a background in Marine Biology & Coastal Management (Masters). Since graduating in 2004 from Sydney University, Andy was initially involved in marine data management, helping to establish BlueNet (Australian Marine Science Data Network) through the Australian National University. He has also been employed as a Project Manager with the Reef Life Survey, undertaking scientific monitoring of reef habitats through detailed biodiversity surveys. With a particular interest in coastal water quality issues, Andy leads the water quality committee for the Surfrider Foundation in Sydney. He has a passion for quality, sustainable seafood which he brings to this position.