Tag Archives: Austral Fisheries
Australian lobster exports feared latest victim of China trade dispute
Tonnes of live Australian lobster are stranded on the tarmac at a Chinese airport, prompting fears they are the next victim in the ongoing trade dispute between Australia and China. The lobsters are facing Chinese customs clearance issues as exporters run out of time to get them into restaurants and shops before they are spoiled. A rejection of the lobsters or a further delay of more than 48 hours, would send a message that it is another trade strike after a year of rising tensions. In 2018-19 more than 94 per cent of Australia’s $752 million rock lobster exports went to China, >click to read< 08:17
Female first mate untangling the net of male-dominated fishing industry
Nadine Adams began her prawn trawling career as a cook a few years ago, but she has moved out of the kitchen since then and during the recent tiger prawn season was controlling operations on the deck of the FV Ocean Thief, which is part of the Austral Fisheries fleet. “The skipper’s in the wheelhouse most of the time so I’m the person down on the deck making sure things happen the way they should be,” Ms Adams said. “I was kind of itching to move on from the cook’s position, because I’d done it for a couple of years and learnt what I could there.” click here to read the story 11:57
Austral Fisheries charged over electrocution death on prawn trawler
One of Australia’s largest commercial fishing companies has been charged over the electrocution of a young man on a prawn trawler in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Ryan Donoghue, 20, died in 2013 while cutting rusted shackles using a 240-volt angle grinder which was plugged into a socket without a safety switch on Austral Fisheries Newfish 1 trawler. Mr Donoghues father Steven has spent the past three-and-a-half years pushing for a prosecution and better regulation of Australia’s maritime industry.,, Austral fisheries faces a maximum penalty of $1.5 million if found guilty. Click here to read the story 13:53
NT trawler electrocution death referred to prosecutors
A commercial fishing company and government regulators have been savaged over abysmal health and safety failures that led to the electrocution of a man on a prawn trawler. Ryan Donoghue, 20, was hit by a wave while using an angle grinder, not protected by a safety switch, on a trawler fishing in the Gulf of Carpentaria, in November 2013. In his inquest findings, Northern Territory coroner Greg Cavanagh referred the death to prosecutors and police, saying offences may have been committed. The workplace on board the Austral Fisheries-owned Newfish1 vessel was unsafe and dangerous and resulted in Mr Donoghue’s death, the Judge Cavanagh said on Friday. It also highlighted the “shameful” state of safety on a large number of fishing vessels. “The death of Ryan Donoghue was needless and a tragic waste of a young life,” the judge said. Read the rest here 19:59
NT coroner says Austral Fisheries should be prosecuted for fisherman’s death at sea
The Northern Territory coroner has told an inquest into a fatal electrocution on a prawn trawler that Austral Fisheries should be prosecuted for providing an unsafe workplace. Coroner Greg Cavanagh made the comment while the company’s chief executive David Carter was giving evidence about his knowledge of. Ryan Donoghue, 20, was using a 240-volt angle grinder, plugged into a socket without a safety switch, to cut rusted shackles on the company’s Newfish 1 trawler in 2013. Mr Donoghue had bare feet when a wave hit him and the trawler’s crew members were unable to revive him with CPR. “This workplace was unsafe,” Mr Cavanagh said. “I reckon that your workplace should be prosecuted for it, but no-one’s going to do it.” Video, Read the rest here 11:52
Is Austral Fisheries Legitimizing Sea Shepherd? In Pursuit of the Thunder
For the past 100 days Sea Shepherd’s flagship the Bob Barker has been chasing an illegal fishing vessel caught taking valuable Patagonian toothfish from Australian territorial waters off Heard Island in the Southern Ocean. The two ships were off the west coast of central Africa. Carter said although neither Sea Shepherd nor Austral could do much apart from pressure the illegal vessel FV Thunder, he had been “impressed” by the group’s commitment and wanted to help. Read the rest here 10:01
