WA Seafood Industry Awards showcase excellence and innovation
The best of the best of Western Australia’s seafood industry were in the spotlight when the winners of the 2024 WA Seafood Industry Awards were announced at a gala event at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle on Friday 3 May.
Hosted by the WA Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC), the event was supported by a number of sponsors including, Gold event sponsors; Wester Rock Lobster and Taylor Marine, along with Silver event sponsors, Sunderland Marine and Fins Seafood, as well as Award sponsors for each of the individual awards and seafood contributor sponsors.
The Awards event, recognising excellence, sustainability and innovation in the WA seafood industry, were held at The Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle and opened by Minister for Fisheries Hon Don Punch MLA in front of a large audience of more than 350 industry participants and seafood representatives.
Nominations for the Awards were received in March and winners were selected by a panel of judges, Wines of WA Chief Executive Officer, Larry Jorgenson, Food Writer Margaret Johnson and Western Rock Lobster Chief Executive Officer, Matt Taylor.
WAFIC’s Chief Executive Officer, Darryl Hockey said the awards are an important event in the seafood industry calendar.
“The seafood awards a great opportunity for seafood businesses to come together to celebrate and acknowledge our industry’s achievements. These successes are made more significant in recent times by the challenges facing the seafood industry, such as the security of resource access, international trade and transport issues, the constant pressures of red tape and the inconsistent approaches to stakeholder consultation.
“Despite the challenges, the Western Australian seafood industry stands strong and remains an important economic and regional development driver, supplying world-class seafood and food security to the State.
“WA seafood is a billion dollar industry and is a major employer for WA, particularly in our regional centres and coastal towns, and the winners of these awards are a fantastic example of how Western Australia can deliver a world-class, sustainable food industry.”
“I am always impressed at the scope and diversity of the award nominees, particularly some of the women who are now taking on leading roles in the industry and laying the foundations for the future,” Mr Hockey said.
The event was a huge success with attendees enjoying an array of fresh, local and sustainably caught Australian seafood prepared by celebrity chefs including; Brad Adams (Rare Foods Australia – Producer Chef), Liam Atkinson (Le Rebelle & Bar Rogue), Damien Bell (Bellbuoy Seafoods – Producer Chef), Scott Bridger (Bib & Tucker), Steven Finch (Indigo Oscar), Neil Forbes (Black Pearl Oyster Shucking), Danny Matthews (The Seasonal Brewing Co), Leigh Nash (Norfolk Hotel), Leigh Power (Shui Subiaco), Navarre Top (Double Rainbow Eating House), Sam Vial (Wollaston Fish & Chips) and Chase Weber (Gorilla BBQ & Consultant to Kaarla Restaurant – Singapore) prepared an array of delicious food at the event.
Award event attendees enjoyed an array of fresh, local and sustainably caught Western Australian seafood prepared by the celebrity chefs and kindly donated by sponsors including; Albany Sardines, Archipelago Octopus, Austral Fisheries, BellBuoy Seafoods, Bowithick, Brown Dog Fishing Co, Endeavour Foods, Esperance Seafood, Fins Seafood, Fremantle Seaweed, Huon, Leeuwin Coast, Lobster Shack, Ocean Wild Tuna, Paspaley Pearling Company, Rare Foods Australia, Sabea Fishing Co, Seafresh Group, Sea Harvest, Shark Bay Cockles, Two Rocks Tentacles, WA Chips, Westmore Seafoods and Wollaston Fish & Chips all served in compostable packaging provided by Ward Packaging.
Winners of 13 of the award categories receive automatic entry into the Australian Seafood Industry Awards which will be held in conjunction with the 2024 Seafood Directions Conference. The Deckhand Award, is a WA-only accredited Award. This award has been established to recognise and reward the contributions and achievements of those at the coal-face of our industry.
The following Awards were presented across the 14 categories:
Seafood Restaurant Award (sponsored by Endeavour Foods)
Awarded to Art of Seafood
Take-Away Fish & Chips Award (Sponsored by WA Chip)
Awarded to Hooked On Middleton Beach
Seafood Industry Producer Award (sponsored by Western Rock Lobster)
Awarded to Sea Harvest Australia
Seafood Business (Large) Award (sponsored by Baker Refrigeration)
Awarded to Fins Seafood
Seafood Business (Small) Award (sponsored by Francis A Jones)
Awarded to The Fisho
Health & Safety Award (sponsored by Sea Harvest Australia)
Awarded to Brett McCallum
Research Development & Extension Award (sponsored by Fisheries Research & Development Corporation – FRDC)
Awarded to Marine Fish Hatchery, DPIRD
Environment Award (sponsored by Ward Packaging)
Awarded to The Fisherman’s Daughter (Mandy Collinson)
People Development Award (sponsored by Chevron Australia)
Awarded to Workpower
Seafood Industry Promotion Award (sponsored by Aquarius Lawyers)
Awarded to Western Rock Lobster
Seafood Experience Award (sponsored by Austral Fisheries)
Awarded to Sea West WA
Young Achievers Award (sponsored by Woodside Energy)
Awarded to Sophie Sharland
Deckhand Award (sponsored by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development – DPIRD)
Awarded to Max Adams
Michael & Patricia Kailis Leadership Award (sponsored by MG Kailis)
Awarded to Angus Callander