A ‘Noble’ Win

Leonie Noble and Prof. George Kailis from the MG Kailis Group

Leonie Noble and Prof. George Kailis from the MG Kailis Group

Leonie Noble, a mother, business woman and leader, has shown an incredible passion for the seafood industry for the past 36 years and the community she lives in. Strongly motivated by her desire to ensure that everyone has a voice, she has been involved in 30+ Committees and Boards at a local, regional, state, national and now international level advocating for the Western Australian Seafood Industry including to advance the growth and development of people in the industry.

Her innovative ideas for positive change combined with her effective leadership style to mentor others and empower fishers has led her to become one of the industry’s respected leaders in all sectors and levels. Her hard work and dedication to the industry was recognised at this year’s 2017 State Seafood Award, winning the prestigious Michael Kailis Award proudly sponsored by the MG Kailis Group.

Working in the Cray fishing industry all her life, Noble moved to the Abrolhos Islands with her fisher husband and their three children in the early 1980s where she quickly realised that the industry needed a stronger voice in fisheries management decisions. From that point, she formed the group ‘Friends of Abrolhos in Western Australia’ with the strong desire to influence government decisions.

“The group started with six women around my kitchen table,” recalls Noble. Growing to 154 members in its prime, Friends of Abrolhos eventually became the local community go-to group, lobbying the government on issues regarding environmental closures and codes of conduct for stakeholder industries of the Abrolhos Islands. It also strongly represented the best interests of fishermen and fisherwomen across Australia.

From that point and in recognition of her energetic attitude, outstanding community leadership in both regional and rural Australia and the respect she had accumulated she was appointed to many Boards and Committees such as the Abrolhos Islands Management Advisory Committee (AIMAC) and the Rock Lobster Industry Advisory Committee (RLIAC) where she continued to change the way decisions were made.

Continuing to work with and for the Seafood Industry, Noble had a significant involvement in the implementation of the newly formed peak body for the seafood industry – Seafood Industry Australia and currently, she is the National President of the Women’s Industry Network Seafood Community (WINSC) – a national body representing the visibility of the women that work in the seafood community.

WA Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC) Chairman, Mr Clayton Nelson said Ms Noble has demonstrated that she has made a substantial positive difference to the seafood industry over many years and has been a highly effective and respected seafood industry leader.

“Ms Noble has been a participant in the fishing industry for the past 36 years and has come to be recognised as one of the most respected industry leaders.

“She underpins all her advice and actions around this, allowing her to make a substantial and sustained positive difference to the seafood industry.

“As an industry body, we recognise the importance of acknowledging those individuals and organisations who make a substantial contribution to benefiting our industry, and Leonie Noble, the first female winner of the award, is certainly worthy,” Mr Nelson concluded.

Find out more about WINSC and Leonie Noble: http://winsc.org.au/about-us/

Leonie Noble accepting the Michael Kailis Award sponsored by the MG Kailis Group

Leonie Noble accepting the Michael Kailis Award sponsored by the MG Kailis Group

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