Member Update

Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative's online meetings allow Members to engage with their management team regularly. A summary of the most recent meeting is provided below.

Update from Leith Teakle;

• Leith opened the online meeting as Marc was away for a Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals CEO roundtable.
• Leith shared that he recently attended a DPIRD workshop with the Rock Lobster Council and other fishery stakeholders to discuss the fisher weighing system. The consensus from the group was that a system where the registered receivers' graded weight was the declared weight deducted from a fisher's entitlement would be the preference. DPIRD will take the findings from the workshop and consult more broadly with industry. Any change will need to be captured in an amended fisheries management plan. Leith stated that no immediate changes are expected at the start of the new season.
• Leith introduced the 2025-26 Loyalty Scheme. As the program continues to deliver value to Members, there have been no significant changes to the scheme for the new season. The Loyalty Scheme infographic is shown below. This included GFC closure days to help fishers plan their fishing well in advance. Any changes to planned intake closure days will be communicated in advance.

Update from Michael May;

• Michael, GM of Supply Chain, introduced a series of new features being rolled out to the GFC Member App.
• Improvements have been prioritised based on Member feedback and will deliver improved usability and two-way communication between fishers and GFC. Check out the summary of these improvements in the slideshow here.
• Michael and Bryan discussed the changes, indicating that the time at which the beach price will be sent to Members will move forward to 4 pm to help with the new Trip Planning functionality on the App.

Update from Bryan Keay;

• Bryan told fishers that the season was set to finish on a good note, with low intake volumes in May and early June helping to support higher prices.
• More recently, demand has slowed as there are no major festivals or holidays in key export markets until September. 
• Increased supply was noted from New Zealand exporters, with their price premium declining compared to Australian species. Mexican exporters are expected to begin shipping in July when their season commences.
• Bryan shared the average beach price results for the season to date. In the coming weeks, a top-up payment email will communicate more information on this to Members.
• With a new season around the corner, Bryan shared some data with Members on anticipated winter demand and his estimations of where intake might adjust due to the lower lobster quota for next season. 

The next Member online meeting in mid-July will be scheduled soon. The meeting link will be emailed to Members before the meeting.

WA Economic Resilience Roundtable Debrief

CEO Marc Anderson shares his thoughts after receiving an invitation to contribute to the WA Economic Resilience Roundtable discussions earlier this month. 

Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative attended the WA Economic Resilience Roundtable, which Premier Roger Cook, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA, and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA jointly hosted. Read Marc's thoughts below:

The roundtable focused on enhancing collaboration between businesses and the government to strengthen WA's economic resilience. Key discussions included supply-chain infrastructure, sovereign capability, market diversification, and energy security.

While mining often dominates Western Australia's export landscape, food and agriculture play crucial roles in bolstering the state's economy and providing employment for many WA citizens in regional areas.

Collaborating and recognising the contributions of a broad range of sectors to our state's trade and economic resilience can have many benefits.

It was a privilege to represent our members in this forum and, indirectly, the contributions of the agricultural and co-operative sector in Western Australia at the roundtable.

GFC Launches Food Safety Culture Standard on World Food Safety Day

World Food Safety Day, celebrated on June 7th, aims to highlight the importance of safe food practices in ensuring public health and well-being. Food Safety is an important issue for everyone. It is estimated that 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food, and 420,000 die every year.

Food safety is essential to GFC as new frozen product variations are developed and audit/ compliance requirements increase in different markets.

The Quality team at GFC recently launched a Food Safety Culture Standard to build, assess and cultivate a strong food safety culture. The program is aligned with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), a leading authority and is built around five pillars: vision/ mission, people, procedures, hazard risk awareness, and continuous improvement. 

By fostering a robust food safety culture, GFC is dedicated to protecting public health and ensuring the highest standards in food safety practices.

WRL Council Announce New Catch Recording App in Development

Western Rock Lobster Council has teamed up with Diversus and Lapis IT to create a Catch Recording app aimed at transforming data collection for fishers.

This tool will enhance efficiency and decision-making by simplifying tasks, from pot tracking to catch recording. A cross-functional team of developers, marine consultants, technicians, and fishers will collaborate and test the app on real fishing trips. The Council will share more updates as the project progresses.

DPIRD's Annual Breeding Stock Survey Now Open

The Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development's Annual Breeding Stock Survey is now open. If Members are interested in contributing to this research and supporting sustainable practices, quotes for chartering vessels are due by August 2, 2025.

Read the Council's email for more details.

WAFIC Launches Podcast for Commercial Fishers

The WA Fishing Industry Council has launched a new podcast series to keep fishers informed about fisheries issues. The series features discussions with guests and industry experts who explore various topics and solutions.

According to WAFIC, many fishers prefer podcasts for convenience while working or driving. The first episode includes a conversation between WAFIC Chief Executive Melissa Haslam and Professor Paul McLeod, who discusses compensation methods from a report by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.

You can listen to the podcast here.

Head Space Cadets, The Final Push

As we near the final days of The Push-Up Challenge, the Head Space-Cadets have completed nearly 20,000 push-ups!! This challenge isn’t easy, much like breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health.

The Cadet team, an eclectic group of mental health champs, including your Chair Basil, former CEO Wayne Hosking, and Director Kent Stanton, has been hard at work, completing up to 230 push-ups a day! So far, they have raised nearly $3,000 to support the work of Headspace, Australia’s national youth mental health foundation.

With only a few days left in the challenge, there’s still time to help the team reach their goal of $5,000. Cheer on the Head Space Cadets by donating using the button below.

Your support can have a significant impact on raising awareness and providing essential mental health services. Remember, all donations over $2 are tax-deductible.

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