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

Member Update

Update from Marc Anderson

• Marc thanked members for their participation in the AGM and announced the re-election of directors Chris Karlberg and Darren Bailey. An overview of resolutions passed at the AGM was also provided. Marc also thanked the unsuccessful director nominees.
• Marc and Basil visited Canberra to meet with various Ministers and stakeholders to discuss a range of topics. Marc shared with viewers that there was positive engagement from the visit and emphasised the importance of advocating for GFC and the industry at every opportunity.
• Marc provided the Two Rocks Marina update – further details are provided later in this edition.

Update from Leith Teakle

• Leith provided an update on the relocation of the head office, noting that the administrative building at 11 Ocean Street has been sold to the Midwest Port Authority. GFC will lease a new property at 75 Marine Terrace in Geraldton for admin staff, with the team expected to move in the new year. There is no impact on truck and bait operations from the Ocean Street site in the medium term.
• Leith provided an update on trip confirmations on the Member App, emphasising the importance of the accuracy of this data for eligibility in the 25-cent scheme.
• Leith also announced a $3.15/kg loyalty payment for the period July to October, which will be paid on December 4th, and mentioned that the minimum shareholding requirement has increased to 50,000. More details on these top-up payments were emailed to Members on Friday, November 14th.

Update from Bryan Keay

• Bryan presented a market update, noting that intake is 4% ahead of 2024 levels, with around 20% of intake already caught.
• Bryan forecast lobster beach prices by size, predicting lower prices in December as is expected at that time of year. Bryan also shared recent data on pricing and volumes of smaller grades compared to previous seasons.

The following Member online meeting, scheduled for mid-December will be announced soon. The meeting link will be emailed to Members before the meeting.

Co-operative Principles in Action at Our Annual General Meeting.

Thank you to all Members who attended and contributed at the Annual General Meeting earlier this month.

It's inspiring to see the internationally agreed Co-operative principles come to life in this forum: democratic member control, economic participation, and concern for community and the fishery. Ideas and questions flowed freely, and discussions extended to the future of our industry and the communities we operate in.

Market Trip Updates - Recent China Expos.

GFC recently participated in two major trade shows in China: the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai and the Qingdao trade show. These events provided an exceptional platform to strengthen relationships and highlight the quality and sustainability of Brolos lobsters to domestic and international buyers.

The 8th CIIE attracted over 4,100 overseas exhibitors from 155 countries. GFC participated at DPIRD's WA Showcase stand alongside around 20 local brands, including a breadth of WA producers from horticulture and honey. GFC was even invited to attend a China Central Television (CCTV) live simulcast event, where we presented the latest product news to an audience across China.

The Qingdao Seafood Show, or China Fisheries and Seafood Expo, is an established, specialised seafood show in northern China. Around 1600 exhibitors from over 50 countries welcomed around 40,000 visitors over three days, providing an important business development and connection opportunity to the sales team.

You can read more about WA's participation at CIIE here.

Lobster Legend Program - Celebrating Excellence & Inspiring Greatness.

Each month, GFC recognises outstanding team members through the Lobster Legend Program. This peer-nominated initiative celebrates GFC employees who embody our core values (Safety, Productivity, Continuous Improvement, Quality and Respect) and go above and beyond for our co-operative.

In October, we recognised two very worthy recipients, Mulin Jiang and Sheen Oishi from Welshpool. Read their nomination reason below:

"When faced with a last-minute flight delay, Mulin and Sheen didn’t just step up – they turned an impossible schedule into a quick, smart fix on the line. Their swift action saved 30 pre-packed boxes from going back into the tank, preventing product loss for both the Coop and our customers."

Congratulations, Sheen and Mulin, and thanks for your contributions! We'll bring you more Lobster Legends in future editions.

Driving Sustainability Through Innovation in WA's Rock Lobster Fishery. 

Western Australia’s rock lobster industry has a proud history of world-leading sustainability, underpinned by decades of rigorous research and monitoring. Recently, there have been some exciting developments, with cutting-edge projects that combine science, technology, and collaboration with commercial fishers.

One initiative, the FishSOOP program, is transforming ocean knowledge by equipping lobster vessels with sensors that record sub-surface temperature data. This collaboration between researchers and fishers is creating a “transformational” dataset to improve understanding of ocean warming, marine heatwaves, and their impact on fisheries productivity. Read more at ABC News.

Meanwhile, the PotBots project is giving scientists “X-cray vision” beneath the waves. High-definition cameras installed in lobster pots capture seafloor habitats and species interactions, while also collecting data on water temperature and depth.

This technology helps track climate change impacts, stock dynamics, and supports long-term sustainability goals. These projects reflect our industry’s proactive approach to maintaining sustainability certifications and the important role fishers play in delivering these global benchmark research projects to safeguard our fishery for the future.

Tasmanian Rock Lobster Industry Paused Due to Antibiotic Usage in Salmon Farms.

Tasmania's southern rock lobster industry has been rocked by sudden closures after salmon farms deployed the antibiotic florfenicol to combat a bacterial outbreak. Authorities shut two fishing zones just hours after the season opened, citing concerns that antibiotic residues could jeopardise access to some export markets, according to the ABC. 

The closures follow emergency approval for florfenicol after a mass salmon mortality event, with more than 700kg of antibiotics used in two weeks across three sites in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel.

While health officials say there's no evidence of harm to consumers, the precautionary move underscores the reputational and trade risks posed by aquaculture practices near wild fisheries, Pulse Tasmania said. 

While Western Australia has no large-scale salmon farming, our thoughts are with our rock lobster fishing colleagues in Tasmania, who are facing a frustrating wait for authorities to give the go-ahead to return to the water.

Two Rocks Marina Wharf Service Update.

The Department of Transport has issued updated guidelines for berth use at Two Rocks Marina to ensure smooth operations for all users.

• Fuelling: Please use the dedicated berth on the western main wharf for refuelling only. Loading or unloading at this berth is not permitted.
• Boat Lifting Bay & Adjacent Southern Bay: The Department will schedule lifts between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. over the coming weeks. Lift times will be shared weekly, with updates provided if changes occur. Fishing depots are requested to notify the Department when these berths will be required to prevent conflicts.
• General Berth Use: Once loading or unloading is complete, please move your vessel promptly to allow others access. Do not store items on jetties that could block access to the area.

For any further queries, contact the GFC Two Rocks Depot Manager (Judy Dann, 0427 664 457) and the Department of Transport Senior Project Officer (Stefanie Braun, 0460 034 186). We’ll continue to share updates from the Department on the Two Rocks Marina.

Geraldton Lives Facility Tours Will be Returning Soon!

We're excited to share that tours of Geraldton Lives will soon begin!

Just like a reboot of a popular TV series or movie franchise, the tours have had a facelift thanks to the crew from New Leaf Connect in Dongara. New Leaf Connect specialise in unique and exclusive experiences in the Midwest. 

The new Ocean Harvest Tour offers visitors an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the contributions Geraldton Harbour makes to the local economy. 
This unique experience showcases two of the region's biggest marine sectors: boatbuilding and rock lobster processing.

Guests will have the opportunity to visit Dongara Marine, and then step inside the Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative to learn how we look after and prepare Brolos lobster for markets around the corner and the globe. 

The tour concludes with a tasting of fresh crayfish overlooking the harbour near Brolos Fresh and Barnacles. 

We're excited to partner with New Leaf Connect to share the story of our industry, its innovation, and its contributions to local communities. 

Geraldton: Behind-The-Scenes Ocean Harvest Tour | GetYourGuide

Reminder to Download Your Favourite 75th Dinner Images.

In the last edition, we shared a link to images of the Geraldton and Fremantle anniversary events held in October. If you didn't get a chance to download your favourite memories from the night, click the buttons below to save yours today!