SIV Members

Seafood Industry Victoria's role is to disseminate the flow of information from Government (State and Federal) to the industry, and to keep the lines of communication open between the commercial fisherman and governments. Associations or fishing industry groups can become members through annual membership fees. These annual fees allow SIV to act on the behalf of associated seafood and fishing industry groups and to provide industry support where necessary.

SIV can provide support by responding on a range of subjects including;

• fisheries legislation,
• licensing and access issues,
• development and licensing of new fisheries,
• marine parks,
• fisheries management plans,
• native title,
• quota allocation,
• environmental issues,
• introduction of quality assurance programs,
• representation on industry training boards,
• developing educational materials for school students and the general public,
• research and development applications,
• media enquiries,
• press releases and
• marketing and promotion of seafood products.

SIV also has a Board of Directors that are appointed at the annual general meeting each year. The Board of Directors is representative of both the primary (catching) sector and secondary (post harvest) sectors of the fishing-seafood industry. There are also various sub-committees that operate under the direction of the Board of Directors.

For more information on becoming an associated member please call or email the SIV office.

Board of Directors

Mr John Hasker AM Independent Chair hasker@bigpond.com John was first appointed as the inaugural independent Chair of SIV in 2008 following a change to the SIV rules that the chair had to be independent (of the Victorian fishing industry). The role is subject to annual re-appointment by the SIV Board in September each year. John has been a professional Company Director for the last 15 years following a period where he was CEO of three large publicly listed corporations. Over that time, John has particularly specialised as Board Chair covering some 15 corporations, spanning energy, blood, wine, education, medical research and agribusiness. He was also at one time a non executive director of the Tasmanian based fishing company Tassal Ltd and the agribusiness company Pivot. He is a keen sportsman having captained Victoria in athletics, played 250 games of lacrosse and umpired 350 games of Aussie Rules. John is married to Jenny and spends his time between the Yarra Valley and a flat in Melbourne.

Mr Arthur Allen Retail (Secondary) lefcol@lefcol.com.au A fifth generation Gippsland lakes fisherman, Arthur commenced fishing at the completion of Higher School Certificate in 1974 and spent seven years Danish Seining out of Lakes Entrance. In 1981 Arthur joined his father in the Gippsland Lakes and taking over the family business upon his father's retirement and is still actively involved in the fishery.  Arthur has had a long involvement with industry, being involved in the establishment of the Victorian Fishing Industry Federation (VFIF), now known as Seafood Industry Victoria, and has served 3 separate terms as director and is currently deputy chair. Locally Arthur is the long serving secretary of the East Gippsland Estuarine Fisherman's Association.  As well he is a director of LEFTRADE Limited, a company involved in the sale of fishing gear, fuel and fish, both wholesale and retail.  Arthur is also a director of McLaughlin Consolidated Fishermen, a major agent in the Melbourne fish market, and has served on the bay and inlet committee of Co Management Council and is currently a deputy on the Commercial Fishery licensing appeals Panel. With wife Dianne, Arthur lives in Lakes Entrance and they have five children and seven grandchildren.

Mr Andrew Watts Scallop abhunterfishing@dodo.com.au

Mr Gary Leonard Purse Seine/Ocean Access gm.leonard@southernphone.com.au

Gary has been fishing in the Gippsland Lakes since 1990 and purchased licences (Gippsland Lakes & Ocean Access) in late 1993. He has worked and observed on several vessels using methods such as Scallop Dredge, Purse Seine, Danish Seine, Prawn Trawl and Mussel Diving. This experience has given him knowledge and understanding of several different fishing practices and some of the challenges they face. Gary also serves as President of the East Gippsland Estuarine Fishermans Association (EGEFA), and is a foundation member and Chairman of the Victorian Bays and Inlets Fisheries Association (VBIFA). The committee and members of VBIFA were successful in developing and launching the Bay and Inlet Environmental Management System in 2005. Gary is a director of LEFTRADE LTD; the company provides Fuel, Nets & Gear and Fish Retail/Wholesale to the fishing industry and public. He is the commercial fishing industry representative on the new Fisheries Consultative Body and is a Qualified Trainer and Assessor in the Vocational Education and Training sector and is registered as an Associate Auditor with RAB-QSA; scoped in Seafood Operations & Food Transport and Warehousing Operations. Gary has a Diploma of the Seafood Industry (Fishing Operations), Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment, Statement of Attainment  QSA-AU Management Systems Auditing, QSA-FS Auditing Food Safety Management Systems, HACCP Principles and has partially completed a Diploma in Conservation and Land Management. He is a keen surfer, snowboarder and likes to have a hit of golf for a change of pace. Gary lives in Lakes Entrance with his wife Malissa and their three children.   Mr Geoff Ellis Abalone geoff@tyers.net.au Geoff is a Barrister and Soliciter with a current practising certificate. Geoff is CEO of the Eastern Zone Abalone Industry Association as well as the Eastern Victorian Sea Urchin Divers Association. Geoff also commits his time to being the independant chair of the Abalone Fisherman's Co-operative Ltd based in Mallacoota.

VACANT Trawl/Inshore

Mrs Maria Manias Bay and Inlet bayfish@bigpond.com Maria has been involved with commercial fisheries since 1984, initially with the Victorian Scallop fishery as Business Administrator of their family run business.  Whilst their owner/operator business concentrated on scallop fishing operations, Maria also explored shark, crayfish, wrasse and the wildharvest scalefish fisheries in both State and Commonwealth waters whilst being a member on State and Commonwealth management and advisory committees. Later Maria joined and became the Executive Officer of the ‘Victorian Fishery Association into Resource Management' known as VFARM.  This organisation represents the majority of access license holders of the Port Phillip/Westernport Bay commercial fishery.  Maria's roles are varied and include administrative, consultative and advisory. Apart from Maria's commitment to SIV and VFARM, she is also the Victorian director of the Women's Industry Network Seafood Community known as WINSC.  WINSC is a national womens' organisation dedicated to training, support and development for women to pursue leadership roles and corporate positions, so they can provide professional and valuable input on important issues affecting women in Primary Industry, in particular, commercial fisheries. Other positions held: Board member of Primary Skills Victoria, Steering committee member of Seafood Directions 2010, Steering committee member of Fisheries Victoria

Mr Anthony Ciconte Rocklobster anthony@redlegs.net Anthony became involved in the Fishing Industry approximately 12 years ago with an interest of understanding the environmental and economic opportunities and impacts presented within industry.  He then became a director of Alive Seafood Exports which originally started as a family business over 20 years ago.  Since then, Alive Seafood Exports and its trademark "Redlegs" has grown to become one the largest exporters of live Southern Rock Lobster in Australia.   Anthony is also a director of Australian Crayfish Enterprises - another vertically integrated company which manages a fleet of boats fishing in the South East Scalefish and Shark Fishery. In addition, Anthony is a director of CFA (Commonwealth Fisherman's Association) and Treasurer and Executive of SETFIA (South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association). Anthony is also a member on various Management Advisory Committee's and Resource Assessment groups in both Commonwealth and State fisheries. After serving 12 months as a SIV director, he brings a vast amount of knowledge and industry representation with him for his next term in this role.

Mr Vin Gannon Casual vin@searead.net

Mr Vince Collins Processor (Secondary) vince@lonimar.com.au

Associations

 Association Members