Our Members and the Local Commercial Fishery

Adopting a delicate balance between commercial fishing, community interest and the environment, is one that members of the Professional Fishermen’s Association Inc. take very seriously.

Sustainability is the first and foremost issue on the minds of commercial fishers as their livelihoods are reliant on healthy fish stocks and healthy environments into the future. Off-stream impacts can and do have a dramatic impact on habitat and fish populations.

Without fish stocks there are no fisheries to manage. Industry driven initiatives like seasonal and permanent closures, improvements in nets, reduced effort, mandatory bycatch reduction devices are just some of the changes introduced and supported by industry.

Commercial fishing has been a part of the NSW society since white settlement and continues today to play an important part of the social and economic fabric of communities along the coastline. Professional fishers play an integral role by supplying sustainable wild harvest local seafood to the community.

A collective voice is extremely important to ensure strong and effective communication between members, the government/s and other community stakeholders. This collective voice is heard through the PFA. There is a wide range of issues that impact on commercial fishing and the PFA is the voice of fishers through many forums.

The PFA does not represent Fishing Co-operatives. It specifically represents its own members which includes members of a range of fishing cooperatives along the coast plus many individual commercial fishers. The PFA was established to maintain professional fisher’s rights including access and habitat issues whilst encouraging
members to meet their obligations and be proactive in the management of fish resources.

Some of the services provided by the PFA include:

• transparent policy formulation in collaboration with fishers;
• updates to fishers from stakeholder and vice versa;
• distribute information on matters of interest to fishers and
  matters of potential impact to fishers;
• information on opportunities and developments;
• updates fishers on the latest research and development
  findings and encourage the adoption of these;
• a forum for negotiating on contentious issues;
• forums and support through initiatives such as the ‘Men’s Shed’
  to address psychological, emotional, financial and social
  issues;
• assistance to access government exceptional circumstances
  programs;
• media representation for the local fishing industry;
• media advice and assistance with fisher initiatives; and
• representing the industry at all levels of Government including
  Federal, State and Local.

PFA members are represented by their Executive Officer, John Harrison.

John’s role is diverse though his main focus is to provide a voice for professional fishers to Government (Federal, State, Local) and key stakeholder groups including NSW Fisheries, National Parks, Industry Affiliates and community groups to name a few.

John’s professional background includes roles as CEO of Recfish Australia and as Executive Director of the Amateur Fishermen’s Association of NT. He has been or is a member of: the NSW Seafood Industry Advisory Council, Commonwealth Fisheries Research Advisory Board, National Oceans Advisory Group, National Shark Recovery
Group, Co-management of Fisheries Task Force, Aquatic Animal Working Group, National Wetlands Advisory Group, a Director of the Fisheries Research & Development Corporation, a Director of WetlandCare Australia and a director of the Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries.

John assists members in addressing a range of issues with particular attention to proactive environmental management of individual fisheries. His strong negotiation skills continue to ensure resource security, habitat focus and investment certainty for members.

Membership to the PFA is available to any NSW wild harvest commercial fisher.

Contact details are jharrison@pfai.com.au or 04 29303371.