Wallis Lake Fishermen’s Co-operative has finished its 70th birthday celebrations on a high with a $10,000 environmental grant from the Sydney Fish Market.
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The grant was presented to the Tuncurry-based business on Tuesday, November 21 to coincide with World Fisheries Day.
Funding will pay for more efficient crab traps, which is part of the co-op’s two-year sustainability collaborative project with Local Land Services and DPI-Fisheries, to reduce the capture of undersized crabs and other unwanted items.
The funding will enable Wallis Lake Co-operative to deploy new traps to all its crab fishers.
This is the third year the annual Sydney Fish Market Environmental Grant has been awarded to an individual, or group of fishers or aquacultures, who seek to improve their sustainable practices.
Manager, Suzie McEnallay, said the co-op was honoured to receive the grant.
The rewards to this grant are invaluable, and it’s fantastic to be able to end our 70th anniversary year on a high.
- Suzie McEnallay
“Members of the co-op fish for a range of species but crabs are a significant component of our business and the reason why this project is important to maintain sustainable fishing,” she said.
“The rewards to this grant are invaluable, and it’s fantastic to be able to end our 70th anniversary year on a high.”
The grant will help lead to less mortality of undersized crabs, improve the quality of legal crabs and the efficiency of handling them and help fishers adapt to the new legal size of blue swimmer crabs after changes coming to effect this December.
In addition, the project will give commercial fishers the opportunity to work with recreational fishers to improve their catching practices.
Sydney Fish Market general manager, Bryan Skepper, says: “We are proud to support and encourage responsible fishing practices and environmentally sustainable farming practices based on rigorous and sound science.
“Each of the grant applicants were examined by a panel of industry leaders from OceanWatch Australia and Sydney Fish Market.
“We considered each candidate carefully for their overall aim to improve fishing practices with innovative ideas and practices.
“We are looking forward to the outcome of the work that will be undertaken by Wallis Lake Fishermen’s Co-operative with Local Land Services and DPI-Fisheries.
“At the conclusion of the project, we are planning to head out to Wallis Lake Fishermen’s Co-op to see their work first-hand, and to showcase their sustainable crab traps to the rest of the fishing community.”
World Fisheries Day, which is celebrated on November 21 each year, brings together fishing communities and highlights the importance of maintaining the world’s fishery habitats.
It also raises awareness in the critical relationship between humans and water and the need to improve global fishing standards and practices.
Founded in 1947, Wallis Lake Fishermen's Co-operative offers fresh seafood on the coast.
The seafood comes directly from the boat to the shop seven days a week.
