Seven individuals and businesses, who have each made a meaningful contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand’s seafood industry, were celebrated today at the ninth annual Seafood Stars Awards. The Awards were held at the end of the 2024 Seafood New Zealand Conference in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
Lisa Futschek, Seafood New Zealand CEO, said it was a pleasure to recognise so many passionate, committed kaitiaki of our moana.
“We have such a strong mix of people and new innovations, from an AI system to help fishers reduce bycatch and discards to acknowledging one of our big companies that has managed to achieve an incredible reduction in its carbon footprint by 24%.
“Our Seafood Stars have also evolved over time. This year we have two new awards to reflect our work to make sure we are a sector that is both safe and inclusive for all – the ACC Workplace Safety and Wellbeing Award and the WISA – Champions of Women in Seafood Award.
“Our ACC Workplace and Wellbeing Award champion is FirstMate, the national charity that provides essential support to fishers and their whānau when times are tough. And our WISA – Champions of Women in Seafood Award champion is Emma Thompson, who has tirelessly worked to improve the industry’s social license in the media and also produced the highly successful Seafood Saturday festival in Nelson in 2023 and 2024.
“Seafood New Zealand’s own Rosa Edwards was nominated seven times for the Young Achiever Award. She was instrumental in helping fishers to implement seabird mitigation measures in the surface longline fleet that often go above and beyond what will soon become regulation, and was a big support to fishers through the North Island Weather Event.
“We have two winners of the Future Adaptation Award. The first is Dom Talijancich, who created ‘Deep Set Fishing Technology’, which combines an underwater camera, advanced species recognition software, and real-time data transmission to enable more selective and responsible fishing methods.
“The second Future Adaptation Award winner is Sealord, which has managed to achieve an incredible reduction in its carbon footprint by 24% through the reduction in fuel consumption across its fleet, by ensuring more frequent maintenance programmes on some vessels, more efficient fuel usage generally and the retirement of Sealord’s chartered vessel. And their quest to further reduce plastic usage continues.
“And finally, our two Lifetime Membership Award champions are Laws Lawson and Doug Saunders-Loder. Laws has worked on the design and implementation of the Māori fisheries and aquaculture settlements, and was the inaugural chair and CEO of Fisheries Inshore New Zealand.
“Doug, over his long career, has held various roles, including as a cray fisher, Resource Manager for Talley's Group, and has been President of the New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen for 21 years.
“The Seafood Stars Awards are our chance to celebrate some of our – those people who go above and beyond for our sector, and who play a big part in enabling us to deliver sustainable, low-carbon, nutritious and delicious NZ seafood here at home and right across the globe. It’s important we take time to recognise these people.
"My warmest congratulations to each and every winner – kei runga noa atu koutou!”
ENDS
The 2024 Seafood Stars Award winners are:
Future Adaptation Award
Presented to the entity or individual that has adapted their fishing or processing practices to:
- Reduce their carbon footprint,
- Reduce waste,
- Reduce adverse impacts on the marine environment, or protected species
Joint winners: Dom Talijancich and Sealord
Dom Talijancich is the founder of Advanced Conservation Solutions (ACS) and practicing fisherman as the skipper of the FV Mako. His groundbreaking 'Deep Set Fishing Technology' is a game-changer for sustainable fishing practices and is a new tool that takes sustainable fishing to the next level. This pioneering system combines an underwater camera, advanced species recognition software, and real-time data transmission to enable more selective and responsible fishing methods. The technology allows fishermen to make informed decisions, reducing bycatch and discards. Shorter tows also mean less contact with the seafloor, which is another sustainability goal.
Sealord has reduced its carbon footprint by 24%. This reduction of 27,000 tonnes of carbon has largely been achieved through the reduction in fuel consumption across its fleet, by ensuring more frequent maintenance programmes on some vessels, more efficient fuel usage generally and the retirement of Sealord’s chartered vessel The Professor. They are looking to reduce plastic use further by installing automatic pallet wrappers, which can stretch the wrap up by up to 70%. Recycling is commonplace across all their sites and a waste management programme is underway for vessels when they discharge, to further avoid waste going to landfill. On top of that, Sealord has installed new water efficient showerheads at their Nelson site which has seen a 56% reduction in water usage.
Finalist: Josh Donker, Motueka Nets
ACC Workplace Safety and Wellbeing Award
Recognises businesses or individuals in the seafood industry that understand and act on the importance of excellent health and safety practices in the workplace.
Presented by: Stafford Thompson, Acting Head of Health Partnerships and Chief Clinical Officer ACC
Winner: FirstMate New Zealand
FirstMate New Zealand is a charity set up to support the mental health and wellbeing of fishers and their whānau. It offers fishers and commercial fishing businesses the guidance, direction and support they need to better navigate the pressures and complexities that come with the job. This charity has 16 Navigators supporting communities across the country. All Navigators have experience of living and working in the seafood sector – they understand the commercial fishing world and many of them have overcome challenges themselves. FirstMate has also developed an extensive range of free resources for industry, including videos, disaster and emergency resources, mental health and wellbeing resources, and more.
Finalists: Guard Safety, Marine SAFE and the NZ Fishing Health and Safety Forum
WISA – Champions of Women in Seafood Award
Presented to a person who:
- Has made a positive difference or impact on the seafood industry, or
- Champions diversity in our workforce through dedication, leadership, collaboration or visibility, and
- Is respected by industry colleagues.
Presented by: Karen Olver, Independent Director, WISA
Winner: Emma Thompson
In her role as managing director at Publik Agency, Emma Thompson is a mainstay in the seafood industry’s communications space, having contributed to essential strategic planning and branding for multiple industry entities. She works hard to get positive stories in the media to help improve social license. She was the catalyst for creating and producing Seafood Saturday in 2023 and 2024, a successful public festival in Nelson. The festival was a collaboration of companies across the industry, drawing hundreds of locals/families to Upper Trafalgar Street to celebrate the country’s kaimoana and the kaimahi who deliver it from the sea to the table.
Finalist: Justine Inns, Oceanlaw
Young Achiever Award
Presented to a person, 35 years of age or under, who has:
- Demonstrated that he/she has made a positive difference to the seafood industry, and
- Has the potential to continue to develop as an effective and respected seafood industry leader or role model.
Winner: Rosa Edwards
Rosa Edwards’ work at Seafood New Zealand to mitigate protected species bycatch is underpinned by extensive knowledge and a genuine care to see fishers equipped to do their best on the water. In doing so she has gained respect, trust and buy-in from fishers – achieving implementation of seabird mitigation measures in the surface longline fleet that often go above and beyond what will soon become regulation. She played a significant role in the response to the North Island Weather Event, enabling fishers to go back to sea and survey for hazards that were creating major risks for the inshore fleet in the area. Her fisher-centric approach to management produces initiatives that are both implementable and impactful.
Life Membership Award
Presented to a person who:
- Has worked in the seafood industry for a minimum of 15 years, and
- Has made a substantial positive impact on the seafood industry, and
- Has been a highly effective and respected seafood industry member.
Joint winners: Laws Lawson and Doug Saunders-Loder
Laws Lawson’s work spans many years, but more recently, he has worked on the design and implementation of the Māori fisheries and aquaculture settlements. He has mentored numerous Te Ohu Kaimoana staff, and is a stalwart for the protection of the fisheries settlement between Māori and the Crown. Laws was the inaugural chair and CEO of Fisheries Inshore New Zealand, staying on as chair and director as the company expanded, in service of quota owners and fishers for inshore fisheries. He continues in service of sustainable fisheries management through his role as chair of the Inshore Council of Seafood New Zealand. His tireless dedication to supporting the seafood sector and extensive knowledge of historic and contemporary matters has made him a highly regarded expert on seafood management and policy in Aotearoa.
Doug Saunders-Loder is a highly esteemed and dedicated individual who has made an indelible mark on the seafood industry. Over four decades he has held various roles, including as a cray fisher, Resource Manager for Talley's Group, and has been President of the New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen for 21 years. His extensive contributions and directorship on numerous industry boards are a testament to his tireless efforts and unwavering dedication. His exceptional rapport with stakeholders, including fishermen, media and industry peers, has cemented his reputation as a respected advocate and go-to expert.
Finalists: Chris Carey, Independent Fisheries Ltd; Peter Dawson, Dawson & Associates; Nici Gibbs, Fathom Consulting Limited
Notes for the editor:
- The 2024 Seafood Conference took place at the Grand Millennium Auckland on 7 and 8 August. Its theme was Champions of Sustainability.
- The Seafood Stars Awards began in 2016 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Quota Management System (QMS).
For more information, photos or to arrange interviews please contact:
Jen Vallance | Fiona MacMillan |
