Western Rock Lobster bursary winners, 2019 WRL announced they have awarded ten bursaries to attend the 2019 Trans-Tasman Rock Lobster Congress in Queenstown, New Zealand. The $3,000 bursaries provide professional development for future leaders of the Western rock lobster Industry and target skippers and crew members who are actively engaged in fishing operations.
It’s so important to encourage and highlight the achievements and aspirations of our industry’s next generation leaders!
Introducing the next six bursary winners – Frank Rodriguez, James Camarda, Michael Butcher, Radley Woodcock, Chris Williams and Kurt Glass …
Based in Fremantle, Frank is a fourth-generation lobster fisherman and a qualified heavy-duty marine diesel mechanic, with a qualification as an Engineering tradesperson mechanical stream.
“We should always be educating ourselves to evolve and be a willing participant in the industry to provide and learn new and effective ways on being more efficient, cost effective, sustainable and safe,” Frank said.
James is a fourth-generation fisherman and computer science degree student based in Fremantle. He believes that small business is the heart of any nation with a strong economy and that communities and governments must work together to ensure existing small businesses are able to survive, as primary industries slowly become under the control of fewer and fewer players.
“Small operators are especially important in an industry such as ours, to ensure that major players are still met with competition,” James said.
Michael, a proud father of three young kids, left school aged 15 to work as a deckhand. He worked on two different boats before gaining his skippers ticket aged 20, when he began skippering his father’s boat ‘Wahoo’. This made Michael one of the youngest skippers on the WA coast!
“I have great passion and enthusiasm for the Western rock lobster fishing industry and it was always my dream as a child that I would join the family business and become a skipper,” Michael said.
Based in Geraldton, Radley is a third-generation Western rock lobster fisherman who started working in the industry at the age of 15. Starting on deck and then progressing to become a skipper, Radley has been running his own fishing company since 2009.
“Being a fisherman in the industry today and into the future, it is time to start playing a greater role, contributing to important changes in the industry and giving a voice to younger fishermen,” Radley said.
Chris has over 18 years of industry experience working as a Deckhand and Skipper and currently operates out of Lancelin. He also runs a small family fishing business in partnership with his parents, who have been involved in the industry for over 40 years.
“Providing opportunities for the next generation of fishers to participate in professional development activities will help to ensure that the Western Rock Lobster Council moves forward with people who have the necessary skills to make sound decisions in consultation with its members,” Chris said.
Kurt is an experienced Deckhand based in Kalbarri and a participant of WRL’s capacity building DECK Program. He has been an active participant in the Western rock lobster Industry for 12 years, so has a comprehensive understanding of the operational aspect of the industry.
“Attending something as informal as a Professional Fishermen’s Association meeting, to something as sophisticated as the WRL sponsored DECK Program provides me with opportunities to network with people within the industry and listen to their personal opinions,” Kurt said.