The Business of Fishing

Join some of the next generation of young fishers as they tell their stories in the new podcast series, The Business of Fishing, brought to you by DPI’s Young Farmer Business Program.

Covering eight costal, river and inland locations around NSW, the podcast highlights some of New South Wales’ most inspiring young commercial fishers, oyster farmers and aquaculturists who are succeeding in their industry and have reinvented parts of their businesses as a result of the challenges faced by COVID-19

The Business of Fishing focuses on the business aspects behind the scenes, not in the boat. With a diverse range of businesses, ranging from open catch fishing to oyster farming, and all the way to inland breeding of Murray Cod.

The eight episodes cover topics such as management of income and expenses, how technology can help you work smarter, not harder, the challenges of wanting a family and a career, and adapting your business model to meet the market.

Making oyster farming easier with Jack Salt

Jack Salt’s worked in oysters since he was a teenager, but in 2017 he got into the game himself, buying another farmer’s established business on Pambula Lake, NSW.

Owning his own business, making his own hours and spending a lot of time outdoors was all appealing to Jack, as well as building a career that gave him plenty of time to surf and fish was high on his list of priorities.

Oyster farming isn’t easy, but Jack’s investment in technology that will let him work smarter, not harder sure does make things easier.

In Jack’s episode on The Business of Fishing, Jack and his dog Rupert take us out onto Pambula Lake, to flip oyster bags, check the salinity of the water and talk about creating a business that suits the life you want.

The Business of Fishing preview: Jack Salt - Pambula

Farming Murray Cod with Mat Ryan

People who knew Mat Ryan might have thought he was crazy when he decided to turn his dry land farm into Murray Cod ponds.

But the risk paid off, and he’s now at the helm of a growing company, Murray Cod Australia, listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and selling the unique fish all over the world to high-end restaurants.

Mat built solid business relationships with other farmers and business owners in Griffith, and it’s allowed them to grow and create a new market for a little-known product.

In Matt’s episode of The Business of Fishing, we head inland to Bilbul, NSW, and learn about stepping into a management role, finding and keeping good staff, and upscaling an aquaculture business.

The Business of Fishing preview: Mat Ryan - Bilbul

Prawn trawling with Alex Tucker

Alex Tucker knows what she wants — as soon as she finished high school, she was down at Yamba wharf, asking prawn trawlers to take her on as a deckhand.

After learning to trawl and getting her skipper qualifications, Alex took a break from fishing to move to the Hawkesbury river and have a baby.

But Alex has big ambitions to get back out to sea and thinks long-term about her career and life as a fisher.

In Alex’s episode of The Business of Fishing, we sit on the banks of the Hawkesbury river and talk about how fishers can use social media to help their career, the precarious nature of fishing work, and making long-term career decisions.