Cassowary Coast business Chris Bolton Fishing expanding its Kurrimine Beach-based operation
A Far North family-owned fishing operation has expanded its business to satisfy the appetite for premium coral trout from some of Australia’s finest restaurants and popular tackle stores.
Cairns
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A small family-owned business is satisfying a growing appetite for premium quality coral trout through a significant expansion of its Kurrimine Beach-based operation.
Chris Bolton Fishing has doubled the supply of their fresh reef fish and bait to some of Australia’s finest restaurants and popular tackle stores.
The commercial angler has also added crew to his Cassowary Coast operation and purchased bigger and better equipment after receiving a sustainability loan from the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority.
Unable to keep up with demand for wild caught fish Mr Bolton said the addition of new vessels was a game changer for the business.
“With our smaller vessel and fewer dinghies, we didn’t have the capacity to reach our full fishing quota, so we decided to take the plunge and purchase another three dinghies and a new 14 metre vessel,” he said.
“Our new boat is built for speed, and it allows us to more easily navigate and return home quicker, ensuring the produce is as fresh as possible.
“The boat also has electronic anchors which uses GPS coordinates to keep it in the right place, meaning we don’t have to throw an anchor onto the reef, which could cause considerable damage.
“Having another three dinghies allows us to reach shallow waters and we can supply
twice as many fish within our total yearly quota as we were previously, which is such
a game-changer.”
QRIDA Far North regional area manager Sam Spina said Chris Bolton Fishing was a great example of an economically and environmentally sustainable wild-catch fishing business.
“QRIDA’s sustainability loan allowed Chris and his team to increase productivity, while introducing new technology, particularly with the electronic anchors,” he said.
“The Bolton family is helping put the Innisfail region on the map as a viable place for commercial fishing.”
Going forward Mr Bolton said increased solar power could make his business even more sustainable.
QRIDA offers up to $1.3m in business sustainability loans aimed at increasing productivity and profitability of primary producers.
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Originally published as Cassowary Coast business Chris Bolton Fishing expanding its Kurrimine Beach-based operation
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