Leading abalone harvester making waves in Aboriginal employment

Wanted: program manager for 40,000-year-old Tasmanian culinary start-up.

Marnie Ritz employment service officer Wave to Plate program. The Land and Sea Aboriginal Corporation Tasmania is seeking to leverage its world-leading model for not for profit fisheries to provide job opportunities for 60 Aboriginal trainees. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Wanted: program manager for 40,000-year-old Tasmanian culinary start-up.

Tasmanian Aboriginal Seafoods has announced plans to leverage its world-leading cultural fisheries model to provide employment opportunities for 60 indigenous trainees across the state.

Tasmanian Aboriginal Seafoods business manager, Tim Russell-Jarvie, said the ‘Wave to Plate’ program would source fresh abalone from the Land and Sea Aboriginal Corporation Tasmania (LSACT), which two years ago secured a lease of 40 quota units from the state government.

Mr Russell-Jarvie said the ground-breaking initiative was currently seeking the right person to oversee Aboriginal traineeships in Tasmania’s fisheries, maritime, and hospitality industries.

Marnie Ritz employment service officer Wave to Plate program. The Land and Sea Aboriginal Corporation Tasmania is seeking to leverage its world-leading model for not for profit fisheries to provide job opportunities for 60 Aboriginal trainees. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“By providing comprehensive wraparound support, access to training, skills development, and mentorship, the program offers a supported environment to enable Aboriginal people to gain employment in fisheries and associated industries,” he said.

LSACT founding director, Professor Emma Lee, said the organisation brought thousands of years of knowledge to fisheries management, and was determined to work for the benefit of the broader Tasmanian community.

Prof Lee said ‘Wave to Plate’ promised to make a meaningful contribution to Closing the Gap, by providing vital training and employment, supporting individual success, and making a long-term community impact.

Marnie Ritz employment service officer Wave to Plate program. The Land and Sea Aboriginal Corporation Tasmania is seeking to leverage its world-leading model for not for profit fisheries to provide job opportunities for 60 Aboriginal trainees. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The program will give Tasmanian Aboriginal people access to a diverse range of skills and experiences from obtaining boat licenses, deck hand and diving, through to seafood processing, marketing and distribution and hospitality and tourism.

“We are all well-versed in the concept of paddock to plate, but not when it comes to the provenance of our high-value seafood,” Prof Lee said.

“So ‘Wave to Plate’ is about establishing workforce capacity at every level within the process of getting abalone out of the water and onto our plates.

“We think that there are secure, safe, healthy and prosperous futures for Tasmanian Aboriginal people in every step of that process.

“This program is about elevating Aboriginal excellence everywhere, so if you want to be a deckhand, we’re going to make you the best deckhand. If you want to be a chef, we’re going to make you the best chef.

“We already have the most amazing employment services officer who is absolutely dedicated to ensuring young people have employment opportunities.

Ancient abalone middens from the needwonnee people at Stephens Bay, Port Davey. Picture: Joanne Young

“So we’re now looking for a manager to develop our industry partnerships, work with training organisations and our apprentices, and to help ensure that we are giving Tasmanian fisheries the best reputation.”

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with relevant skills and experience have been strongly encouraged to apply.

Candidates would ideally have proven experience in managing programs, developing stakeholder partnerships, supporting participants through tailored employment pathways, and have a deep understanding of Aboriginal culture and Sea Country.