Tassie seafood pioneer Al Hansen loses battle with long term illness

Al Hansen came to Tasmania from California with a passion for abalone diving and a few thousand dollars in his pocket. Now, the Tasmanian Seafoods founder has been remembered after his death over the weekend. READ THE TRIBUTES >>

Friends and family of Tasmanian legend Al Hansen are remembering the 84-year-old for his community spirit and extreme generosity following his death on Saturday.

The former US Marines captain was known by many as the beating heart behind the country’s largest processor of abalone, Tasmanian Seafoods.

Mr Hansen founded the company in 1969 after travelling to Australia from California with a passion for abalone diving and a few thousand dollars in his pocket.

Al Hansen as US Marine Corps Captain.

Al Hansen on the beach in Vietnam.

“When he came to Smithton he didn’t have much money at all, but he really built an empire in the seafood industry and did so well for himself and the community,” Circular Head Mayor Daryl Quilliam said.

“He was a great community man and he was a guy that was happy to do things without recognition.

“He’ll be remembered as a person who had a huge impact on the lives of sports and business people.”

Taking over Al’s position as Tasmanian Seafoods’ managing director when his father’s health began to decline, Darvin Hansen reflected on his childhood, watching his dad build an abalone production powerhouse, expanding the business to five factories across the country.

Al Hansen in his Tas Seafoods office.

“I was in the factory from age four and I was working with him there after school and on holidays — I got a really great appreciation for his amazing work,” Darvin said.

“Building his business was everything to him.

“For over 50 years of his life he put everything back into it — it was his baby.”

The businessman also played a vital role in Circular Head’s local sport community, financially backing tennis, hockey and basketball teams, the Smithton Saints and North-West Thunder.

Smithton Saints Basketball club director Damien Heres said Mr Hansen would be missed by the sporting community.

“He loved coming to the games, loved meeting the players and the coaches … he was instrumental in getting us imports each year and he loved seeing local talent as well,” Mr Heres said.

Al Hansen from Tas Seafoods.

The North-West Thunder basketball team said in a social media post that Al would be “sorely missed” by everyone.

“His generosity and support were not confined to just Thunder and our national basketball involvement; he was also a tremendous contributor to the sport at grass roots level and provided great support throughout the Smithton community,” the team said.

“Al was not a supporter in name only. He loved watching the Thunder games and would make the long trip from Smithton for our home fixtures, sometimes in horrendous conditions, and then stay after the game to listen to the speeches and offer a congratulatory, or sympathetic, word to the coaching staff and players. He continued to do this, often on his own, till well past his 80th birthday milestone.

“He was a quiet, unassuming man with a great passion for the sport; his contribution cannot be understated. He will be missed on both a professional and personal level.”