Opening the Door to Marine Careers by Sam Ibbott
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Opening the door to marine careers by Sam Ibbott During October a unique project took captivity. Hands-on activities included explaining to the grade 10 boys that place to showcase the wide variety of measuring of rock lobsters and seeing “oysters are good for male function”. The marine careers available in Tasmania. some stripey trumpeter experiments. adventurous ones also tried fresh Bruny Students from Year 9 and 10 were asked The day ended at the Australian Antarctic Island oysters, which were a resounding to apply in writing and 46 participants Division, where students looked at success. were selected from 22 high and district live krill, the museum of old Antarctic After a quick visit to Roaring 40s Ocean high schools. A previously untried model paraphernalia and the vast warehouse Kayaking to hear about customer service of linking training, research and industry full of expedition equipment. and marine tourism, the group then organisations resulted in enormous The second day concentrated on went to the Marine Discovery Centre support for the program, which was run at Woodbridge, enabling students to twice, allowing the participants, who Tasmania’s aquaculture and tourism sectors. A highlight was a fast boat from see another aspect of the tourism and had all expressed a previous interest in seafood industries respectively. marine careers, to experience a snapshot Bruny Island Charters, which transported of Tasmania’s marine industries. students from Kettering to Bruny Island, Day three began at Seafood Training with the boat staff giving a snapshot of Tasmania in Hobart, where courses in The program was designed to engage shipboard work in the marine tourism a wide range of skills were described. the students in different aspects of sector. These varied from first aid and vocational these industries and give them a first- certification courses in areas such hand opportunity to see existing industry First stop was the Tassal salmon farm on North Bruny Island, where the site as forklift and radio operation, deck participants and researchers in their machinery, shipboard and fire safety, to everyday employment. In addition, it foreman gave a tour of the facility and a detailed explanation of the farming captain and coxwain’s licences for large was designed to cross barriers between seagoing vessels. tertiary and vocational training, allowing practices and job prospects in the students to see how all the pieces aquaculture sector. The next visit was The group then had an in-depth look of the puzzle fit together to create a to an active oyster lease, Get Shucked, at the working port of Hobart. TSIC vibrant industry that offers careers and on North Bruny Island. The dynamic organised a tour of several commercial transferable skills, and in which they young operator, Joe Bennett, involved fishing vessels, including a rock lobster could see themselves working, no matter the students in grading oysters, outlined boat, abalone boat, and lunch at Mures. what their skill set and ambitions. his career path, and got a few giggles The police boat, Van Dieman, was Day one began at the University of Tasmania for short introductory lectures from a wide range of industry professionals, including Sam Ibbott, owner of Marine Solutions, and Kevin Redd from the School of Zoology, who talked about his research. Students then had a look around the zoology diving area and research laboratories. They then visited Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute at Taroona to look at live marine animals, boats, dive gear and other research equipment. Students saw the entire food chain, from simple algal cultures to large stripey trumpeter broodstock. They also visited laboratories where the rock lobster larval cycle was successfully completed in 5 TASMANIAN SEAFOOD INDUSTRY NEWS DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 > MarinovaMarine careers also inspected, with members of the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Marine Police explaining their roles in Institute, Tasmanian Shellfish Executive enforcement, search and rescue, and Council, Tasmanian Seafood Industry diving operations. Students met the Council, Australian Antarctic Division, captain and deckhands on each fishing Seafood Training Tasmania, Marine boat and got to share their experiences, Solutions, Tassal Salmon Aquaculture at words of wisdom, and information about Bruny Island, Get Shucked Oyster Farm how the fishing gear is operated. Many on Bruny Island, Seacare, Tasmania thanks to Dave Wyatt, Pieter Van Der Police, Marine Discovery Centre, and most interesting were the effects that Woude and Roger King for engaging the Roaring 40s Sea Kayaking. climate change is having on the different species in Antarctica.” students in this. Comments students made about their The program ended at Seafood experience include: “This afternoon we were lucky enough to be spoken to by a lady from the Training Tasmania, where each student “Next we went to a place where all the USA. She came to Tasmania to set up was presented with a Certificate in diving equipment is kept. We learnt about a kayaking business. She really enjoys Introduction to the Marine Industry. the compressors and the air within them. her job because it allows her to be Seafood Training also gave them an This was really interesting because they in the outdoors. After she shared her accompanying DVD, Seafood Training -The can’t just have normal oxygen within experience we boarded the bus and came First Steps. them. This morning session was very to the marine centre. The marine centre Outcomes from the program include an interesting and had lots of valuable is fantastic: there are lots of things that aquaculture traineeship, a number of information within it.” you can touch and look at. Lastly we all informal work experience placements “Then Jess talked about the places that sat down and reflected on the day. Sam and a renewed or confirmed enthusiasm marine science takes you. It all is so gave us a little talk about his job. I have for careers in the marine industry by beautiful; working with coral reefs would realised there are many industries and many of the students who participated. be great as you would really feel as jobs within the marine industry. Thanks The extra knowledge they gained about though you were making a difference.” for this opportunity, it has really opened career pathways has been invaluable my eyes.” in assisting them in their next steps “I learnt that krill can live for six months towards becoming valuable members with no food. They do this by consuming “Then we went to docks and had a of the marine industry workforce, themselves, which makes them smaller. look at a commercial abalone boat and whether as researchers, tour guides, Due to this you are unable to tell how old cray boat. It was interesting to see the in aquaculture or wild catch sectors or a krill is by its size: a two-year-old could lifestyle of a fisherman. There were no another part of the industry. be as big as a six-year-old one.” women mentioned in either industry but that did not surprise me.” This program would not have been “We were lucky enough to explore a possible without the involvement and few different types of jobs there at the “It was good to hear about how different support of the University of Tasmania, division, including mechanics, clothes people get to where they are now and the Mures Lower Deck, Bruny Island manufacturing and also the marine different paths they took but it did get a Charters, Guaranteeing Futures, SCOPE, biologists who study krill. What I found bit annoying after a while.” 6 TASMANIAN SEAFOOD INDUSTRY NEWS DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009 > Australian Wooden Boat Festival Wooden Boat Festival welcomes fi shing vessels by Mary Brewer IT’S ON AGAIN FROM Julienne and Lady Margaret. Two boats hospitality industry, using the 6-9 FEBRUARY 2009 built by Bernard Wilson’s father, Dean, Seataste as an introduction to new are also expected. They are Carolyn The Australian Wooden Boat Festival local and interstate markets; and Kerry E. welcomes the presence of all • create cross-promotion within the commercially-registered fishing vessels Although no longer from Triabunna, tourism, events, hospitality and who normally have access to Victoria Antares will make her way to Hobart seafood industries using the festival Dock, no matter what material they may from her home in Toowoon Bay, NSW. as a common platform; and be constructed from. Festival organisers Built in Triabunna in 1947 by Fred Jones • provide opportunities to develop value the fishing fleet as an added for ‘Happy’ Martin (‘Old Hap’), Antares new relationships between seafood attraction and have requested access ran on sail for many years before “a associations, seafood businesses over the four days of the festival to the decent engine” was installed (Gardner) and/or seafood suppliers and local Hunter Street edge of Victoria Dock for by Frank Bosworth, who ran her as a cray restaurants. berthing and display of larger wooden boat. Since restoration and conversion by vessels. Festival organisers would also the current owner, Antares has clocked Complimenting the Seataste is the Marine appreciate access to the low landing in up 19,000 miles travelling the Pacific, Insurance Australia Ocean to Plate Food Victoria Dock, where several boats could the east coast of Australia, and around Theatre, providing education through the also be displayed. Participating boats will Tasmania. Not bad for a girl in her 60s. awareness and promotion of every facet be arranged in Victoria Dock in such a way This will be her first visit to the Australian of relevant industries, from fishing to that there will be no obstruction to fishing Wooden Boat Festival. cooking and serving. The program will run boat movements in or out of the dock. from midday to 4pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday.