Landing success with fishing project

The Community Owned Enterprises (COE) team has joined fifteen trainees on Erub Island to experience their work on local fishing boats.

The trainees have been placed in employment by COE after the successful application of Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) support.

The trainees are the first of 90 who will participate in the ‘Fishing for our future’ project. They are currently undertaking a Certificate I in Business while working on local fishing boats to catch Mackerel and Coral Trout destined for the Cairns market. Through employment and training, the trainees will develop the knowledge and skills required to launch and operate commercial fishing operations of their own.

four men undertake paperwork in a makeshift office near the ocean

Fisher Freddy Wosomo, COE Project Manager Scott McAlister, freezer support Joshua Broan and fisher T-Tarau China check off some of the paperwork in what has to be one of the best office locations in the world.

 

During the visit we witnessed one phenomenally successful day of operation, resulting in over 250kg of premium filleted fish packaged, frozen and ready to be sent to the mainland.

fish being processed and packed

Fresh, premium quality Spanish Mackerel is line-caught, processed and packed on Erub island before being shipped to the mainland.

 

‘Fishing for Our Future’ is a community-led training and enterprise development project, co-designed by the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA), the Department of Employment Small Business and Training (DESBT) and the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships (DATSIP). The project also has the support and input of Many Rivers, TAFE and Gur A Baradharaw Kod Torres Strait Sea and Land Council Torres Strait Islander Corporation (GBK).

The multi-million dollar project aims to significantly reduce unemployment throughout the Torres Strait by reinvigorating the Indigenous fishing industry. COE will continue work with the TSRA and departments to replicate the successes we are achieving on Erub island as we identify and enable the remaining 75 trainees across other key islands in the archipelago.

 

This training is proudly funded by the Queensland Government through its Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.