David graduated from Melbourne University in 1978 with a science degree specialising in Marine Zoology. He started working for Austral Fisheries as a deckhand and has dedicated his entire working career to advancing and promoting the seafood industry. He is an experienced Chief Executive Officer, skilled in negotiation, business planning, fishing, entrepreneurship, and international business. He has a strong focus on sustainable fisheries, third party certification and is a business development professional with interests in the drivers of social licence for business and the role that business can play in addressing social and environmental challenges.
Now CEO of the company, Austral Fisheries is at the cutting edge of navigating the challenging waters of sustainable primary production, commanding a fleet of high-performance craft using environmentally responsible fishing practices, battling piracy on the high seas and experimenting with the latest blockchain technology to prove the provenance of its catch.
David's particular focus has been on sustainable, science-based fisheries management and preserving the natural environment. David has seen Austral Fisheries become MSC certified for its key fisheries, he's fought against illegal toothfish poachers, he's seen the introduction of Austral's premium branded products in Glacier 51 Toothfish and Skull Island Prawns, and he's led Austral to becoming the world's first carbon neutral seafood business. 100% of Austral Fisheries' carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions are now offset each year through a native biodiverse revegetation project 400 km north east of Perth resulting in over 200,000 native trees being planted each year, emphasising David's leadership and vision for a fully sustainable seafood industry.
