Martin Exel - General Manager Environment and Policy
Martin has been working with Austral Fisheries since 1996, mainly in the areas of fisheries resources management, environment, science and policy issues. He’s an avid fisherman, both recreational and commercial, and has spent time working on Austral’s prawn boats in the Northern Prawn Fishery, toothfish fishing off Macquarie Island, as well as commercial fishing in many regions around Australia for both inshore and deepwater species. His recreational fishing is nearly as diverse, actively fishing for most Australian fish species at one time or another, be they trout in Tasmanian lakes, or Giant Trevally in the Coral Sea.
These days Martin has been supported by Austral Fisheries to extend his roles further than just direct work for Austral. Aside from his participation in a number of management and resource advisory committees for specific fisheries, he’s currently Chairman of the Commonwealth Fisheries Association (the Australian Commonwealth fishing industry peak body, www.comfish.com.au), President of the international Coalition for Legal Toothfish Operators (www.colto.org) and a board member of the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies with the University of Tasmania (www.imas.utas.edu.au).
Martin began his career in fisheries resources management after gaining a Bachelor of Science from New Zealand, followed by a Graduate Diploma from the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania a few years later. He spent the years inbetween studies by fishing commercially in New Zealand and New South Wales. Following his Graduate Diploma, Martin worked in Australian government roles with Commonwealth fisheries management agencies starting in 1984 with the (then) Department of Primary Industries, moving to the Australian Fisheries Management Authority where he was General Manager, Fisheries, from 1991 – 1996.
Martin spends substantial amounts of time at meetings and particularly international management and scientific forums related to the sub-Antarctic, working together with governments, conservation groups and other industry members around the globe to ensure toothfish and icefish fisheries remain sustainable, healthy, and legal, and are recognised as such. His primary goals are to ensure that fisheries are managed and harvested sustainably in Australia and internationally, and to do what he can to help promote those goals and achievements.
