June 22, 2018
Austral Fisheries (Austral) has entered into an Enforceable Undertaking (EU) with NT WorkSafe over the tragic death of Ryan Donoghue on one of Austral’s prawn fishing trawlers on 29 November 2013.
David Carter, CEO of Austral, said: “Austral Fisheries are deeply saddened and sorry for the devastating tragedy and preventable death of Ryan Donoghue. We want to share our journey and the valuable lessons learned to positively influence safety at all levels in the fishing industry.
Since Ryan’s death Austral has diligently reviewed all its fishing operations in order to make our fleet as safe as possible, and implemented extra workplace safety training and education to build a stronger safety culture. The EU provides an opportunity to further improve safety and awareness across the fishing industry to help prevent future loss of life and provide a lasting legacy for Ryan.”
Austral continues to actively pursue safety initiatives and community partnerships with the fishing industry, NT WorkSafe, community groups, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, marine and workplace health and safety experts and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.
The EU has several components, with a significant portion of the financial and in-kind contributions made by Austral invested into the establishment and running of a new program called “SeSAFE”. This project stands at the heart of Austral’s undertakings. This jointly funded project between Austral, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and other peak industry bodies; aims to deliver valuable safety training and cultural change in the fishing industry with an electronic learning management system (LMS). The goal of the LMS is to bridge a gap in safety-focused training, that is affordable and accessible to all. It also provides an opportunity for industry to partner in the development of specific safety content and provide further support.
Austral will also make direct contributions to the Northern Territory community and sponsor a biennial Australian seafood industry safety award in the name of Ryan Donoghue. Additionally, Austral will facilitate operations by Sea Shepherd to help remove “ghost gear”, discarded fishing lines, nets and other marine debris from the northern Australian coastline.
For further information:
Chantelle O’Sullivan
Media Enquiries
Citadel-MAGNUS
+61 8 6160 4900
+61 437 701 155
E: [email protected]