The NSW Aboriginal Land Council Announces NSWALC Fishing Fund Recipient

8 February, 2021

8 February 2021

The NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) is pleased to announce that Wiradjuri man Mr Aaron Chamberlain has been successful with his application to the NSWALC Fishing Fund.

The Fishing Advisory Committee unanimously recommended providing a grant to Mr Chamberlain to enable him to purchase an established business ‘Hawkesbury River Seafood,’ with 200 shares in estuary prawn trawl, a fully licensed boat, and equipment.

The NSWALC Chair Anne Dennis says she is delighted that the grant will enable Mr Chamberlain to develop an existing fishing business.

“The NSWALC Fishing Fund supports the growth and development of the NSW Aboriginal fishing industry, in businesses small or large,” she said.

“I would like to congratulate Mr Chamberlain for his hard work, his successful application, and his business plans for future success.”

Aaron Chamberlain is now in the process of finalising his catch business purchase, which will enable him to catch squid and prawn on the NSW Central Coast and sell to the Sydney Fish Markets and/or restaurants.

He was the skipper of his father’s commercial fishing boat for many years, and brings that rich experience as an Aboriginal fisherman, to the new business.

Mr Chamberlain plans to make his first commercial trip in February 2021.

The NSWALC Fishing Fund is a partnership with the Commonwealth Government’s National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) and aims to support the growth and development of the NSW Aboriginal fishing industry to achieve long term economic opportunities for Aboriginal people.

Both loans and grants will be available to existing or start-up Aboriginal fishing businesses for aquaculture, wild harvest or charter fishing.

More information on the NSWALC Fishing Fund is available at the NSWALC website here.

Media enquiries: The NSWALC Media Unit at media@alc.org.au

Acknowledgement

We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of the lands where we work as well as across the lands we travel through. We also acknowledge our Elders past, present and emerging.

Artwork Credit: Craig Cromelin, from a painting he did titled, "4 favourite fishing holes". It is a snippet of his growing years on the Lachlan River, featuring yabby, turtle, fish and family.

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