The game changer
While he was away, Heidi managed the sales and learned that buyers didn’t want tuna and swordfish unless it was proven sustainably caught. She and Pavo re-engineered the business and set about gaining MSC* certification, which meant their operations were certified sustainable.
This process took two years and as soon as the ink was dry, Heidi says the phone started to ring.
Now the business counts Tetsuya as a friend and Neil Perry’s Rockpool is another famous client. Add local stars Wasabi, Locale, Season, Sails and Spice Bar, and Walker Seafoods is on the map.
And it’s a global map. Heidi and her team ship tonnes of fresh, whole fish to New York, Boston and Tokyo. The Swiss love their fish too.
- Walker Seafoods now has five boats and 60 staff.
- It is Australia’s only MSC certified tuna company.
- The largest wild-caught tuna and swordfish company in Australia.
- Has just expanded to accommodate fishing volume, now with its own export / processing / grading facility in Mooloolaba.
Why Sunshine Coast?
Heidi and Pavo Walker can’t emphasise enough how locating their business on the Sunshine Coast has been pivotal to success.
In an interview on the docks beside the Walker Seafoods facility, Heidi explains why.
Ideal weather
“The weather on the Sunshine Coast is ideal for our business and allows our boats to be out year-round.”
Accessibility
“We export fresh whole fish, so things have to move quickly. Once the boats come in, the fish are graded and packed and in a refrigeration truck to Brisbane Airport, only an hour away. These are not small fish, either! In one day, we might pack 12 tonne of fish for export, worth over $180,000 AUD, as well as packing fish going to domestic customers. There’s no room for error there!”
Specialists everywhere
“We have access to the best specialists. Whether it’s refrigeration mechanics, freight forwarders, marine electricians or deck hands, we can always find skilled and hard-working people here.”
Business minded
“The Sunshine Coast is business minded. We are supported wherever we go and people get on and get the job done.”
Other fishing facts
Boating is not a cheap business. Walker Seafoods contributes significantly to the local economy.
- Employs 60 people
- Contracts up to 60 specialists
- $2 million worth of bait every year
- $1.2 million in fuel a year
- Food supplies for every trip
*About MSC
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) works with scientists, fisheries, seafood producers and brands to promote sustainable fishing and safeguard seafood supplies for the future.
The Marine Stewardship Council was developed by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Unilver in 1996 and sets credible standards for sustainable fishing and supply chain traceability.
Organisations meet these standards in order to demonstrate the sustainability of their products. The blue MSC label makes it easy for everyone to choose seafood which has been caught by fisheries which care for the environment.
