Latest news with #GoodFish
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
How Cork's Good Fish Company became a leviathan of the international frozen-fish industry
Ireland's EU Commissioner, Michael McGrath, along with Fisheries & Oceans Commissioner Costas Kadis and Minister of State Timmy Dooley, were on hand to cut the tape at the new facility. Founder Denis Good opened his first shop almost 40 years ago in Carrigaline and quickly began to supply restaurants across Cork. Two retail units in Douglas Court and Kinsale followed, with seven shops open at the height of the company's focus on retail operations. The company, which employs over 100 people, then expanded into exporting its products to new overseas markets and demand soared, necessitating the new processing facility that's strategically located adjacent to Cork Container Terminal. Proximity to the port allows immediate export of the fish and seafood processed on site and as well the new M28 motorway (due to open in 2028) means the company will be able to easily transport its products throughout Ireland. 'We are delighted Commissioner McGrath, Commissioner Kadis, and Minister Dooley were able to join us for the official opening of our new location, just two kilometres from Cork's new container terminal,' Donagh Good said. 'Building the facility was essential for us to maintain our current growth and to respond strongly to the ever-increasing demand for high-quality frozen seafood products in the domestic market, in Europe, and further afield.' 'Our focus has always been to provide sustainably sourced fish and seafood and ensuring good quality from dockside to dinner tables. That ethos remains unchanged, though customers are getting more adventurous in their tastes! "Sustainable practices are at the core of processes at our new facility, so we foresee further development, new markets, a stronger and more capable workforce, and exciting times in our new home in Shanbally, thanks to the support of everyone that helped bring this investment to life," Donagh added. Commissioner McGrath said: 'I am delighted to welcome this incredibly impressive new facility by the Good Fish Company - an extraordinary Cork success story I've long admired and known personally. The journey started in 1988 when Denis Good opened a fish shop in Carrigaline and now, under the leadership of his son Donagh, the company is opening a state of the art, next generation processing facility in Shanbally. 'With vital EU and Government of Ireland funding behind it, this investment is a major contribution to enhancing Ireland's seafood sector supporting employment and demonstrating the EU's commitment to rural enterprise and innovation. I wish the Good family and their staff continued success in the years ahead.' Good Fish has received support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, the Brexit Adjustment Reserve, and Ireland's Seafood Development Programme, which is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the EU as part of the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. 'This factory marks the beginning of another new chapter in the Good Fish story,' Donagh Good concluded. 'Building on more than 35 years of hard work, innovation, and dedication that came before me, we're excited about the developments to come while maintaining the same high-quality standards in service and products that Good Fish is renowned for.' Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
The Guardian
28-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Experts question Tasmanian salmon's sustainability. What other tasty options do you have?
The ingredient is a staple on a bagel, a regular in a sushi roll and pops up in recipes for pasta, pies and more, but conservationists are warning against the sustainability of Tasmanian salmon. The fish is back in the headlines this week after the Albanese government rammed through laws that will protect the Tasmanian salmon farm industry from environmental challenges. The independent senator David Pocock warned the Maugean skate – an endangered fish – may suffer instead, however, telling parliament: 'If this thing does go extinct, I hope it haunts you.' If you're feeling queasy about Tasmanian salmon – also known as Atlantic salmon – next time you're at the grocery store or looking at a menu, what are the alternatives? The Australian Conservation Foundation's (ACF) business and nature lead, Nathaniel Pelle, recommends considering alternative native fish species such as barramundi or Murray cod. Unlike Tasmanian salmon, barramundi and Murray cod are farmed 'almost entirely' on land, says Adrian Meder, the manager of the GoodFish sustainable Australian seafood guide. Land farming means waste water from any pollution is either filtered before it is discharged or, in some cases, recycled and used to fertilise crops, Meder says. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email 'Murray cod are … a species that's native to Australia and really well suited to the places in which it's grown. 'You're not only getting a recycling of the nutrients produced by the fish farm to produce more food, but you're even using the water they're farmed in twice for food production.' Laura Yotis, who runs The Fishmonger's Son with her husband, Anthony, encourages consumers to try wild-caught fish such as snapper, John Dory, flathead and blue eye. 'I'd encourage them to try some of the wild-caught species [and] to just kind of branch out,' she says. Yotis believes eating Atlantic salmon is an 'engrained thing' because 'people get attached to flavours and attached to cooking things a particular way'. 'There are so many other types of fish that are wild-caught and comparable in terms of price and texture,' she says. 'We do encourage other choices.' Pelle says he considers salmon a 'discretionary item' and encourages consumers to send a message to the industry – and the supermarkets – 'that they will make decisions based on sustainability'. Almost all Atlantic salmon filets sold in Australian supermarkets come from Tasmanian sea cage farms, he says. Yotis says trout is a good option. Like Atlantic salmon, it is a red meat fish, but Yotis says it has a 'delicate, silkier texture to it'. 'That would be the kind of automatic substitute you would offer someone who's looking for a red fish,' she says. According to the GoodFish guide, rainbow trout is farmed mainly on-land in tanks and ponds, making it a more sustainable option to Atlantic salmon. 'Ocean' trout is farmed in sea cages, the guide says. Yotis sells Atlantic salmon, which comes from Tasmania, as well as ora king salmon from New Zealand. She says in the last six months, sales of ora king salmon have surpassed Atlantic salmon. 'There's so much controversy about Atlantic salmon,' she says. 'A lot of customers in our area are quite well educated [and] they're asking for alternatives.' Yotis says ora king salmon is 'said to be more sustainably farmed' than Atlantic salmon. On its website, the company says it is 'committed to growing king salmon in the most sustainable way possible'. Pelle adds that he doesn't believe there's anything wrong with importing seafood from sustainably managed fisheries overseas, although he would still encourage consumers to opt for local alternatives. 'A well-managed wild fishery can be very sustainable. It's not the species. It's the way it's produced or caught. Everything can be done sustainably with the right management.'
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Brutal discovery at Aussie beach prompts $5,222 fine warning: 'Foolish behaviour'
Australians are being urged to adopt responsible fishing practices and avoid leaving large amounts of animal remains near the water's edge following the discovery of a "chopped-up shark" on the sand at a popular east coast beach. Posting to social media on Tuesday, a Queensland woman questioned the presence of the shark remains at a beach in Townsville in the state's northeast — prime croc country. Vision shows a large-looking shark torso, headless and without a tail. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Dr Leonardo Guida, shark campaign manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said though the animal in question was butchered to the point it was unidentifiable, killing big sharks in the state is strictly forbidden. "It's illegal in Queensland waters for a recreational fisher to retain a shark over 1.5 metres," he explained, adding the law is in place to protect mature and breeding individuals. "Personally, I wouldn't target sharks for a feed as there's far more environmentally sustainable choices on offer, that are a great fishing experience. "Secondly when you do fish, you should only take what you need. The GoodFish [website] is a great resource to understand what sustainable seafood choices there are." Size limits exist because larger sharks are usually apex predators, crucial for controlling prey populations and ensuring a healthy marine environment. Bigger sharks are often older and more mature, contributing significantly to reproduction. Protecting them helps sustain populations. Conversationists say that ensuring only smaller, younger sharks are taken allows populations to replenish and prevents overfishing. But, that's not the only issue with this scenario. In Queensland, while it is not explicitly illegal under fisheries legislation to leave fish remains on beaches, doing so is strongly discouraged due to environmental and safety concerns. Improper disposal of fish scraps can attract predators such as crocodiles, especially in northern regions, posing significant risks to public safety. In response to such dangers, Queensland has enacted laws imposing substantial fines on individuals who discard fish scraps in areas inhabited by saltwater crocodiles. As of September 2024, leaving scraps or animal remains in areas inhabited by saltwater crocodiles can result in an on-the-spot fine of $483. More severe penalties may apply if the action is deemed to intentionally feed or attract crocodiles, with fines reaching up to $5,222. While Townsville isn't as densely populated with crocodiles as some areas further north, such as Cairns or Cape York, it is firmly within crocodile territory, and locals are accustomed to living with the predators. Responding to the woman's post online, a number of locals said they thought the Townsville killing was "a crime". And while it may be, depending on the kind — some sharks species are protected, and killing them is unlawful — and the size, it appears in this case it might have just been a poor idea, Guida said. "Irresponsibly disposing of an animal's body can result in potentially dangerous situations because of a carcasses attracting predators. Any large whole carcasses or remains should be reported to the appropriate authorities for further instruction," he told Yahoo. Fishermen's 'foolish' act at boat ramp in croc country Sinister discovery in Aussie waterway sparks $36,000 fine Rare crocodile moment captured in confronting drone footage Last year, authorities issued a desperate warning against what they described as "foolish behaviour" near the water's edge in croc country. Officers with the Queensland Department of Environment, Science, Tourism and Innovation (DETSI) said they'd received multiple, separate reports of crocodiles "hanging around" boat ramps waiting to be fed, after learning to expect discarded remains at popular fishing spots. DETSI director Lindsay Delzoppo urged fishers to take their scraps with them. "Many fishers clean their catch at boat ramps and throw the heads and frames away at the water's edge, thinking they are doing the right thing by 'recycling', but this should never be done in croc country," he said. "This foolish behaviour... needs to stop. People should dispose of fish frames and unwanted bait away from the water, because crocodiles have an amazing sense of smell and will be attracted to come along for a feed." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
