Deck Boss Morgan, with the albino Pelagic Armourhead Pseudopentaceros richardsoni and our very own Dave Schubert.
Join us each month as we give you a glimpse into the lives of our fisheries staff. This month, Dave Schubert tells us what it’s like to be an AFMA Observer.
G’day I’m Dave Schubert and here’s a little taste of my life at sea.
After graduating from the Australian Maritime College, I entered the observer program where I spent three years observing in the majority of the Commonwealth fisheries. There I gained a wide variety of knowledge and experience in industry practices, particularly bycatch reduction and industries positive environmental credentials. This set me in good stead as I moved on to work alongside industry as the North QLD SeaNet extension officer for OceanWatch Australia.
As the SeaNet program has come to an end, I have now returned to observer duties where I am loving every minute. Being at sea may not be for everyone, but I prefer my big blue office compared to busy city life and being stuck in front of a computer every day.
I started back with a two month stint on the Janas, an autoliner off Macquarie Island. More recently I have just returned from back-to-back month long trips out to Lord Howe Rise (800 km off the East coast of Australia) on the Voyager P, a 32 meter midwater trawler targeting Alfonsino and Pelagic Armourhead, two relatively unfamiliar species to the Australian public.
On the second Voyager P trip, I was amazed to see the vessel land an albino Pelagic Armourhead. It is impossible to determine the odds of this, however, the skipper and deckhands combined experience targeting this species exceeds 50 years, and this was the first any of us had seen an albino. We are currently seeking out a museum which will display it.
For more information contact Mike Yates, Manager Observer Program on 02 6225 5332 or mike.yates@afma.gov.au