Spotlight shines on Spencer Gulf seafood industry
For the Barnes family of Port Broughton, there is little doubt fishing is in their blood.
Adam, Jarrad and Ben Barnes and their families are fifth-generation professional fishermen, operating in the waters out from the northern Yorke Peninsula fishing and farming town.
To them, and others, like Jake Simounds a third-generation fisherman, and first-generation fisherman Andrew Hewett, the quality of their local produce is no secret.
They catch and sell some of the world’s highest quality seafood, making its way to dinner tables all around South Australia and across the country.
With their own tables often the focus of their fresh catch, cousins-through-marriage Christy Barnes and Angela Barnes put their heads together and dreamed up a way they could shine a light on their industry, and local town.
Together, the pair instigated the Seafood on Spencer event, an “ultimate Gulf to Plate experience”.
“It’s a non-for-profit seafood festival held on the Port Broughton foreshore, showcasing Spencer Gulf seafood in its finest form, direct from the fishermen and prepared by some of South Australia’s most talented and creative chefs,” Christy said.
“It also features live bands, cooking demonstrations, and South Australian wines, gins and beverages.”
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The first event – put on hold since 2020 due to Covid – was eventually held in April 2022, followed with another in March ’23, and the next event planned for March 29, 2025.
“Seafood on Spencer evolved from a family tradition of hosting an annual seafood day with friends and family on Good Friday,” Christy said.
“The Good Friday seafood days were always a big hit and so much fun, it was often suggested that we should do something similar on a bigger scale, something the community could enjoy.
“Our original idea was to cook the seafood ourselves and look to sell 200-ish tickets, but as ticket sales went so well, we looked into attracting some high-quality chefs to come up to Port Broughton to cater for us.
“From conception, we grew the festival from 200 to 1000 for the first event, and now 2000 guests expected for 2025.”
An all-female committee of eight formed to take the event forward.
They have varied backgrounds, reflecting a true cross section of regional women – the majority running primary industry businesses while maintaining their own careers and raising families.
Joining Christy and Angela Barnes (fishing) on the committee is, Jessica Hewett (fishing and education), Amber Sims (fishing and education), Sharyn Dolling (farming and hairdressing), Nicole Hewett (farming and health), Sarah Wilson-Turra (education), and Samantha Crane (earthmoving and accounting).
Christy said the festival aimed to not only showcase Spencer Gulf seafood and Port Broughton, but also educate the public about local seafood, sustainable fishing practices and processes, fisheries management and how to care for and cook seafood.
The fishing industry provides significant employment within Port Broughton, which was once home to 18 marine scale net licenses, three hook licenses, three blue swimmer crab licenses and a prawn license.
“Over the years the government introduced an amalgamation scheme where new entrants had to buy two marine scale licenses to own one which has reduced the number of licenses in the state,” Christy said.
“There has also been three government buy outs over the last 30 years for marine scale licenses. This has drastically reduced the number of fishing licenses in our state.
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“Port Broughton currently has four marine scale net licenses, one marine scale hook licence, three blue swimmer crab licenses and a charter boat operating in the town, so the industry is still going strong here.”
And it continues to evolve.
Local fishermen work with both SARDI and PIRSA to improve the industry, and Christy said it had come a long way over the last three decades.
“We have developed systems that allow us to care for our produce better and provide the highest quality seafood,” she said.
“We have also worked very hard in research and development to design processes that minimise the catch of undersized and non-targeted species and the ability to return any that are caught back to the gulf quickly and alive.”
Yorke Peninsula Tourism regional manager Jess Greatwich said the benefit of the Seafood on Spencer event to the greater region was multi-faceted.
The economic benefit was obvious, bringing visitors into the area and encouraging them to stay and spend.
Just as important has been the impact on connection.
“Seafood on Spencer connects people to the story of Yorke Peninsula,” Jess said.
“People have an understanding of YP as an incredible seafood destination, and sitting on Spencer Gulf, having that connection to some of the freshest, highest-quality seafood in the world creates an avenue for people to come here an experience it for themselves.
“It’s direct-learning and engagement of the commercial fisheries industry and that is so valuable because it gives people a way to experience the promise of the Yorke Peninsula in a really fun, engaging, professional, sophisticated environment.”
Seafood on Spencer was recognised as winner of the Barunga West Council event of the year 2023, won the Seafood Industry Australia SA – Seafood Promotion award 2024, and was a finalist in the Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) National awards.
“The fishing and seafood industry is very important to our town and it is something we are very proud of,” Christy said.
“Seafood on Spencer is helping shine a spotlight on the industry, the seafood, the people and the town and we’re excited to showcase it all to our guests.”
Follow Seafood on Spencer on Facebook or Instagram for more details, or purchase tickets for the 2025 event.
