Austral Fisheries, a leading integrated commercial fishing company in Australia, has long realised that the planet’s marine systems are changing. As a result, Austral Fisheries is the first commercial fishing company worldwide to reach carbon neutrality to save marine life on the planet.
In 2016, Austral Fisheries made a big move: to become carbon-neutral certified and to extend this status to its products. Austral Fisheries became the world’s first commercial fishing company to operate carbon neutrally for 402 days pursuant to putting its vision into action. Over the past six years, it strengthened its approach to reducing emissions and helped plant more than a million trees and bushes in the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor.
The sustainability journey of Austral Fisheries
Austral Fisheries has been providing consumers worldwide with high-quality, sustainably caught fish for over 40 years.
Austral Fisheries chose to go carbon-neutral after realising the critical importance of the oceans and marine life. The leading fishing company is taking action to protect coral perishing and fish stocks in some regions. To make a significant impact, Austral Fisheries sought to achieve carbon-neutral certification for all its operations as well as its products.
Austral Fisheries recognised its position as a pioneer in the marine sector and its potential to transform the sector into one with a lower environmental impact. Austral Fisheries inspired its suppliers to follow suit. Austral Fisheries pursued the Australian Government's Climate Active Carbon Neutral certification, granted to organisations that reach carbon neutrality through emission reductions and achieving net-zero emissions.
The goal of Austral Fisheries' journey to carbon neutrality is to maximise operational efficiency, reduce carbon emissions where possible, and completely offset remaining emissions.
Learn how to start your carbon project
Austral Fisheries began to keep track of all its carbon emissions in 2016. This included tracking emissions from the fuel used on its ships while at sea, the production and delivery of supplies to ships, and all related activities that operations and management carried out on land, administration, policy creation, sales, and marketing.
The $50 million Cape Arkona vessel, which incorporates industry-first hybrid-electric technology and eliminates an older, less efficient vessel from service, is one of its primary emissions reduction initiatives. Austral Fisheries also put additional fuel economy measures on its other vessels. Using carbon-neutral energy suppliers, paper resources, LED lighting, and solar panels allowed for further reductions.
Austral Fisheries keeps moving forward, making progress towards its climate promise while keeping one eye on the horizon. The company became the first to receive a AAA Carbon Rating and recently committed to the zero-carbon 30 pledges set forth by climate insight firm Praesideo. Austral Fisheries is also dedicated to converting all its Australian offices to 100% renewable energy by 2025.
'I never fail to wonder at the ability of nature to bounce back when given half a chance and that, by our actions, we are able to help this happen at scale is a source of great satisfaction', said David Carter, Austral Fisheries CEO.
Austral Fisheries works hard to persuade other companies to take climate action with it. It is educating and involving its crew, personnel, and organisation in its journey to promote awareness and lead its suppliers to deliver goods and services with reduced emissions.
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