The Queensland government is helping support the state’s commercial fishers with an AU$59,000 investment towards a nationally-recognised resilience and wellbeing programme.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner announced the contribution to Seafood Industry Australia’s ‘Stay Afloat’ programme.
“Our commercial fishers face an incredible number of challenges as they work every day to put Queensland-caught seafood on our tables,” Mr Furner said.
“I commend Seafood Industry Australia for its outstanding ‘Stay Afloat’ initiative which makes the welfare of our commercial fishers the highest priority,” he added.
Research has shown that Australia’s commercial fishers experience twice the base-rate of psychological stress than the general population, according to Seafood Industry Australia chief executive, Veronica Papacosta.
The ‘Stay Afloat’ programme has been developed to help break the stigma associated with poor mental health within the commercial seafood industry, develop a network of trusted industry advocates to support fishers, and educate primary healthcare networks about industry pressures.
The funding will be used to extend the programme into Queensland, building on the existing locations of New South Wales, Victoria and Darwin which have already recorded more than 500 interactions with members of the industry.
