CONNECT
© Western Rock Lobster Council 2023.
© Western Rock Lobster Council 2023.
Director, northern zone
Bruce Cockman is a 2nd generation fisher and has been an owner-operator for his entire life. Bruce’s family is heavily invested in the Western Rock Lobster Fishery and he has been working for his family business since leaving school.
Bruce currently fishes both Northern and Southern zones from Jurien Bay to Kalbarri. He has previously been a director of WAFIC and the President of the DPFA.
Bruce brings vast experience and knowledge to the WRL Board and hopes that with all his years of fishing, he can continue to help further the excellent work already done in the Western Rock Lobster Fishery. Bruce wants to be a voice for all fishers, working towards a fair and reasonable approach to maintaining sustainability and strengthening their access rights.
Deputy Chair, Southern Zone
Fedele Camarda is a 3rd generation Fremantle lobster fisherman with over 30 years’ experience and who currently skippers his family vessel. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and remains active as a relief teacher.
Fedele has been involved with the western rock lobster industry since 2008 and was previously on the WRL Board from 2009 to 2011 serving as Chair for one year during this time. He is also currently on the Combined Zone C Association (CZCA) Committee. His experience in these representative bodies has been invaluable in terms of understanding the complexities of the industry and how important it is to have strong representation through the industry.
Director, northern zone
Justin Pirrottina is 2nd generation fisherman and has been fishing for about 30 years with the last 25 years skippering his own boat. Justin currently fishes across both Northern and Southern Zones with operations out of Geraldton and Jackson Island in the Abrolhos.
DIRECTOR, NORTHERN ZONe
Jared has been part of the lobster fishing industry for 20 years and has managed the family boat for the past 13 years, primarily focusing on fishing in the Northern zone (A/B). He currently holds the position of President at the Geraldton Professional Fishermen’s Association and has been a member of the Fishing Operations Committee (FOC) since its establishment.
Director, northern zone
Matthew Fong has been involved in the fishing industry for 28 years and he is currently serving as a northern representative with Fishing Family’s WA.
Matthew is also a committee member with GPFA.
Director, southern zone
Peter Stanich is a 3rd generation fisherman and has been fishing his own boat for 23 years in the C zone area.
Peter is also a current committee member of the WA Rock Lobster Fishers’ Federation (Fremantle) and Combined Zone C Association (CZCA).
Director, southern zone
Stephen is a 5th generation fisherman and 3rd generation Lobster processor, specialising in live export. He has worked as a deckhand on lobster boats for 11 years and is currently working out of Fremantle.
When he is not fishing, he is helping his father at his lobster export business also located in the Fremantle area. Stephen has around 10 years of experience as a Master, Mate and GPH working on tug, pilot and various work vessels.
Stephen’s passion for this industry started at a very early age and has increased to where he now found himself confident enough to put his hand up for the role of Director.
What drives him, is to continue his Grandfathers legacy and ensure industry goes from strength to strength and is here for future generations.
Director, southern zone
Mat Thompson is a 3rd generation lobster fisherman with over 15 years of experience in the industry, first as a deckhand and then skipping his family vessel in C Zone with operations out of Cervantes for the past 10 years.
Mat is also a committee member of the Central West Coast Professional Fishermen’s Association (CWCPFA).
INDEPENDENT CHAIR
Russell (Russ) Barnett is a partner with Australian Venture Consultants, where he leads the firm’s policy and strategy consultancy. He has over 25 years of experience in complex strategy and policy analysis across a range of industries in the Australasian and Asia Pacific Region, with a main focus on the primary and extractive industries, their allied industries, natural resource management and regional development.
Through Australian Venture Consultants, Russ has led significant national studies pertaining to marine issues including fisheries resource access security and has worked extensively with the Western Rock Lobster industry on resource access issues. Most notably authoring WRL’s nationally significant ‘Secure Fishery Resource Access in Western Australia: Policy Position Paper’ (2020), conducting all of the due diligence and drafting for both WRL’s Research Network proposal and Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Plan, and performing a crucial role as Independent Chair during the WRL negotiations with the Western Australian Government with respect to Minister Kelly’s proposed changes to the allocation of the Western Rock Lobster Resource in 2018.
Russ has significant corporate governance experience having served in board and board leadership roles across the corporate, government and academic sectors. He is also currently an Independent Director of Nyamba Buru Yawuru Limited and holds an honorary associate professorship at the Australian National University.
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
Bradley is an experienced director, executive, governance and risk management professional. He has a demonstrated history of helping to drive innovation and transformation, designing effective strategy and governance standards inspiring others to perform at their best and delivering superior results for ultimate member benefit. Bradley has a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Law (with Honours).
Bradley is a graduate from both the Australian Institute of Company Directors (Order of Merit) and Governance Institute of Australia (GIA). Bradley was the recipient of GIA’s Ian Falconer award for Top Graduating Student August 2011. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School. Bradley’s current role is CEO Automotive of Capricorn Society Ltd, Australia and New Zealand’s largest automotive parts buying co-operative with over 24,000 Members and purchases exceeding over $2.58 billion last financial year. Bradley is also a Director of various Capricorn subsidiary companies and a State Councillor of the Governance Institute of Australia.