Chris Manners
I am a fifth-generation fisher and my son will be the sixth. When I was 15 years old, I started fishing with my father and my two brothers, and have been a fisher ever since. Fishing is on both sides of my family. My mother was a Simms from Simms Cove, whose family history also spans generations of fishers in the region.
In 1890, my great-great grandfather arrived in Tickera and commenced fishing. My granddad had six boys and in those early days they were all fishing. He developed a haul-net fishing method based on a mathematical equation that we’re still using today. I am told Granddad was the first fisher to put a refrigeration system in his shed and in 1960 my father upgraded it. During WWII, my family fished for the Government, travelling as far as Ceduna and opening up fishing for the War effort, supplying the soldiers with food.
As well as fishing, we built boats, in all 25 fishing boats suitable for the Gulf waters. These boats are still in operation today. In the 1970’s we worked with a 30 ft vessel until we built and launched our 15 m boat and either fished from home or from a mother ship. We did this until 1990, then went to fishing mainly from home. For a while in the 1990’s, I became a full-time processor and fisher. We sold door to door and to local supermarkets and I loved talking to the people.
I fish Sunday through Thursday, getting up at 4:00 am and heading out. We fish from experience and, early mornings, use lights to look for fish. It’s a 12-hour day. Sometimes we stay out overnight. We have some bunks on board and even a TV! Back on shore, we pack the catch in an Esky and I deliver it to SAFCOL, a 5-hour run, to make sure that fresh fish is available to the consumer on a daily basis. I am back home at midnight and up early again the next morning for another day of fishing.
We fish for all the marine scale fishing species, including garfish, tommy ruff, mullet, silver, yellow-fin and King George whiting, squid, snook, trumpeters and leather jackets.
Our family has been a big part of the local community and, over the years, I’ve been involved in local charity work, the local church, and for a while was a representative on the local council.
For me, fishing is a way of life. It’s in my blood!