contracts for captains

Introducing the new system. Contracts that keep a boat from fishing for an entire month when hired in tourism. This is us moving forward to ensure effectiveness and captain satisfaction.

Employment with Project Hiu means shark fishermen can be hired for month long periods where they commit to tourism and refrain from fishing. The contracts are part time work based on the availability of tourists and or other forms of work.

We currently have three employed captains and their boats, working under Project Hiu contract & five boats we want to contract…

Successful employment of these boats would create guaranteed income for 40-50 fisherman, and remove a further six boats from fishing for targeted and vulnerable shark species.

Utilising our relationship with this community, we consult directly with the fishing captains and village leadership to determine the boats and crew that could be contracted by Project Hiu to exchange fishing for tourism. Consultations will take place focusing on collating the following information: how the captain commissions his fishing trips; costs of boat fuel; income paid to crew; recent income vs expenses generated by the boat; risk assessment of accidents and injuries sustained by crew; who owns the boat/s, and family data of fisherman – ie, specific numbers of dependents and education level of children. Information gathered at these consultations would then be assessed utilising our current knowledge of existing risks, sustainability and costs of fishing, to determine if the boat can be refurbished and redeployed for tourism.

Captains selected for employment with Project Hiu will be required to sign a contract asking them, their boat and crew, to be present for an entire month for the availability of tourism activities with Project Hiu. The contract requires each Captain to uphold certain rules that prove compliancy and effectiveness of protecting sharks, such as having fishing equipment present on the boat, subjecting themselves to weekly random checks by Project Hiu staff, and including incentives for community and family for involvement. Project Hiu will oversee and fund the refurbishment of each vessel selected for tourism. The estimated cost per vessel is $800AUD.