Why is it easier to buy imported tuna in an Australian supermarket than tuna caught off our own coast?

Heidi Walker, co-founder of Walker's Seafood and Walker's Tuna, explains why. Australia exports about 70% of the seafood it catches and imports about 70% of what it eats. Local fishers pay Australian wages and Australian fuel prices, and they compete against subsidised foreign fleets fishing the high seas with few rules. The country also has no scaled seafood canning facility left.

Heidi and her husband Pavo started with one of the oldest wooden tuna boats on the East Coast and no experience. They built Australia's largest wild-caught tuna company and became the first Australian tuna business to earn MSC certification. Now Walker's Tuna is the first Australian MSC-certified tuna stocked by a major supermarket, and it is in every Coles in the country.

This episode is proudly presented by Seaway Logistics, local experts in global trade.

In this episode:
Why imported tuna dominates Australian shelves, and what it costs to send one boat to sea ($70,000 a trip)
The last tank of fuel and the recycled fishing line that saved the business
How one swordfish for George Calombaris started a direct-to-chef strategy
What MSC certification actually proves, and why "line-caught" or "small boat" doesn't automatically mean sustainable
Creating a preserved albacore with Neil Perry, packed in Australian cold-pressed olive oil
Why the product is made in Thailand, and why that isn't a compromise
The proposed marine park that Heidi says could push Australians toward more imported fish

About Walker's Seafood and Walker's Tuna

Walker's Seafood Australia is a family-owned wild-caught tuna and swordfish business based in Mooloolaba, Queensland, founded by Heidi and Pavo Walker. It started with one old wooden boat and now runs four vessels in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery, supplying chefs across Australia and exporting to the US and Japan.

In 2015, Walker's became the first Australian tuna company to achieve MSC certification, the global standard for sustainable wild-caught seafood. Every boat carries 24/7 cameras and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority monitors them.

Walker's Tuna is the company's preserved range: Australian albacore in Australian cold-pressed olive oil, sold in jars and foil-lined pouches and developed with Neil Perry. It is the first Australian tuna stocked by a major supermarket, and it's available in every Coles nationally, around 200 Woolworths stores and independent grocers. Food service packs and frozen saku and poke cuts are also available for chefs.

Links
Walker's Seafood Australia: https://walkerstuna.com/
Walkers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkerseafoods 
Heidi Walker on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-walker-2b98b1123/
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): https://www.msc.org/en-us/for-business/supply-chain-companies/get-certified
AFMA, Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery: https://www.afma.gov.au/

Learn More & Connect with Seaway Logistics
Website: https://www.seaway.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seawaygroup

Australian tuna, albacore tuna, MSC certified tuna, sustainable seafood Australia, imported seafood, Walker's Tuna, Heidi Walker, Pavo Walker, Mooloolaba, preserved tuna, freight logistics  

About Straight To The Source

Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain- the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.

Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia's food and hospitality industry.

You can find us:
• Straight To The Source Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
 • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
 • Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au

Tawnya Bahr: 
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/ 
Instagram: @tawnyabahr  
Email: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au

Lucy Allon:
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/ 
Instagram: @lucy_allon 
Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au

Why is it easier to buy imported tuna in an Australian supermarket than tuna caught off our own coast?
Heidi Walker, co-founder of Walker's Seafood and Walker's Tuna, explains why. Australia exports about 70% of the seafood it catches and imports about 70% of what it eats. Local fishers pay Australian wages and Australian fuel prices, and they compete against subsidised foreign fleets fishing the high seas with few rules. The country also has no scaled seafood canning facility left.
Heidi and her husband Pavo started with one of the oldest wooden tuna boats on the East Coast and no experience. They built Australia's largest wild-caught tuna company and became the first Australian tuna business to earn MSC certification. Now Walker's Tuna is the first Australian MSC-certified tuna stocked by a major supermarket, and it is in every Coles in the country.
This episode is proudly presented by Seaway Logistics, local experts in global trade.
In this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Why imported tuna dominates Australian shelves, and what it costs to send one boat to sea ($70,000 a trip)</li>
<li aria-level="1">The last tank of fuel and the recycled fishing line that saved the business</li>
<li aria-level="1">How one swordfish for George Calombaris started a direct-to-chef strategy</li>
<li aria-level="1">What MSC certification actually proves, and why "line-caught" or "small boat" doesn't automatically mean sustainable</li>
<li aria-level="1">Creating a preserved albacore with Neil Perry, packed in Australian cold-pressed olive oil</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why the product is made in Thailand, and why that isn't a compromise</li>
<li aria-level="1">The proposed marine park that Heidi says could push Australians toward more imported fish</li>
</ul>
About Walker's Seafood and Walker's Tuna
Walker's Seafood Australia is a family-owned wild-caught tuna and swordfish business based in Mooloolaba, Queensland, founded by Heidi and Pavo Walker. It started with one old wooden boat and now runs four vessels in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery, supplying chefs across Australia and exporting to the US and Japan.
In 2015, Walker's became the first Australian tuna company to achieve MSC certification, the global standard for sustainable wild-caught seafood. Every boat carries 24/7 cameras and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority monitors them.
Walker's Tuna is the company's preserved range: Australian albacore in Australian cold-pressed olive oil, sold in jars and foil-lined pouches and developed with Neil Perry. It is the first Australian tuna stocked by a major supermarket, and it's available in every Coles nationally, around 200 Woolworths stores and independent grocers. Food service packs and frozen saku and poke cuts are also available for chefs.
Links
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Walker's Seafood Australia: <a href="https://walkerstuna.com/">https://walkerstuna.com/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Walkers on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/walkerseafoods">https://www.instagram.com/walkerseafoods</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Heidi Walker on LinkedIn:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-walker-2b98b1123/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-walker-2b98b1123/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): <a href="https://www.msc.org/en-us/for-business/supply-chain-companies/get-certified">https://www.msc.org/en-us/for-business/supply-chain-companies/get-certified</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">AFMA, Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery: <a href="https://www.afma.gov.au/">https://www.afma.gov.au/</a></li>
</ul>
Learn More &amp; Connect with Seaway Logistics
<ul>
<li>Website: <a href="https://www.seaway.com.au/">https://www.seaway.com.au/</a></li>
<li>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/seawaygroup">https://www.linkedin.com/company/seawaygroup</a></li>
</ul>
Australian tuna, albacore tuna, MSC certified tuna, sustainable seafood Australia, imported seafood, Walker's Tuna, Heidi Walker, Pavo Walker, Mooloolaba, preserved tuna, freight logistics&nbsp;&nbsp;
About Straight To The Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain- the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia's food and hospitality industry.
You can find us: &bull; Straight To The Source Podcast:<a href="https://lnk.to/jBCTBE"> https://lnk.to/jBCTBE </a> &bull; Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/"> https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/ </a> &bull; Website:<a href="http://straighttothesource.com.au"> http://straighttothesource.com.au</a>
Tawnya Bahr:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tawnyabahr/">@tawnyabahr</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Email: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au</li>
</ul>
Lucy Allon:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lucy_allon">@lucy_allon</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Email: <a href="mailto:lucy@straighttothesource.com.au">lucy@straighttothesource.com.au</a></li>
</ul>

Welcome to the Straight To The Source podcast, where leadership meets the future of food.

Hosted by two of Australia’s most respected food industry voices, Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon, the Straight To The Source podcast connects you directly with the changemakers shaping how we grow, source, and experience food.

With decades of experience spanning the kitchen, dining room, and boardroom, as chef, restaurateur, consultants, and educators, Tawnya and Lucy bring an insider’s lens to the challenges and innovations driving the industry forward.

From producers pioneering regenerative practices to hospitality leaders reimagining what sustainability means on the plate, each episode explores the strategies, stories, and leadership mindsets transforming the global food landscape and ensuring a thriving, sustainable food future for generations to come.

Get ready for bold ideas, honest conversations, and the kind of insights that move industries forward.

Follow, comment, and hit that bell for more Straight To The Source episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.

To stay up to date, follow Straight To The Source on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Welcome to the Straight To The Source podcast, where leadership meets the future of food.
Hosted by two of Australia&rsquo;s most respected food industry voices, Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon, the Straight To The Source podcast connects you directly with the changemakers shaping how we grow, source, and experience food.
With decades of experience spanning the kitchen, dining room, and boardroom, as chef, restaurateur, consultants, and educators, Tawnya and Lucy bring an insider&rsquo;s lens to the challenges and innovations driving the industry forward.
From producers pioneering regenerative practices to hospitality leaders reimagining what sustainability means on the plate, each episode explores the strategies, stories, and leadership mindsets transforming the global food landscape and ensuring a thriving, sustainable food future for generations to come.
Get ready for bold ideas, honest conversations, and the kind of insights that move industries forward.
Follow, comment, and hit that bell for more Straight To The Source episodes on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/straight-to-the-source/id1610058270">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1FwFeGJI0wp15O9KiDn28c?si=20a9b788479446c7">Spotify</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@straighttothesource7730">YouTube</a>.
To stay up to date, follow Straight To The Source on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight.to.the.source/?hl=en">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/straighttothesourcefoodtours">Facebook </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/straight-to-the-source/">LinkedIn</a>.