ASC and partners celebrate the Success of Sea Gathering 

Ellie Dixon, Matt Poll, Tim Rudge, Mindy Woods and Aneta Ilievska

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is proud to celebrate the success of last week’s Sea Gathering media luncheon held at Harbour Watch Cafe, delivered in partnership with the Australian National Maritime Museum, SRG Hospitality, Humpty Doo Barramundi and Yumbah Aquaculture. 

Chef Jason Roberts and Dr Joanna McMillan

Held ahead of NAIDOC Week at Harbour Watch Café within the Australian National Maritime Museum, the exclusive event brought together journalists, sustainability leaders, chefs and seafood producers for an immersive experience exploring responsible seafood through an Indigenous lens. 

Photography: Raul Ortiz de Lejarazu Machin

At the heart of the campaign launch was Celebrating Sea Country, a free recipe booklet created by ASC in collaboration with acclaimed Bundjalung chef, restaurateur and author Mindy Woods. The cookbook showcases ASC-certified Australian seafood alongside native ingredients, celebrating the deep connection between culture, Country and sustainable food systems. 

Guests enjoyed a thoughtfully curated seafood lunch prepared by Mindy Woods and Harbour Watch Cafe, showcasing Native ingredients and featuring ASC-certified seafood. Recipes highlighted Australian seafood including Humpty Doo Barramundi from the Northern territory, Yumbah Aquaculture’s Abalone from South Australia, Spencer Gulf Kingfish and Black Tiger Prawns from Tassal in Proserpine Queensland.  

The event also included presentations from ASC, the Australian National Maritime Museum and our certified farm partners, highlighting the important role of responsible aquaculture in supporting healthy ecosystems, thriving communities and informed consumer choice. 

The luncheon welcomed 30 guests, including 10 journalists representing leading food, sustainability and First Nations publications. The event successfully strengthened relationships with key media while increasing awareness of ASC’s globally recognised certification programme and the environmental and social standards that underpin responsible aquaculture. 

The campaign launch has generated National media coverage, that highlights Indigenous culinary leadership, responsible seafood production and the collaborative partnerships helping to shape a more sustainable future for seafood. 

The Celebrating Sea Country recipe booklet will be available online and throughout July at the Australian National Maritime Museum, with a dedicated social media campaign launching next week to encourage Australians to discover responsibly farmed seafood through culturally inspired recipes. 

SRG Hospitality

ASC extends its sincere thanks to Mindy Woods, the Australian National Maritime Museum, SRG Hospitality, Humpty Doo Barramundi, Yumbah Aquaculture, Tassal, Poder PR and everyone who attended and supported this special event. Together, we are helping tell the stories behind responsibly farmed seafood while celebrating culture, collaboration and the future of sustainable aquaculture. 

We look forward to building on the momentum of this event and continuing to work alongside our partners to inspire greater awareness and confidence in responsibly farmed seafood.