Meet Michael Sierp, SA Senior Program Manager
In these uncertain times, it’s often difficult to get people together to share stories. We’ve all had to adapt. So, the OzFish family thought it would be worthwhile to hop online and tell you a little bit more about ourselves. Who’s behind some of our projects and what makes us tick?
Kickstarting our “Meet the Team” Series is Michael Sierp. Based in SA, Michael our Senior Program Manager was more than happy to sit down and have a yarn with us.
Tell us something that most people don’t know about you?
Michael: For five years in the early 2000s, I was sponsored by the Australian distributor for Santa Cruz bikes for downhill and cross country mountain bike racing.
What are some interesting projects you’ve been apart of?
Michael: OzFish is famous for building native oyster reefs. Between 2006 and 2010 I led the SA State Government control program for feral Pacific oyster reef removals across South Australian coastlines, some in the renowned Coffin Bay region. It was great working with SAOGA, locals and the government to address the problem.
What projects are currently in the works?
Michael: I kind of take care of everything OzFish in SA. At the moment, we’re aiming to broadly introduce habitat back into the SA Reservoirs. We are also doing beach cleanups, looking at restoring our seagrass in partnership with the government and looking to redevelop our native oyster reefs.
What’s your fishing background?
Michael: I came from a fishing family as a kid. We had several boats and a beachside holiday house. We would head out into Encounter Bay (Victor Harbor) in the 1970s and 80s where you could catch southern rock lobsters in pots, mullet, whiting and other fish in recreational nets, as well as other species. They were all plentiful back then.
I studied Marine Biology at Flinders University, then did freshwater ecology and aquaculture as my honors. This was followed by a PhD on Murray cod and pest fish. From there I worked in the South Australian Government at SARDI Aquatic Sciences at West Beach. I worked as a scientist on rock lobster boats, prawn trawlers and other commercial marine fishing boats as an observer. I then worked as a Marine Biosecurity Manager at PIRSA, working on fisheries habitat.
Do you have a favourite fishing experience?
Michael: I organised a charter at the Pages Islands SA about 10 years ago. It was the first week that Southern Bluefin Tuna had come back to the area since 1968. Everyone on board caught one! Everyone on that boat will never forget it I think.
What about your worst fishing experience?
Michael: Everyone has tales of catching no fish. I tried to catch a single southern calamari for 6 hours from the Kingscote Jetty (Kangaroo Island). It would keep coming up to my lure then deciding not to eat it and turn away. It would have done that over 300 times in those six hours. I ended up giving up because it got cold and dark. Well done calamari. You win.
What’s your favourite place to fish in Australia?
Michael: Probably Coffin Bay SA, no matter what the weather you can always find shelter from the wind somewhere there. I usually go there after work with my mates.
Why Ozfish?
Michael: I truly believe in OzFish’s mantra, to get recreational fishers involved in rehabilitating and investigating aquatic habitats. That way we can produce more vibrant fisheries, raising the carrying capacity of those individual ecosystems and spreading fishing effort across more sites. This means we don’t damage them and everyone has a better experience.