FISHING. IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.

FIrst generation: arthur mcadam

Arthur McAdam started his fishing career in his early 20's, his main methods were gill netting and beach seining. In his late 30’s – early 40’s he focused his business on sardines and anchovies, selling bait from his garage in Williamstown. In the early 1990’s he retired but still sold bait from his garage, buying sardines from his son, Phil.

SECOND generation: PHIL mcadam & ANDREW TURNER

Phil has always loved fishing, it’s his passion, what he lives for! He left school at the age of 13 to start fishing with his father and brother Andy, mainly beach seining and purse seining. He bought his first boat at 16 and at the age of 18 got his own fishing license, bought an additional boat and started working for himself employing up to two crew members. By his mid 20’s he bought his first specialised Purse Seine fishing vessel and opened his own factory freezing and salting Sardines and Anchovy. From then onwards he predominantly targeted Sardines. Over the next 25 years, Phil built up the business now owning his own factory and continuously upgrading his two boats - one focusing on Sardines and Anchovy, and the other for beach seining and mesh netting, catching King George Whiting, Snapper, Calamari and numerous other species. Of course, behind every great man is an ever greater woman - Kim Condon McAdam, The Fisherman's Wife.

Andy started fishing in his early teens and by his late teens he purchased his own fishing license. His main method of fishing was mesh netting for snapper. He sold his catch to the local fish market and to a private buyer. He also worked on and off a scallop and squid boat in the Bass Strait. In his mid to late 20’s he moved to Cairns and worked on a shark boat. He eventually moved back to Melbourne and continued fishing on/ and off until he passed away in 2006.

THIRD generation: KATHREN mcadam

Kat is 28 years old and has been fishing professionally for 10 years. She has worked on several different boats in a couple of different states doing multiple types of fishing. She currently works with her dad, Phil, in Port Phillip Bay on a purse seine fishing vessel. They mainly target sardines, catching 2-3 tonne per night.

FOUR GENERATION: NOAH REID

Little Noah was born to Kath and Jeremy in May 2018. Sadly, sleeping in this fish tub might be the closest Noah gets to being an active part of the family's fishing legacy as the commercial netting bans threaten the family's livelihood.