As a leading voice in his industry for over 30 years, crab fisherman Dennis Holder is researching and designing an electric boat to help reduce the carbon footprint of Australia’s commercial fishing fleet
South Australian blue swimmer crab fisherman Dennis Holder is a long way from home.
After helping to develop and lead the local industry for more than 30 years, Holder is in the Arctic Circle on a Norwegian vessel testing the sort of green technology he says could transform Australia’s aging commercial fishing fleet.
“My ultimate aim is to put an electric boat in the water for fishing,” he says from the other side of the world. “I would suggest I can reduce the diesel and carbon footprint by up to 80 per cent.”
Holder and his wife Karen operate the largest commercial blue swimmer crab fishing business in Australia. From Largs North, next to Port Adelaide, they handle about 250-tonnes a year, selling to top restaurants and markets around the country. And now they are aiming to lead the sustainability drive.