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Albany’s Westerberg family set sights on export market with Australian salmon

Headshot of Sarah Makse
Sarah MakseAlbany Advertiser
Albany Seafoods’ Tony, Elle Todd and Bryn Westerberg.
Camera IconAlbany Seafoods’ Tony, Elle Todd and Bryn Westerberg. Credit: Sarah Makse/ Albany Advertiser

A multi-generational Albany fishing business is gearing up to dive into the export market with its ready-to-eat canned Australian salmon.

The Westerberg family’s Albany Seafoods has recently completed the first phase of upgrades to its Albany processing and packaging facility, bolstered by a $175,000 State Government grant.

Selling freshly-caught Australian salmon, herring and marinated sardines, the family has been switching focus from bait to food production.

Managing director Bryn Westerberg said they were now preparing to get their facility export-approved.

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They are also finalising talks with a supermarket chain to roll out their canned salmon, launched in December, across the country.

“We are excited by what we can do in the future when we get our facility export approved and we really start putting in a fair volume of our fish species, especially underutilised fish species, into the seafood market,” Mr Westerberg said.

“It’s going to be great and a big jobs boost for the local economy, as well.

“We think there is a huge potential for exporting some of our fresh and frozen fish species, or the ready-to-eat products.

“In June-July we will be flat out getting the building up to spec ... so the next fishing season, come next March, April and May we will be ready to go.”

Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan visited the facility last week, calling the Westerberg’s operation a great local success story.

“The Westerbergs have been synonymous with fishing in the Great Southern for decades,” she said.

“They had the insight that they wanted to move away from just providing bait fish to really value add, and of course that really lined up with what our government is trying to do.”

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