He claims to have spent more time on the Barrier Reef than on dry land, and for this third-generation fisherman, there’s no place he’d rather be. Now Queensland’s Chris Bolton has been recognised at the country’s most prestigious food industry awards, winning Producer of the Year at the 2024 delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards. 

Bolton was chosen by a panel of judges comprised of some of the nation’s top chefs, who praised him for his commitment to the Reef, his innovation in sustainable fishing practices and his dedication to his craft. 

Based out of Kurrimine Beach, North Queensland, Bolton specialises in reef fish such as coral trout and red emperor, which are line-caught. He has recently pioneered line-caught barramundi; a product that deeply impressed all the National Judges at this year’s National Judging Day at Icebergs.

“It’s one line, one hook,” Bolton says. “You feel the fish bite the hook and you pull it straight in. So the fish is into the boat within seconds.”

Once on the boat, Bolton uses ike-jime, an ancient Japanese method where a sharpened rod is quickly inserted into the brain, to kill the fish. This is both instant and painless, reducing stress on the fish and resulting in a superior eating quality. 

“If a fish stresses out, there’s lactic acid pumping through that flesh, which can leave a strong fishy taste,” Bolton explains. “Then we bleed it. So it’s brain dead, but its heart is still beating. So we cut the gills, and while that heart is still beating, that will pump the blood out of the flesh. If you leave that blood in the flesh, the flesh will deteriorate faster, and the blood will also give it a stronger, fishier taste.”

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The fish are then immediately placed in a salt-ice brine, and transported back to the packing shed, where they’re then air-freighted to their destination. 

“We only do very short trips, four days at the most,” Bolton says. “On longer trips, we actually keep the fish live in tanks, and then when we get in, we’ll do the ike-jime process at the wharf. So, you know, it was swimming today, we bring it straight to our packing shed, it’s in the air-freight box, and it’s off to Sydney. I was out yesterday, and that fish from yesterday will land there within the next couple of hours and be on the table of a restaurant tonight.”

You can find Bolton’s catch of the day gracing the tables of Australia’s finest restaurants, the idea of which Bolton describes as “bloody unreal”. 

“Ten or 15 years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined that was even possible,” he says. “I’ve been fishing for over 30 years. And for a long time, the fish that we caught, you didn’t know where it was going once it went off the boat. That was it. That’s all you knew. And now, I know everything, every little step of the way, exactly how it gets served. I obviously don’t know every person that eats it, but I know every chef that uses it. It’s a bloody good feeling, knowing how much it’s appreciated.”

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As a Reef Guardian, Bolton is committed to maintaining a healthy and sustainable Barrier Reef, and ensures that every aspect of his business has sustainability and reef preservation at the forefront. His small fishing vessel utilises an electric anchor, which holds the boat in position via GPS, without the need for a metal anchor that can damage the delicate reef environment. Hooks and sinkers are made from recycled stainless steel, never lead, and lines are biodegradable. Ropes and floats on the nets Bolton uses to catch bait are made from recycled ‘ghost nets’ that wash up on the beach. Fish are even transported in biodegradable boxes made from recycled cardboard, and wrapped in compostable wrap. All of this is done to protect and preserve Bolton’s beloved Barrier Reef.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love being at home with the family, but out there on the reef is when I really feel at home,” he says. 

“I’d say to people that haven’t seen it, if you could imagine the most luscious rainforest full of the most colourful birds and animals and things like that? Well, multiply that by about 10 and that’s the Great Barrier Reef. I reckon it’s something else.”

Chris and his wife and business partner Kim flew to Sydney to accept the award at an event at Chiswick filled with the best chefs and producers in the country, and were personally presented the award and a $5K Harvey Norman gift card by restaurateur and National Judge Matt Moran.

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