Name: Mitch Campbell

Years in industry: 8

Job Title: Operations manager, Challenger Enhancement Company, CEO Challenger Oyster Management Company, company director.

Location: Port Nelson

Mitch Campbell has always cared a lot about New Zealand's natural resources.  That's why he decided to work in fisheries, and also why, at just 28, he is the operations manager of one of the country's largest scallop enhancement companies, CEO of the Challenger Oyster Management Company, and director of his own fisheries consultancy business.

And although the titles of operations manager, CEO and director sound corporate, Mitch is no ‘suit and tie' man. Despite being based in an office, he also gets out on the water with the fishermen helping to lay spat, check scallop growth and generally get his hands, and his jeans, dirty. "There's plenty of variety in my job, that's for sure," he says.

Scallops and Science

New Zealand's scallop fishery is difficult to manage says Mitch, but it is a challenge that he is keen to meet. "We're in a perfect position to grow the scallop industry. It's just a matter of understanding, through science, how Mother Nature works. That's the part of the job I really get a kick out of."

Every day at the Challenger Enhancement Company Mitch works with the fishermen from Golden Bay, Nelson, the company's board members and Ministry of Fisheries' staff to improve the scallop yield and sustain the resource for future generations.

"I've always believed in using science to inform management decisions and fisheries is the perfect avenue to do this. You're breaking new ground on a daily basis," he says.

Grass roots experience paves the way

"From a young age I've been interested in our natural resources. New Zealand is the best country on earth, and Nelson is one of the best regions. It's vibrant, diverse and rich in natural resources, and I want to be involved in preserving those for the future," says Mitch.

Mitch holds an economics degree but he puts his achievements in the industry down to grass roots experience. He previously worked as a deckhand on a mussel barge, managed the Tuna Management Company and started as an employee with Challenger Scallops. "My Dad always said that you can't become a CEO until you've swept the floor."

Casting a wider net

Mitch's fishing experience and passion for sustaining natural resources has landed him several roles in addition to operations manager of Challenger Scallop Enhancement Company.  In his role as CEO of the Challenger Oyster Management Company, Mitch creates proposals to enhance oyster production, plans harvests and food safety regimes as well as managing research into the species.

As his own boss, he uses his skill set and contracts out to seafood companies like Talley's where for example, he investigates the establishment of new fisheries.

"The vision for fisheries management is a good one, however we need to be innovative and we need to lead the way," he says.