Our Team

Bob Gordon- Independent Chair

Bob is an experienced CEO and Non Executive Director with strong governance and financial expertise, including as current Chair of the Australian Forest and Wood Innovation Institute, driving a$200 million national program of research initiatives, and recent Director of MyState Bank. He has led major community initiatives through Football Tasmania and disability housing projects, and brings decades of strategic leadership to his role as Independent Chair of TARFish.

Bob has been a keen fisher having been taken fishing from a young age by his grandfather and father who were both keen fishers.

John Edwards- Deputy Chair

John has been fishing Tasmanian waters for more than 50 years. In his early years he was a keen diver participating in spear fishing and representing Tasmania in the Australian Spearfishing Championships. His early working years saw him commercially cray fishing the east, south and west coasts as well as scallop fishing in the north east. John became interested in game fishing during the early 80's while he lived and worked in a land based occupation on the Tasman Peninsula. In recent years John has been an enthusiastic game fishing competition competitor, is a current member of the Tuna Club of Tasmania and the Southern Gamefish Club. He is the current President of the Tasmanian Game Fishing Association representing 5 member clubs state wide. Fishing to John is seen as the jewel in the crown of the best state in Australia and is world class in what it offers every Tasmanian.

Stephen Bax - Treasurer

Steve opened The Fishing Connection in July 1986 after realising a dream to own and run a retail fishing tackle store. Steve has over 40 years experience in the fishing retail industry first starting WS Edwards in Salamanca. Steve is a member of AFTA (Australian Fishing Tackle Association) and has been a TARFish Board Member since 2014. Steve has extensive estuary, game and general fishing experience – his passions being sea run trout and tuna. Recently Steve and his son successfully caught Kingfish in the River Derwent. Steve fished in Vanuatu where he has caught YFT, Barracuda and fought Blue Marlin.

Jeremy Lyle

In addition to being a keen recreational fisher since childhood, Jeremy has over 40 years applied fisheries research experience that has included a strong focus supporting the sustainable management of commercial and recreational fisheries. In relation to recreational fisheries, Jeremy has led and collaborated on numerous fisher surveys (covering fishing practices, human dimensions and socio-economic aspects) in Tasmania, other Australian states and overseas countries, undertaken biological and ecological research on a wide range of recreationally significant species (life history, population dynamics, post release survivorship, etc) and contributed to fisheries management and policy development within Tasmania and elsewhere.

Alison Hay  

Originally from Launceston, Alison is a current practicing lawyer in Hobart, holds a science law degree and comes from a family of dedicated recreational fishers. With sound knowledge of natural resource management together with good understanding of the legislative framework and government processes, Alison brings a high level of strategic thinking and a fresh perspective to the TARFish Board.

Jane Gallichan
Chief Executive Officer

Jane was appointed CEO in 2020 and believes that recreational fishing is part of the Tasmanian way of life, delivering social, cultural, health and economic benefits right around the state for the benefit of all Tasmanians. Jane brings a collaborative approach to the leadership of TARFish with a focus on increased representation and outcomes and providing a direct link between recreational fishers, Government and stakeholders.