Local Fleet

Our local fleet - their story

At the heart (and heritage) of Sydney Fish Market is it’s fishing fleet. Fishing can be a difficult and sometimes dangerous profession with no guarantee of success. Fishermen are typically passionate about their livelihood and the Bagnato family typifies the spirit of the men who continue to devote their lives to supplying fresh fish daily to Sydney Fish Market. When the Market officially opened at Blackwattle Bay in Pyrmont in 1966, the Bagnato brothers and their families dominated the Sydney fishing fleet!

Fishing for a Bagnato man has forever been more than just a trade or a profession. It has been a passion, a love and fabric which has shaped the lives and destiny of this proud family.

Diego Bagnato

Diego Bagnato parted from his motherland Calabria, Italy, on the 19th April 1957 at just 29 years of age in search of new discoveries in a new foreign land such as Australia. 16th May 1957 marked his arrival to the land of opportunity, where he wasted no time and was put to work as a deckhand for a local fisherman. Only one year passed before his expertise was noted and appreciated, and because of this he was offered a job by another fisherman who owned a vessel called the ‘San Rocco’. He was given the role of a skipper and continued in this position for approximately two years.

This role was his motivation to proceed in purchasing his first vessel in Australia. His brother Giuseppe Bagnato, following his brother to Australia in May 1960, agreed to go into partnership together they bought their first fishing vessel, the ‘Isabella’. Diego’s new venture included Vincenzo, the third of the Bagnato brothers to come to Australia in 1960. This boat marked the beginning of a long and distinguished career in Australia as professional fishermen.
They held this boat for three years until it was sold to raise the necessary funds to enable Diego to build his own boat just as he had always envisioned, while Guiseppe expanded his own ambitions and bought ‘Santa Maria’.

Together Diego and his other brother, Vincenzo, provided the funds to have this boat built and they became dual owners. This boat was made from scratch in Glebe, just under where the Anzac Bridge is situated today. It was a large and solid vessel which, once constructed, was given the name “Immacolata Prima’ (the Madonna).

Diego and Vincenzo made a successful team. They worked hard and depended upon each other. In 1964, as owners of the ‘Immacolata Prima’, they marked the opening of the old Sydney Fish Market and were the first of the trawlers that unloaded their inaugural catch to the newly opened market. Only five boats existed in the Sydney fleet at that time, each of them operated by one of the Bagnato brothers.

Unloading of the fish was done manually. All owners and deckhands of the five boats turned to each other for a helping hand and assistance. The wives worked just as hard as the men did. Not only did the wives manage the domestic scene, but they helped them off load their catches too.

In 1968 the ‘Immacolata Prima’ was sold and Diego had finally purchased his first solely owned vessel, the ‘Arakiwa’. His children, Giuseppe and Vince, were now old enough to work as his deckhands. This boat was a great success. They worked hard as a family and because of that, achieved positive results.

During the good and the bad times this boat never disappointed them. Immense profits were made. Diego, his sons and son-in-law worked well together making record catches. The industry was booming. The success of this boat enabled them to purchase a second boat called the ‘Francesca’ and have both boats in operation at the same time. The ‘Francesca’ was purchased in 1992 and was sold in 2002. The ‘Arakiwa’ was sold off six years prior to that. The ‘Francesca’ was in it’s own class and incomparable to any other boat in the Sydney waters.

Diego is now a retired fisherman, assisting his youngest son with his boat the ‘Don Diego’, which he named after his father. He now passes his days constructing his son’s nets and offering guidance.

Vincenzo’s Story

Vincenzo Bagnato was born on the 15th December 1930 in a small village in Reggio Calabria, Italy called Bagnara, to Diego and Domenica Bagnato. He was the third born of nine children, seven boys and two girls.

Vincenzo was fortunate enough to attend school, however, only until the age of 10, when he was then taken out to work as a fisherman to assist his father and brothers in supporting the family. He worked with his father up to the age of 20, when he was called to join the Navy, where he worked on the ships for 26 months.

In 1953 at the Age of 23, he returned to his home town, fell in love and married his now wife Rosa and after one year of marriage they welcomed their first child, Domenica. Over the next two years sons Richard and Paul followed.

Having been a fisherman for many years in his home town, he decided to venture out and find a better life for his family. So in 1960 he decided to leave and migrate to Australia aboard the ship ‘Toscana’.

Upon his arrival he began seeking employment and was fortunate enough to start working on a trawler named the ‘Isabelle Star’, where after only four months he successfully became part owner with his older brother Diego.

In 1961 he called for his wife and children to come and join him in Australia, and he then bought a home in Wooloomooloo and within three years his family grew with a further three sons being born: Joe, Ross and Domenic.

One night whilst out at sea on the ‘Isabella Star’, a bad storm hit and the trawler began filling with water and sinking. With only a few minutes to spare Vincenzo ordered his crew to put on their lifejackets and jump overboard into smaller boats in order to row to safety. Two days later they were able to successfully retrieve the ‘Isabella Star’ from the ocean.

After three years they sold the “Isabella Star”, and continuing his partnership with his brother built a larger trawler “Immacolata Prima’ (the Madonna). They worked long, hard hours, seven days a week. Two years later they brought their vessel to the opening of Sydney Fish Market. They were very happy and proud to be there as their family were the only ones present at the event. They all took on the duties of unloading the fish that had been caught out at sea to be sold at the Market. Even his beautiful wife Rosa assisted in the unloading.

In 1972 Vincenzo and his brother sold the ‘Immacolata’ and went their separate ways. Vincenzo then purchased a trawler named ‘The San Giuseppe Star’, and he continued to work and fish with his two older sons Richard and Paul.

In 1976 Vincenzo returned to Italy with his family where he bought another trawler, also named the ‘Immacolata’. During a work trip outside Naples, near the island of Capri, where they were catching swordfish, a cyclone hit around midnight and he realised that a fellow trawler was sinking and was calling SOS. Vincenzo directed his crew to quickly pull up their nets and attend to the fishermen. On arrival at the scene, they had only minutes to rescue and save the fishermen before the vessel sank, risking their own lives by diving into the ocean to assist the sailors.

Upon returning to his home town Bagnara, the village and Lord Mayor welcomed Vincenzo and honoured him with a gold medal for saving these lives. He also received a medal from the General Governor of Italy for his heroism.

During 1976 and 1980 Vincenzo worked the summer in Australia for six months and then the Italian summer for the other six months as a skipper on the ‘Johndory’ and ‘Elizabeth May’.

After four years, Vincenzo decided to return to Australia with his family, where he decided to purchase another trawler named the ‘Seaport’ and then in 1991 he bought another trawler by the name of ‘Antonia’. He had his son Richard working on the ‘Seaport’ and Paul and Ross on the ‘Antonia’. During this time he saw his family grow. His children were getting married and before he knew it he had grandchildren.

In November 2003 he was recognised by the Italian Republic Government and he was made an Italian Cavalieri (Italian Sir) and also presented with another gold medal for his hard work and bravery out at sea.

He is now retired, however, he still helps and guides his children Richard and Paul in the art of preparing nets and other fishing duties. He is proud to have been a part of Sydney Fish Market for the last forty five years, and watching his children growing alongside the Market’s growth and success has also made him very proud. He is sure that the Bagnato family will grow with the Sydney Fish Market for many generations to come.

Domenico Bagnato

Domenico Bagnato arrived from Italy in October 1960 following his compulsory duty in the Italian Navy submarines, his service being honoured with a bronze medal for saving three people from drowning.

In 1961 he bought, in partnership, his first fishing trawler called the ‘Halandon’ for £4,000. The ‘Halandon’ was sold in 1965 and in 1966 he bought, again in partnership, the fishing trawler ‘Marrimbola’ for £12,000. Domenico bought his third fishing trawler ‘Kirrawa’ in 1976 which he still owns today. The ‘Kirrawa’ is moored at the Sydney Fish Market and continues to provide the Market with fresh local seafood. In 1988 Domenico was awarded a gold medal as a pioneer fisherman by the Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

Giuseppe Bagnato

Giuseppe Bagnato arrived in Australia in May 1960. He comes from a long line of fishermen and has six brothers, all commercial fishermen.

Giuseppe (Joe) has owned several trawlers. His first was the ‘Isabella’ and then the ‘Calabria Star’, both bought in partnership. For a time he owned the ‘Santa Maria’, before selling it and buying the ‘Leeton Star’, which he then owned for seventeen years. His last fishing trawler was the ‘Citi S’, which he owned for ten years.

Antonio Ianni

Antonio Ianni has lived in Australia since March 1959. He began working as a deckhand in Sydney and then moved to Ulladulla. In 1974 he decided to start up his own business in the fishing industry; he bought his own boat the ‘Mark M’, which he sold in 1978. In 1980 he bought his second boat, the ‘Immacolata the 1st’ (originally built by Diego and Vincenzo Bagnato). Approximately five years later he sold the ‘Immacolata the 1st’ and bought the ‘Immacolata the 2nd’, which he finally sold in 2004.

Salvatore Bagnato

Salvatore Bagnato is 60 years old and came to Australia in 1962. He has been in the Australian fishing industry for 44 years, since the age of 10. In Australia, the first boat he started out on was a 30ft trawler and he now owns an 80ft trawler with his sons: Tony and Vince. Fishing has been his life, so he is a happy and proud Australian fisherman.

Sydney Fish Market's local fishing fleet is comprised of 17 purpose-built boats that include sea trawlers, prawn trawlers "harbour boats", longliners and set line boats including Bagnatos.

However, although today's fishing methods have become more sophisticated, the passion of the people who supply Sydney's seafood remains the driving force behind Sydney Fish Market.

Paolo Bagnato

Paolo Bagnato (1936-1998) the fifth child of nine from a seafaring family from the Italian fishing village of Bagnara Calabria. He arrived in Australia in 1960 joining his brothers; initially his stay was short-lived as he missed his wife and their two young children.

He later returned with his young family in tow. His first vessel was a prawn trawler called the "Silvia" that trawled the then rich waters of Sydney Harbour; later on he acquired the "Isabella" a seafaring vessel and began to live his dream of building a new life for his young family in this alien, but rich and vibrant land.

As his career progressed he bought the "Leeton Star" which would become his pride and joy, until the chance of having a normal life presented itself and he launched himself as a land based businessman buying a mixed business-grocery store from his brother Rocco who at the time was returning to Italy with his family.

Not long after the lure of the sea proved too strong and Paolo returned to the waters of Sydney Harbour with the vessel "Sanrocco". He subsequently sold this vessel and returned to Italy in 1975, but still the thrill and challenge of the waters of Sydney would not free him from their embrace. In 1976 the family returned and soon after he acquired the "Piranha" a prawn-fishing vessel based out of Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay during the halcyon days of these two estuaries.

In later years Paolo sold the Piranha, still wanting to be a part of the industry which gave him and his family such a great life in their adopted land, he focussed on the art of net making and net mending becoming a craftsman very much in demand by his peers and respected for his fine craftwork.

It was a common sight to see Paolo, with a net between his hands weaving his magic, on the wharves of the Sydney Fish Markets.