Dallas Abel grew up in Port Douglas, Far North Queensland —fishing, diving and hunting every chance he got. That coastal upbringing sparked a lifelong curiosity about the ocean that took him all the way through a marine science degree, into aquaculture, reef education, and eventually a role as a fisheries observer for MPI right here in New Zealand.
In this episode, Dallas pulls back the curtain on what lifeas a fisheries observer actually looks like — including some of the confronting realities of commercial fishing at scale that most recreational fishers never see.
He breaks down ocean acidification in plain language, unpacks New Zealand's quota management system, and shares his philosophy that utilisation is conservation.
But Dallas isn't just talking the talk. He's the founder of Ofishal— a New Zealand fish leather business turning what would otherwise be waste product into premium, handcrafted leather goods. It's a business with purpose, and a genuinely fascinating story.
We also get into kingfish sashimi, mahi-mahi bucket lists,why he'd ditch the rod and reel for a speargun, and what it's like going fishing with Matt Watson.
This one's got something for everyone — whether you're adie-hard fisho, someone curious about what actually goes on out on the commercial boats, or just after a reminder to make the most of every fish you bring home.
✅ Dallas Abel @ofishal_leather
✅ https://ofishalstore.myshopify.com/
⏱️ Chapters /Segments
00:00 – Meet Dallas Abel — proud Australian, marinescientist, ex-MPI fisheries observer, and founder of Ofisal fish leather.
Dallas moved over from North Queensland for a girl and agovernment job — and never left. He shares why NZ's fishing access, lifestyle, and quota management system make it hard to go back.
Fishing, diving and hunting after school every day. How acurious kid from Far North Queensland developed a lifelong obsession with the ocean.
What university actually teaches you — hydrology, coastalchemistry, reef ecosystems — and why Dallas became obsessed with bridging the gap between scientific research and public understanding.
10:00 – Growing Up Wild — Crocs, Sharks & the 2025 Season’s First Striped Marlin
Dallas grew up in Port Douglas, Far North Queensland — where crocodiles were a near-daily sighting and a very drunk round of golf once ended in a sprint from a 3.5-metre croc. He discusses how a casual overnight trip out of Whangarei turned into landing the first striped marlin of the 2025 season at 107.6 kilos.
25 :00 – Fist time Blue Marlin, and what the life of a fisheries observer is really like
Becoming a Fisheries Observer for MPI What the role actually involves — going out on commercial vessels and documenting what's happening at sea. Dallas shares what he saw and why it changed his perspective. How coral gets dumped (legally) and the massive On-board processing plants and waste they create
35:00 – The Hauraki Gulf — Dragged Clean
Dallas reveals that the Hauraki Gulf was once dragged with massive chains to rip up the entire sea floor — clearing out the mussels, oysters and reef structures that once lined the bottom — specifically to make way for commercial trawling.
50:00 – Ofishal — Turning Fish Skins into LeatherDallas walks through how a rabbit hole during his time with the Kai Ika project led him to fish leather — watching perfectly good skins get discarded on commercial boats and thinking there had to be a better use.
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🎵 Music Used
✅ Proctor, Topher Mohr & Alex Elena
✅ Satellites, Swello
✅ Momentum, Zplit
✅ Source (YouTube Audio Library)
🎥 Production Notes
✅ Shot on: Sony A7iii + Sennheiser Mics
✅ Edited in: Adobe Premiere Pro
✅ Shot, Edited & Produced by Nick Hoyle
New Zealand