Introduction

Behind every successful firm is a leader who blends expertise with vision. At Aquarius Lawyers, that leader is Katherine Hawes, Principal Solicitor. With decades of experience in law, business, and education, Katherine has positioned herself as one of Australia’s leading voices in fisheries, aquaculture, and sustainability law.

Early Career and Education

• First business in law was binding legal evidence for presentation to Court.
• First studied Public Relations and Communications at UNSW>
• Katherine trained as a lawyer in NSW and quickly gravitated towards commercial and regulatory practice.
• She recognised early the need for specialist advice in sectors like fishing , aquaculture, and marine industries, which were under-served by traditional firms.
• Alongside practice, she pursued roles in legal education, developing a reputation as both a practitioner and teacher.
• She has three Masters Degrees and went to the Bar working on and assisting in the winning of a High Court Appeal.

Building Aquarius Lawyers

• Founded Aquarius Lawyers to provide specialist legal services for the seafood industry.
• The firm’s vision: to navigate “legal currents” for clients in aquaculture, fisheries, seafood trade, and environmental management.
• Katherine built a team that combines legal precision with industry understanding.

Areas of Expertise

Katherine’s practice covers:

• Commercial Law, with a focus on business and protecting your assets.
• Aquaculture Law — leases, licences, compliance frameworks.
• Fisheries and Wild Catch — quota disputes, sharefishing contracts, infringement defence.
• Environmental & ESG Law — compliance with EPBC Act, marine park regulation, and ESG-linked contracts.
• International Trade — export contracts, IP protection, and trade law.
• Dispute Resolution — representing clients in regulatory and commercial disputes.

Industry Leadership

• Katherine regularly publishes commentary on legal issues in seafood and aquaculture.
• She is widely recognised for the Tide & Trial Newsletter, which distills complex legal developments into accessible insights for industry stakeholders.
• She speaks at and participates in conferences, industry roundtables, and advisory panels on blue economy and sustainability law.

Commitment to Clients

Katherine’s approach is built on:

• Clarity — simplifying complex law into practical steps.
• Collaboration — working alongside clients as part of their team.
• Commercial Insight — balancing compliance with growth opportunities.
• Channelling a Future Focus — ensuring clients are prepared for ESG, digitalisation, and climate impacts.

Looking Ahead

Katherine sees the next decade of seafood law shaped by:

• Indigenous co-management and quota allocations.
• The rise of seaweed and blue carbon industries.
• ESG litigation and compliance demands.
• Technology-driven farming and traceability systems.
• The Indigenous rights to fishing quotas.

Her goal is clear: to ensure Aquarius Lawyers remains at the forefront of legal innovation for the blue economy.

Conclusion

Katherine Hawes is more than a solicitor — she is a thought leader, strategist, and advocate for clients navigating the complex legal waters of aquaculture, fishing and marine. Her leadership continues to define Aquarius Lawyers as the go-to firm for the seafood industry.

For expert advice from Katherine and the team, contact Aquarius Lawyers today.