Paratore Family (Fortunato)

Fortunato Paratore was born in 1934 in Falcone, Sicily. He was the youngest of 5 children born to Carmelo Paratore and Concetta Cambria. His siblings were Concetta, Francesco, Pasquale and Giuseppe.

In 1956, like many other fishers of his era, 22-year-old Fortunato Paratore and his Brother Giuseppe decided to travel to Fremantle to earn a living fishing off the Western Australian coast. Fortunato was sponsored by his brother-in-law, Santo Oteri of Arundel Street in Fremantle. Santo had married Fortunato’s sister, Concetta. Santo had already arrived in Australia earlier and held a share in a lobster boat. Whilst many compatriots had migrated to Fremantle from Capo D’Orlando, the Paratore family represented the first to move from Falcone, a small town at the feet of Tindari, and the Black Madonna who overlooks the waters beneath her.

For the Paratore Brothers, the original intention was to earn some money and then return to Sicily to buy a house and boat.

Fishing was the only life they had known, being born into a fishing family where their Father Carmelo, and Uncle Giuseppe ran their own fishing boats utilising family and crew from the Falcone surrounds. Their Grandfather Francesco was also a Fishermen, as was his Father.

For generations, the Paratore family have been fishing from Falcone in Sicily, and prior, lived and worked from nearby Furnari as “Pescivendoli” or fishmongers. They originated from a long line of seafaring folk who only knew the way of the ocean. Now, with his Brothers, Fortunato would bring those skills to Fremantle to start their own legacy.

When Fortunato first arrived in Fremantle, he started out by rolling up his sleeves and working at the Melville woolsheds, where he worked many long shifts for 2 years. Keen to return to the water, Fortunato sought an opportunity to be a deckhand working in Jurien, Greenhead and Beagle Island.

By 1959, the Fortunato and his brothers (Francesco, Pasquale and Giuseppe) were reunited in Australia and purchased their first boat in partnership with Santo Oteri – The Giuliano. Later Santo sold out his share and purchased his own boat, the Providence and went into partnership with his brother Gaetano Oteri. The plan for the Paratore Brothers had now evolved to permanently migrate and settle in their adopted new home. All the Brothers remained very close and eventually ended up with a boat each, though they collectively owned them and worked them together co-operatively in equal shares. Fortunato returned to Sicily in 1960 to marry his fiancé, Maria La Macchia.

The original Giuliano was later sold (becoming the Giuliano Rosa) and the larger Giuliano II was built to replace her. Fortunato skippered the Giuliano II and ran a crew working 156 pots. Soon after the Maria SS was built, and it operated 165 pots with Giuseppe as skipper. These were hard years, working long days, often sleeping “on the pick” in Mandurah, or as far as Bunbury and Jurien Bay. In the off-season they would fish for bait, including Herring, Sardines and Salmon. There wasn’t much down time. Later the Brothers purchased La Duce. Francesco went on to skipper Sirena Del Mare, and his children operated the Marco Polo.

Fortunato and Maria had four children; their eldest, Charlie, was also born with saltwater running through his veins when in 1979 he joined his Father on the Giuliano II. They fished together extensively from Jurien Bay to Bunbury. In 1987, with Charlie and the next generation of cousins now fishing, the Paratore Brothers decided the timing was right to split the assets and run their own boats and businesses.

Whilst his name was Fortunato, most will remember him affectionally as “Mr. Jack”. He is the last Paratore of his vintage. The last natural hunters and the last of the “true” Fishermen born in our time. His memory will be cherished, and his legacy will live on with his surviving children, grandchildren and extended family.

Our sincerest condolences to Charlie, Connie, Frank and Tina on your loss. Mr. Jack was a true pioneer of the WA Fishing Industry. Everyone who met him will remember him for his wisdom, his generosity and his humour. His memory will live on.