LIGHT catches for the opening of the rock lobster season have seen prices for live crays at the San Remo Fishermsan’s Co-op rise to a wallet stretching $120 a kilogram.
One lobster weighing two and a half kilograms will set you back $300 cooked or claw-snapping live.
Ryan Stephens, Seafood Manager of San Remo Fisherman’s Co-Op said the two biggest lobsters caught so far this season are still in his tanks waiting for one or two lucky families this Christmas.
“The best crays are the older ones with coral on their shell,” said Ryan.
“Cleaner-looking crays have moulted and grown a new shell.”
The newly re-opened Chinese market is yet to have an impact on local prices with exports to China and elsewhere slated to begin later in December.
“We’re not interested in exporting from San Remo,” said Ryan.
“Our lobsters go straight into the domestic or local market.”
The Victorian Rock Lobster Fishery is based primarily on one species the Southern Rock Lobster, which is found on coastal reefs from the south-west coast of Western Australia to the south coast of
New South Wales, including Tasmania and New Zealand.
Just over 100 kilograms of rock lobster has been landed in San Remo so far this season with another 300 kilograms needed before Christmas.
The season opened a month ago on November 15, but the San Remo Fisherman’s Co-Operative didn’t see their first local crays for another eight days due to bad weather.
“Any shortfall in local lobster supply is made up with live or cooked crays from Portland,” said Ryan Stephens.
San Remo has two cray boats at sea the Tempest and Casino.
The Rock Lobster Fishery is Victoria’s most valuable commercial fishery.
Southern rock lobsters are found to depths of one-hundred-and-fifty metres with most of the catch coming from inshore waters less than one hundred metres deep.
Fishing for rock lobsters is prohibited during closed seasons for breeding.
The closed season for female rock lobsters extends from June 1 to November 15 and is designed to protect females with eggs during the spawning period.
The closed season for male rock lobsters is from September 15 to November 15 designed to protect males moulting once every two years when their new soft shells make them vulnerable.
The San Remo Fisherman’s Co-Op is taking orders for Christmas and if lobster is out of your price range the Co-Op has Moreton Bay Bugs from Hervey and Moreton Bay in Queensland, cooked and green prawns from Queensland, freshly shucked Tasmanian oysters and locally caught Duckfish.
To check out the catch of the day go online to srfco.com.au, phone 5678 5206, follow San Remo Fisherman’s Co-op on Facebook or Instagram, or call into the Fisherman’s Co-Op seven days a week at 170 Marine Parade, right on the seafront.