North Queensland couple Ben and Coralie Collison of Collison Reef Fish win best fish in Australia

A Queensland husband and wife who have adopted a unique way of catching fish have taken out top honours for their hand-caught produce in one of the nation’s most prestigious food awards.

Ben and Coralie Collison whose Collison Reef Fish in Bowen beat out fisheries and seafood producers from across the country, with their coral trout deemed the best ocean catch in Australia. Picture: Jarred Eid

A North Queensland husband and wife have taken out top honours for their hand-caught fish in the prestigious annual delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards.

Ben and Coralie Collison of Collison Reef Fish in Bowen beat out fisheries and seafood producers from across the country, with their coral trout deemed the best ocean catch in Australia at Thursday night’s gongs.

“It’s unreal,” said Mr Collison about the win.

“Honestly, it’s just good to get a bit of truth out there because there’s a lot of bad rap with fishermen and a lot of people don’t know what we do and we really do our best to look after the reef not trash it.”

What Mr Collison is referring to is his unique way of catching fish. His business only brings in about 500kg of fish each week, mostly coral trout, and all are caught by hand and then killed using the humane ikejime method.

As well as being better for the fish, the ikejime method ensures a more premium pearly white flesh and flavour that Mr Collison describes as a cross between crayfish and fish.

It’s this sustainable, compassionate approach that is loved by the best chefs in the country, with the couple’s catches going to top-notch restaurants such as Neil Perry’s Margaret, Josh Niland’s St Peters, Petermen and Fish Butchery, and Brisbane’s Restaurant Dan Arnold.

“They can’t get any fresher – they’re killed one day and served (at restaurants) the next day in Sydney or Melbourne,” said Mr Collison, whose wife Coralie leaves at 3am each day to drive the fish to the airport in Townsville ensuring they’re on the first plane of the day.

The business only supplies to top Australian restaurants as well as three wholesalers, and don’t plan on getting any bigger even after the win.

The awards also recognise producers from cheese makers and flour mills to viticulturists and distillers.

The full list of award winners will be in the September issue of delicious. magazine.

Originally published as North Queensland couple Ben and Coralie Collison of Collison Reef Fish win best fish in Australia