Bumper deals for seafood lovers this Easter

The state’s seafood lovers are in for a cracking Easter weekend, with a stellar fishing season delivering terrific catches at great prices.

SEAFOOD lovers are in for a cracking Easter, with a stellar fishing season delivering terrific catches at great prices.

“We are having a bumper prawn season in Queensland, including in the Gulf of

Carpentaria,” Queensland Seafood Marketers Association president Marshall Betzel

said.

“It’s a fairly big banana prawn season in the Gulf, and the tiger and king prawn

season along the east coast of Queensland has been quite plentiful.”

Expect prawn prices to be sitting on par or a few dollars less than this time last year, depending on the species.

“There is going to be good quantities of good quality prawns on the market this

Easter and prices will be extremely attractive,” Mr Betzel said.

Chelsea Norgrove with king prawns and oysters at Harbour Seafood Market, Labrador. Picture: Liam Kidston

Also great for the table this Good Friday are mud crabs, thanks to “plenty of rain and

the return to what we would consider a ‘normal wet season’,” Mr Betzel said. While Fraser Island spanner crabs and sand crabs are equally good eating and even cheaper.

For the ultimate value for money, though, look to Queensland saucer scallops.

“(They are) abundant and are at record low prices with half-shells going for about $10 per dozen,” said Mr Betzel.

Also tipped to be popular this year is farmed Australian barramundi, which is a sustainable choice and well priced ranging from $29/kg-$44/kg depending on the quality.

Jenny James of Harbour Seafood Market at Labrador said she was gearing up for a big Easter, with lots of value for customers.

“Everything is very good quality and the price is very competitive. I think it will be better than last year,” she said.

CATCH OF THE DAY

2018 2019

Coffin Bay oysters

$22 dozen $22 dozen

Endeavour prawns

$29.95/kg $29.95/kg

Mooloolaba king prawns

$39.99/kg $36.99/kg

Moreton Bay bugs

$54.95/kg $54.95/kg

Golden snapper

$42.90/kg $41.50/kg