Gold Coast seafood prices drop in time for Christmas

Seafood will be on Christmas lunch menus across the Gold Coast with local prices decreasing.

GOLD Coasters can upgrade their Christmas lunch menu with an ocean-sourced feast with local seafood prices taking a dive.

Seafood industry veterans canvassed by the Bulletin this week say lobsters will be half the price this year and prawns will be around the $35 to $55 a kilogram mark.

Charis Seafood spokesman Regan Stamoudis said the Labrador shop was selling lobsters for around $70 a kilogram or around $35 each.

Tasman Star Seafoods at Varsity are swamped by Christmas shoppers at their store after being told to expect good prices on crayfish etc for their Christmas lunch. Photo: Scott Powick Newscorp

“They are half the price this year, which is exciting. They are normally more than $120 a kilogram,” he said.

“Moreton Bay bugs are around $40 a kilogram, normally around the $60 mark. A kilogram gives you around four to five animals and similar meat to lobster.”

Varsity Lake’s Tasman Star Seafood lobsters are popular and priced around the $99 a mark.

Co-owner Matt Duncombe said prawns, oysters, bugs were also “hot this year”.

“It’s a lobster feast this year,” he said.

23rd December 2020, Manager Michael Baggot with staff member Eli Winning from Tasman Star Seafoods. Photo: Scott Powick Newscorp

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“We are anticipating to sell more than 3500 oysters on Christmas Eve.

“There is plenty of stock. It puts us in a unique position having our own prawn trawlers, so we won’t run out of prawns and we will have plenty of oysters.

“I have more than 40 staff working here this week and four tills running non-stop.”

However, those seeking fresh local prawns around the southern Gold Coast or Northern Rivers might not be so lucky.

Ballina Fishermen’s Co-Op CEO Phillip Hillard said customers in that area need to get in early on Christmas Eve as recent wet weather had impacted local prawn stock numbers.

“Catches this week haven’t been as plentiful as we thought they would be,” he said.

“We recommend getting in early on Christmas Eve. A lot of produce will be frozen.”

The Australian Marine Conservation Society’s Adrian Meder said seafood, like eastern and western rock lobster, usually an expensive treat for Australians, is expected to be more affordable on domestic markets because of the current trade friction with China.

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“This Christmas could be a rare opportunity to dine out on lobsters caught from healthy stock,” he said.

Sustainability experts advise saying no to eastern king prawns this Christmas and yes to farmed oysters and prawns from the Gold Coast’s own backyard.

Tasman Star Seafood will be trading from 5am to 5pm on Christmas Eve, while Charis Seafood will be open from 3am to 6pm. 

Originally published as Gold Coast seafood prices drop in time for Christmas