Air exports create hope for stricken North Queensland commercial fishers

Flying Australian seafood to Asian markets has offered North Queensland fishers a glimmer of hope after many tied up as the coronavirus spread and shut down the export market.

Lounds Fresh Seafood owner Col Lound was hopeful aerial exports would restart North Queensland’s trade with Asian markets following the outbreak of coronavirus. Picture: Evan Morgan

Flying Australian seafood to Asian markets has offered North Queensland fishers a glimmer of hope after many tied up as the coronavirus spread and shut down the export market.

Hundreds of mercy flights across the world will help keep commercial fishers and farmers in jobs under a $170 million Federal Government rescue plan.

Under the plan 40 tonnes of fresh fish, prawns, rock lobster, crabs plus beef and dairy – about $4 million worth of produce – will be collected from hubs in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth and flown to China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

It is expected about 200 flights will be made over the next six months.

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Lounds Fresh Seafood owner Col Lound (pictured) was hopeful this would restart the North Queensland live coral trout, rock lobster and prawn trades.

“Any small export that goes over to China will be greatly received,” he said.

“All we need desperately is those borders to open again.”

The live coral trout market is worth at least $30 million a year and heavily relies on the Chinese market.

Mr Lound said most of North Queensland’s fishing fleet remained at wharves, but said he hoped the coronavirus impact would ease by the second half of the year when China turned to our part of the world for prawns.

“We hope it turns around when they want our North Queensland tiger prawns and banana prawns. Those two seasons are just starting now,” he said.

Queensland Seafood Industry Association chief executive officer Eric Perez said many jobs were at risk without government help.

“Demand has been really rubbery because people aren’t out at restaurants,’’ Mr Perez said.

The Government hopes the package, which includes waiving about $10 million in Australian Fisheries Management Authority levies, will help keep divers, deckhands and processors in work.

Originally published as Air exports create hope for stricken North Queensland commercial fishers