The lowdown on the best seafood on the Gold Coast this Christmas

FOR many of us, it wouldn’t be Christmas without seafood, so here’s a guide to what’s hot and what to pay this Noel.

Chris McIntyre, executive chef, Ramada Couran Cove Island Resort, South Stardbroke Island, with locally caught fresh prawns which he buys flying out to trawlers, Gold Coast. Picture: Regi Varghese

“THEY’RE the cheapest and freshest you’ll find on the Coast.”

Gold Coasters will cop that line at almost every seafood joint in the city during the highly competitive Christmas period.

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But buyers have to do their research and ask the right questions, because cheap will often mean imported.

Gold Coast Fishermen’s Co-Operative has had to put its prawn prices up by $5 for the first time because of the extra work that goes into selling direct to the public.

People have already been lining up to buy from the trawlers on The Spit this week and are expected to start queuing from 3am next week, despite fishermen not selling until 7am each day.

Roxeene Vaughan, of the co-op, said demand was building up and fisherman had been working long hours.

“We’ve all just been working every night trying to supply everyone,” she said.

“We won’t have enough for the demand but we do try to get out and catch as much as we can to get us through.”

Seafood Direct director Michelle Slessor said they tried to sell products customers would not find elsewhere.

Her best buy is fresh Tasmanian salmon which is selling for $20 a kilo and smoked sliced salmon for $25 a kilo.

“We’ve already been flat out and will be busy until 5pm Christmas Eve,” she said.

There is some imported lobster around in order to make it affordable because prices for Australian lobster have “gone through the roof” from $95 to $120.

Couran Cove executive chef Chris McIntyre has created a menu that celebrates local produce for Christmas Day, including freshly shucked oysters with lemon aioli, local spanner crab with shallot vinaigrette and local wild caught king prawns.

Mr McIntyre, who often has to fly to get supplies from trawlers, estimated they would serve about 400kg of fresh prawns and 500 dozen oysters during the break.

“We will be serving thousands of meals during Christmas ... but fresh local seafood will feature predominantly.”

Your guide to seafood for Christmas

PRAWNS

ALWAYS the most popular, sellers assure they will have plenty to keep up with demand. Ocean king prawns from Hervey Bay are the best pick and they are everywhere, in different sizes, but you will also get some nice green prawns and tiger prawns. Expect to pay: $35 a kilo and $45 for larger sizes.

OYSTERS

FRESH Coffin Bay oysters from South Australia look to be the best and good value for money if you get them cheap. Heaps around for Christmas, and you will also find Tasmanian and Sydney rock oysters right up until Thursday. Expect to pay: $16 to $23 for a dozen

LOBSTER

VERY expensive at the moment because there are not many around and bad weather has not helped. Tasmania and Victoria have not got many. Sydney rock lobster will set you back about $110 a kilo so if you find one cheap, grab it. Imported is cheaper: Peter’s Fish Market has a lobster from Cuba for $70. Expect to pay: $80 to more than $140 a kilo.

BUGS

PLENTY of Moreton Bay bugs and fresh bug meat about but stocks might run low closer to Christmas. There are also Balmain bugs around, and they are cheaper from the trawlers. You can buy them cooked and ready but green is slightly cheaper. Expect to pay: $39 to $46 a kilo.

TRAWLERS

FRESH local seafood bought direct from trawlers is a favourite. They still have plenty of prawns in small, medium and large sizes. They are not selling out yet but that is likely to change next week. There are limited sand crabs but spanner crabs should become available from tomorrow. Balmain bugs could run low. Arrive early to avoid missing out. Expect to pay: $25 to $35 a kilo for prawns, $20 a kilo for bugs.