Lobsters red-hot catch for a festive family feast

Punters continue to benefit from China’s trade war with Australia, shifting formerly expensive lobsters into the affordable category.

Carmelo Mendolia sells his Lobsters from the back of his boat Sea Venture II at South Fremantle on Friday. Picture: Colin Murty

One lobster for mum, one for dad and one for the country.

Lobsters are again a go-to Christmas meal favourite as local supplies remain cheap off the back of China’s export ban.

Local fishers in Western Australia’s Fremantle are expecting a stunning spike in business a week ahead of Christmas, as everyday punters flock to the back of their boats to snap up the luxurious seafood going for spartan prices.

Western Rock Lobster Council chief Matt Taylor said fishers had been allowed to double the amount of lobsters they could sell off the back of their boat, from 200 to 400 per landing in December.

“In places like Geraldton and Fremantle, yeah, fishers are actually landing 400 and selling 400,” he said. “In fact, we have one fisher that has filled their orders up until Christmas Day.

“They are as fresh as you can get. These boats have literally caught them an hour before and they’ve brought them straight in their live tanks and straight into an Esky with ice.”

The back-of-boat program, which includes 235 participating boats across 19 landing sites along the WA coast, has sold more than 90,000 lobsters since it started in September last year.

More than 45,000 were sold in December alone, and this year is expected to be no different.

With western rock lobsters expected to fly out of their crates and on to Christmas Day tables across the country, Sydney-based seafood marketing consultancy director of Fishtales, John Susman, said he expected culinary skills honed during two years of sporadic lockdowns would mean more variety as well as seafood staples dished up.

“While the holy trinity of lobsters, oysters and prawns are a mainstay we are seeing people exploring other opportunities,” he said.

“It’s not uncommon to see lots of sashimi platters going out from some of the fishmongers or for people to be looking at sea urchin sandwiches.

“I think we are definitely seeing a much more broad mix of seafoods being offered on Christmas and I think as people start to get a bit more experimental or confident, you’re seeing people having a crack at roasting a whole fish.”

Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative general manager of trading Bryan Keay said lobsters would set people back only $20 at the cheap end, but up to $150 at the top end for two kilos.

Fisherman Carmelo Mendolia said he expected to sell between 20 and 30 lobsters every day up to Christmas.

He sold 52 off the boat and saved 56 for pre-orders on Friday.