Rock lobster, motion in the ocean: finally fishermen have a song in their hearts
For the residents of Port MacDonnell, the blows had come thick and fast – but now succulent lobsters that live in the waters around the South Australian town will soon be bound for China.
For third-generation fisherman Jeremy Ievins and his fellow residents of the small town of Port MacDonnell, the blows had been coming thick and fast.
The Covid-19 pandemic. A trade war with China that hit the lobster-producing community hard. And then there was the prospect of an unwanted wind farm on their doorstep.
Finally, however, Mr Ievins is smiling again. The wind farm has been kicked down the road and the succulent crustaceans that live in the waters around the South Australian town will soon be bound for the lucrative Chinese market following the announcement that trade restrictions will be lifted by the end of the year.
It’s “the first bit of positive news” for the industry since the pandemic, Mr Ievins said.
“Since Covid, we’ve had it pretty tough … After the pandemic, we thought everything went back to normal,” the 50-year-old said.
“Then there was the idea of wind turbines in Port MacDonnell with no real consultation with the community and fishing industry. We fought against the wind farms, shifted them to another area … but (the potential for the lobster ban to lift) is the first bit of positive news since the pandemic.
“We can turn over the catch quicker when that market opens up … It will probably also give a bit more certainty in the industry and clear up anxiety from businesses that revolve around fishing.”
The fisherman and keen surfer catches lobsters about 70 days a year during lobster season, which runs from September to May. While it’s not uncommon for fisherman in the area to start their day as early as 2am, Mr Ievins has adopted a different approach.
“I’m probably one of the slackers,” he joked. “I leave at daylight. A lot of people leave at 3am. Boats go a lot quicker now.”
Andrew Ferguson, owner of the Ferguson Australia group that owns Five Star Seafoods, which operates out of Port MacDonnell, is also excited to see China return as a market.
Five Star Seafood is recognised as a quality exporter of southern rock lobster, and provides its product domestically and overseas. When the China ban came in, the business turned its focus to Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong, with the domestic market also picking up. “It was a real shock to lose China. We lost a lot of business, they were so keen to take our product before,” Mr Ferguson said.
The Adelaide-based businessman said a strategic decision was made to put more focus on frozen produce when China implemented its restrictions. “We’re excited to get that back but we won’t be going in this time boots and all,” he said. “We’ll be keeping our diversity and ideas open to other markets. We’ll be taking this on with optimism but not totally absorbed this time in that market.”
Mr Ferguson said he planned to visit the SA town to give a tour to people who bounced between living in China and Australia and are “associated with blogging”.
“Being in China and seeing the way things are changing with blogging and online sale,” he said.
“Part of the process is … developing our brand through that.”
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