31 May 2009
DAFF09/264B

For the first time in more than three years, seafood lovers will have a local specialty to enjoy this winter: the highly sought-after Bass Strait scallop.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the iconic fishery would reopen tomorrow for the first time since it was closed in December 2005.

The move will support around 100 fishing jobs and around 200 seasonal jobs in processing factories in Tasmania and Victoria.

Bass Strait scallop fishers will operate from towns such as Lakes Entrance and Port Welshpool in Victoria; and Devonport, Bridgeport and St Helens in Tasmania.

They will spend up to 14 hours travelling into the middle of Bass Strait, where they battle the infamous ‘Roaring Forties’ to harvest the scallops from the ocean floor.

The trips are regularly interrupted when conditions become too dangerous and the boats are forced back to port until the weather improves.

Bass Strait scallops are known for their rich flavour, creamy flesh and orange roe.

Up to $5 million worth of the scallops are expected to be harvested over the next six months, with a maximum catch of 2,500 tonnes.

The historic industry began in Tasmania in the early 1900s in the Derwent River estuary.

But by the late 1980s there were virtually no commercial productive beds in southern Australia.

In 1987, the fishery was closed for eight years to allow stocks to recover and virtually no Bass Strait scallop fishing has occurred since 1998.

Stocks have significantly recovered, but harvesting will be limited to a 75 square nautical mile area around 40km north-east of the top of Flinders Island.

From this week, Bass Strait scallops are once again expected to be sold in fish markets along the eastern states, including in Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania.

Mr Burke urged consumers to head down to their local fish markets this winter and support our fishing industry by trying some Bass Strait scallops.

“Australian seafood is fresh, it tastes great and it’s good for you and your family,” he said.

“As you’re cooking these scallops on the BBQ or seasoning them in the kitchen, spare a thought for the fishers who battle fierce winds and the swell in the middle of Bass Strait to harvest this seafood delicacy.

“These scallops will be a hit with your family and you’ll be helping to support local jobs in Victoria and Tasmania at the same time.”