THERE was a last minute rush to get the freshest seafood for Christmas dinner in North Queensland yesterday, and the fisho’s were reaping the rewards after a trying year.
As you plate up Christmas lunch, spare a thought for the trawler operators who worked tirelessly in difficult conditions in the wake of Cyclone Debbie to deliver local prawns.
Bowen’s Arabaon Seafoods director Terry Must said prawns were again proving to be a hit on Christmas Day, with the hot weather making people more inclined to have a cold seafood lunch instead of slaving over a hot stove.
“People were saying there was going to be no prawns and they’re going to be $50/kg but we’ve got plenty,” Mr Must said.
“We’ve still got another three or four tonne in storage.
“It’s been exceptional, you need sunshine and hot weather for seafood, if it bucketed down rain, you get half because people are going to go for a hot dinner.
“While the heat has been there, we’re hardly doing any green prawns at the moment because people have to cook them. Because it’s hot people think we’re going to do a cold dinner.”
Mr Must and his team will have a well deserved two days off before heading back to sea on Wednesday.