THE Limestone Coast’s $300m rock lobster industry is treading water amid exports to China being halted due to the deadly coronavirus.
Regional processors – reeling from the export lockdown – have told professional fishers to stay onshore given they could not offer a beach price for the seafood delicacy.
Beach prices have plummeted from $90 per kilogram mid last week to zero as processors grapple with the emerging export crisis.
Dozens of boats were moored at harbours across the Limestone Coast yesterday morning with fishers not heading out to sea.
The unfolding situation is considered a major blow for the industry given Chinese New Year celebrations – the most lucrative period for the sector – have been cancelled due to the coronavirus health emergency.
This comes as the world health authorities respond to the spread of the coronavirus, which has affected more than 2000 people across the globe.
While regional exporters have tonnes of lobster sitting in their tanks, regional fishers have landed the majority of the fishery’s total allowable catch.
It is understood there are only around 150 tonnes left to catch across the world renowned southern zone fishery.
Port MacDonnell Professional Fishermen’s Association president Roger Cutting said yesterday the industry had come to a standstill.
“Everyone is staying home given the advice from exporters,” Mr Cutting said.
He revealed the hardest hit would be fishers who leased their quota and processors that had tonnes of fish in their tanks.
“Processors have told fishers not to go out because they cannot give a price – this is a big downturn and a concern for the industry,” Mr Cutting told The Border Watch yesterday.
Fortunately, he said fishers had managed to haul in the majority or all of their quota ahead of this crisis.
He revealed around six boats at Port MacDonnell had already completed their quota with similar numbers at other regional fishing ports.
The veteran fishing leader said the situation showed how reliant the regional industry was on China’s export market.
Sky Seafoods spokesperson Andrew Lawrie confirmed exports had been cancelled.
“No one can set a beach price, some buyers have stopped buying completely, others are taking crays but only on consignment,” Mr Lawrie said.
“This means fishermen do not get paid unless the lobster sells and they have to wear any mortalities in the tank.
“We all have stock just sitting in the tank with nowhere to go. Fishermen are not even bothering to leave the dock – there’s really no point.”
This comes as the Chinese government has shut a string of cities across the country in a bid to stop the virus’ spread.
Mr Lawrie said Chinese New Year celebrations should be one of the busiest times of the year for the Limestone Coast industry, but stakeholders had been left in the dark.
“It’s going to take at least a week to know the full extent of what is going on. Then it’s still more time before it’s rectified – we are all in the dark at the moment,” Mr Lawrie said.
He revealed it was a “very stressful” and confusing time for everyone within the industry.
“It’s just another nail in the coffin of a very average season,” the exporter said.
Although the fate of this year’s season was still unclear, Mr Lawrie said there was still plenty of time to rectify it.
“The season does not end until May. So we have time to get back on track.”
