Snapper $50 a KG (Oh and Squid from China)

[manta man]

Well Boys dropped in at Morgans a few days ago, after some bait! Having a quick look around, low and behold Snapper $50 a Kg Filleted what the F... you are kidding me. Wait for my number to be called out, asks the the lady why are the "Snapper so expensive" reply not many around mmm... ok. Then Old Mate brings out a Box of Squid, their big, but they are all individually wrapped in Plastic, i ask thats a little different, anyway asks where they come from, reply "China" Mate. I look at him and say your F...ing kidding me mate. I always thought Morgans was a Fresh Seafood Shop. Point being, now we Import Squid from China, has this Country completely lost the Plot. Our Imports are at staggering numbers, being Squid or any other product for that matter it"s all cheap shit. All these Asians Countries are slowing destroying us (Economically). Oh and you can take your Chinese Squid and send the Shit back too where it belongs (I could think of a couple of places). Manta Man

[Noelm]

Welcome to the world of supply and demand, frozen imported Squid supply a demand, there is consistand supply at a consistant price, they are frozen, so can be on hand ready to sell with a minutes notice, Prawns and all sorts of stuff are just the same, get used to it.

[Spiderpig]

What pisses me off is that we are exporting all of our good seafood to places like Japan and then turning around and importing absolute rubbish from asia. Things like farmed prawns and nile perch. Why feed our families on this rubbish?

What about the carbon footprint of the seafood too? It makes absolutely no sense.

I could rant for hours about this but I won't.

[alleycat]

Morgans is a joke, the seafood house at lawnton is by far better quality and far cheaper, the last time I walked through morgans their mullet fillets were dark grey to nearly brown, obviously off, I asked the lady serving how she could sell seafood in such a state, her reply was " well people are buying it", I will never enter the place again..and the squid? they get it dirt cheap from china I would say, again it says a lot about morgans..

[Rip it up]

I'll throw a curve ball. What's to say its not squid caught in Australian waters. Packaged on a Chinese ship and imported back to us?

[mattooty]

Your first statement answers your second question.
You won't pay $50 a kilo for filleted snapper but you aren't happy that we have a cheaper alternative in squid. The fresh commercially harvested domestic squid is sent overseas for a premium price to a country that will pay upwards of $x. Whereas chances are if you saw the price they're paying for our squid you'd jump on here and declare war.
As a salesperson, would you sell squid for $5/kg locally or make $15/kg sending it overseas. Dollars and cents mate unfortunately.

[MudRiverDan]

I bought some squid yesterday at I think its called Sea Food house? at Capalaba.
Squid was actually nice pink very soft and not too shabby, green mussels very nice, prawns were ok but I only seen small type prawns and was looking for a few large green kings or something.

Yeah but squid was good.

Didn't buy any fish :P , whiting fillets is about the only thing I will touch from a shop and they are expensive.

Dan`

[nathank92]

the only sea food i eat is the seafood i catch that way i know where it came from and dont have to pay for it. eg mud crabs buy 1 pot catch many as u can cheaper than buying them at the fish shop

[Noelm]

you are in a way correct, however, there is times when we have no option but to buy seafood, for instance, what if you want to cook a dish with Mussels or Atlantic Salmon? not to mention the common old pilchard for bait, there is dozens of reason even us fisherman/persons need to buy 'stuff" a good retailer is a god send, I am lucky, I have a very good fishmarket that is close by and has excellent quality.

[MudRiverDan]

the only sea food i eat is the seafood i catch that way i know where it came from and dont have to pay for it. eg mud crabs buy 1 pot catch many as u can cheaper than buying them at the fish shop

Pretty fussy for someone who fishes the pristine waters of Rocklea...:P

lol jokes

[tunaticer]

Morgans used to run with the motto of supporting our local product, now they have a spattering of local product and 90% imports. I imagine that if they do deal directly with the local fleet, thier product will be sent overseas.

Oh, and to #### me off even more, I was the ONLY person in the shop a few years ago right on opening with $500 to spend on fresh seafood for a big do. Walked up to the counter and was told to take a number.......stick your numbers, mob of dickheads.

[Sheik]

Well as rec fishos we have to make up our minds whether we abuse the pros for catching product in a way that allows them to make a dollar given all their input costs are so high, or we accept that we have to get o/s product because it's cheaper and no one will buy local becuase it costs so much. It costs so much b/c of all the regulations that are forced on to pros. In my opinion we can't have it both ways. Not that I'm saying anyone on this thread has said that.

[solemandownunder]

I bought some squid yesterday at I think its called Sea Food house? at Capalaba.
Squid was actually nice pink very soft and not too shabby, green mussels very nice, prawns were ok but I only seen small type prawns and was looking for a few large green kings or something.

Yeah but squid was good.

Didn't buy any fish :P , whiting fillets is about the only thing I will touch from a shop and they are expensive.

Dan`

Geez Dan, you get around ;D......but you are right, the Sea Food House in our very own Capalaba has some good gear alright & at good prices.

They have SOME imported frozen seafood, but most is local catch, probably around 80% I would has at a guess.

Cheers, Ray & Kerri.

[Muddy Toes]

Point being, now we Import Squid from China, has this Country completely lost the Plot. Our Imports are at staggering numbers, being Squid or any other product for that matter it"s all cheap shit. All these Asians Countries are slowing destroying us (Economically). Oh and you can take your Chinese Squid and send the Shit back too where it belongs (I could think of a couple of places). Manta Man

Ummmm.......I must first admit that I'm far from a professor in economics but, wouldn't the overseas sale of our primary produce actually be of benefit for the Australian economy instead of the claimed opposite of it destroying the economy?:-?

It might be a very simplistic view, even one that borders on common sense but couldn't you just buy your seafood from another retailer that had fresh Australian seafood?

Morgans are a business and with any other business out there have the choice to stock whatever products they see fit to earn the business money. So if this doesn't satisfy your needs then maybe another seafood retailer may be on the cards for you.We're not exactly talking about essentials such as milk and bread here are we..............so many starving people around the world and indeed even in this country and somehow the price of what our favorite seafood retails for is of major concern in our lives?
Maybe it's time to don our gumboot so we can wade through our river of tears and get over it, find another retailer to buy our seafood off so we can all save our energy for more important issues in life such as the price Jaguar demand for wood grain interiors in their new cars...................;)

[rayken1938]

You cannot have it both ways. just been a big bleat about the beach netters and trawlers stealing all the rec fishos fish yet when you want to buy some its a different story.
Cheers
Ray

[Angryant]

Geez Dan, you get around ;D......but you are right, the Sea Food House in our very own Capalaba has some good gear alright & at good prices.

They have SOME imported frozen seafood, but most is local catch, probably around 80% I would has at a guess.

Cheers, Ray & Kerri.

Mmm, I beg to differ, I only buy Australian caught seafood. Have a good look at the fish, scallops, prawns and frozen product at Capalaba - you will be surprised at how much is imported.
I now only buy from the seafood shop at Wellington Point. The only (fresh?) imported seafood I've seen there is cod (New Zealand).
Other than that everything is local (Australian). I will continue to support local even if the price is 30, 40, 50, 60% more expensive.
Oh, and local snapper and pearl perch is $36.95 kg

Angry

[roz]

I think I would rather go without than eat imported seafood, as well as trawler caught prawns, but that is a whole different story.
Snaps $50 per kg!!!!! I caught 6 a few weeks back and gave them all away, kept the trag jew, they tast better.
Interesting post manta man, gives people something to think about.
cheers r.

[solemandownunder]

Mmm, I beg to differ, I only buy Australian caught seafood. Have a good look at the fish, scallops, prawns and frozen product at Capalaba - you will be surprised at how much is imported.
I now only buy from the seafood shop at Wellington Point. The only (fresh?) imported seafood I've seen there is cod (New Zealand).
Other than that everything is local (Australian). I will continue to support local even if the price is 30, 40, 50, 60% more expensive.
Oh, and local snapper and pearl perch is $36.95 kg

Angry

G'day Angry, maybe we are being fed 2 different stories ?

From what I see, frozen product only makes up about 20% of where I shop and the rest I have been long assured is fresh local ?

However, maybe I have been gullible & if there is better, then I am onto it :)

Thanks, Ray.

[johncar]

Well I was very fortunate to have some fresh home caught snapper tonight for dinner even cooked myself .. I figure that it probably cost me more than $50 per kg though when I take into account everything involved to be able to get out there to catch it. Lots of cash into the local economy when I go fishing..
Wouldn't have it any other way though, a nice day out at sea is heaven and catching a beaut snapper for dinner is just a bonus.
Although it pays to shop around for a good supplier, I wouldn't expect to find fresh snapper going cheap anywhere these days, like all fish they seem to be getting harder to find with any consistency. Morgans always seem to be one of the dearest from what I hear, hence I never go there..

[nathank92]

Pretty fussy for someone who fishes the pristine waters of Rocklea...:P

lol jokes

haha only fished it yesterday i wouldnt eat from it thats certain id rather live and then be able to go catch myself a taylor than kick the bucket eating a carp

[mattooty]

....., whiting fillets is about the only thing I will touch from a shop and they are expensive.

Dan`

Interestingly, unless they were summer whiting (which would have been beach netted, shock horror!), chances are that the whiting fillets are bycatch of the ocean trawl industry that I was talking about in another thread, "Wrong Wrong Wrong".

It seems that most of us on here are being very typical spoilt Aussies. We are whinging for the sake of whinging. Even though we have been recommended as having the best managed fisheries in the World, we still whinge when everyone doesn't do everything for us. We whinge that there are trawlers and beach netters, but then when we want something from them we whinge when the price is to high or that there's not enough local produce.
Is it just me or do threads like this make everyone else think "Geez, we're really not so hard up if this is the worst thing we have to whinge about"

[aus2045]

Why is it that we import so much seafood anyway? Are our waters that fished out ?

[Noelm]

The reason was more or less explained earlier on, it all relates to dollars, we can export our premium quality fish to high paying over seas countries, and bring in sewer raised garbage from a distant back woods country for a tenth the price, and when you read these threads, it is PRICE we look for, when you are wandering along the counter of a fishmarket and you see (in this case) Snapper for $50 per KG, and right next to it, you might see a nice looking white fleshed fish for $9, which would the average person buy? just the same goes for fresh Squid and frozen tubes... fresh Squid $15 per KG, next door there is cleaned tubes for $8, get the picture? Prawns, the whole lot is a similar setup, premium Prawns caught in our own clean waters are shipped off to where ever, and we get shitty Vanemi Prawns from Vietnam in return.

[MudRiverDan]

Interestingly, unless they were summer whiting (which would have been beach netted, shock horror!), chances are that the whiting fillets are bycatch of the ocean trawl industry that I was talking about in another thread, "Wrong Wrong Wrong".

It seems that most of us on here are being very typical spoilt Aussies. We are whinging for the sake of whinging. Even though we have been recommended as having the best managed fisheries in the World, we still whinge when everyone doesn't do everything for us. We whinge that there are trawlers and beach netters, but then when we want something from them we whinge when the price is to high or that there's not enough local produce.
Is it just me or do threads like this make everyone else think "Geez, we're really not so hard up if this is the worst thing we have to whinge about"

But if you read my post a little more carefully in "wrong wrong wrong", I never really whinged about the trawlers ;)

All I said was I bet they catch more than beach netters.

Pretty sure a lot of others did not actually read exactly what I wrote and just skimmed and made an assumption :)

My point wishing there was more to catch on the beach, was not bagging anyone, It of course is just the way I feel and I am sure a lot of others do too without having to go into politics over the situation.

Dan

[Hossfish]

Afternoon ladies and gents.

At the risk of telling folks how to suck eggs, there is an alternative to Morgans at the Northlakes shopping centre

I think its called Cons fish supplies and it is just nears Coles supermarket. I cant remember what cort of percentage of their stuff is from O/S but generally the quality is quite good and the prices are usually cheaper than Morgans.

And no i dont have a vested interest in the shop I'm just a customer who has purchased stuff there.

Safe boating to all.

Cheers Greg

[Just one of the Boys]

Firstly, people actually buy Snapper ? Joking... but I find Snapper way down the list of table fare in the seafood stakes.

I know the business's have to make a profit and will do it anyway they can. The " seafood " icons around Brisbane are losing flavour and favour with customers that know what they are buying. The general seafood consuming public don't really know and hence the business's survive due to customer ignorance.

I have cooked absolutely fresh reef fish of varying species for family and friends over the years and they ask why the Sweetlip or Snapper or Bream they buy from the retailer, never cooks up the same as mine. The answer is obvious to us fishos, but not so to the general public.

If 10 knowledgable fishos don't buy from the seafood retailer, there are 20 ignorant ( and I mean that politely in the true sense of the word, not demeaning ) customers to take their place.

Times are tough and people do not have the Gold to spend on luxury items like Fresh Australian caught seafood and will sacrifice quailty for price. Our wages for commercial fishos are high as well as fuel and all the other overheads, compared to O/S countries. I know it is hard to get your head around it all, as I have tried with family and friends and they still wonder why we get second best.

I catch all my seafood except Prawns, which I only buy from Australian suppliers. I am lucky, I guess, but others are not so fortunate and have to get what they can afford.

I do condemn the iconic retailers like Morgans for " selling out ", but if they do not offer the imported items, they go broke. simple.

Strangley enough, my local IGA supermarket ( independantly owned / franchised ) has a large range of Aussie seafood, all labelled with minimal stuff from NZ and even less from " other countries ". Very surprized. Still labelled Nannygai as Red Snapper though ??? But when a customer looks at Large Aussie Prawns at $29.99/kg next to Vannamei prawns from O/S at $9.90/kg.................. you know the result. And despite this, they ( customer ) will tell you they taste good.

There is no answer, just a solution.

If you feel comfortable boycotting the retailers for there business acumen, go ahead. If you can afford to only buy Aussie Seafood, good. If you are happy to consume O/S " lower grade " product, good. We all have choices and sometimes, like now in the seafood industry, our choices come down to economic ones, rather than options of quality.

In real terms anyway, if one has a boat to catch their own Snapper, they will be paying well above $50/kg for it. Is it really the price that is the problem ?

[MudRiverDan]

I stopped buying snapper when one day I went all out for a big dinner and got Snapper whole, not gutted, not bled, packed on ice to bruise fish, mushy and probably on a scale of one to ten the fish rated 4 at the table.

Dan

[sid_fishes]

Ummmm.......I must first admit that I'm far from a professor in economics but, wouldn't the overseas sale of our primary produce actually be of benefit for the Australian economy instead of the claimed opposite of it destroying the economy?:-?

It might be a very simplistic view, even one that borders on common sense but couldn't you just buy your seafood from another retailer that had fresh Australian seafood?

Morgans are a business and with any other business out there have the choice to stock whatever products they see fit to earn the business money. So if this doesn't satisfy your needs then maybe another seafood retailer may be on the cards for you.We're not exactly talking about essentials such as milk and bread here are we..............so many starving people around the world and indeed even in this country and somehow the price of what our favorite seafood retails for is of major concern in our lives?
Maybe it's time to don our gumboot so we can wade through our river of tears and get over it, find another retailer to buy our seafood off so we can all save our energy for more important issues in life such as the price Jaguar demand for wood grain interiors in their new cars...................;)
MUDDY,mate I hate it when u make sense

[Muddy Toes]

MUDDY,mate I hate it when u make sense

Lucky it's not a regular occurrence then............