Our Operations

Our Operations


Australian, sustainable, wild-caught.

Austral Fisheries' hard-working crew can be found across our three fishing fleets from the isolated Southern Ocean, where they brave freezing temperatures and 15 metre swells in search of Glacier 51 Toothfish and Heard Island Icefish; to equally wild, tropical waters of the Northern Prawn and Timor Reef Fisheries, where they catch Skull Island Tiger Prawns, Karumba Banana Prawns and Mermaid Shoal Goldband Snapper.

 

ENTER THE WILD

Discover more about our three fishing operations below


OUR SEAFOOD

The locations below show you where we catch and source sustainable seafood from around Australia and the world.

Fishing Operation

Timor Reef Fishery

The Timor Reef Fishery covers a 29,000 km2 area known as the Timor Box. Here, Austral operate five trapping vessels catching tropical reef species including goldband snapper, saddletail snapper, red emperor, and more.  The fishery is located in the remote waters north-west of Darwin, and is managed by the Northern Territory Government through a limited number of licenses. The Total Allowable Catch is assessed annually.

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Heard Island & McDonald Islands Fishery

Our two Southern Ocean fleet vessels operate in the Heard Island & McDonald Islands (HIMI) fishery, approximately 4,000km south-west of Perth.

This region is part of Australia’s sub-Antarctic territories, and Heard Island is home to Australia’s only active volcano, Big Ben, which is permanently covered in snow and cloud and dominates the island’s topography. Here, we are entitled to catch Patagonian toothfish and Mackerel icefish, and have been working in this fishery since 1996.

We have also been involved in the Macquarie Island toothfish fishery, south-east of Tasmania, since 1994.

Both the HIMI and Macquarie Island toothfish fisheries are independently certified as sustainable and well managed by the Marine Stewardship Council.

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Northern Prawn Fishery

The Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF) is often referred to as Australia’s last ‘wild frontier’, across Australia’s top end. The fishery extends from the low water mark to the outer edge of the Australian fishing zone. Its eastern extremity lies at Cape York in Queensland and stretches west to Cape Londonderry in Western Australia.

52 vessels are licensed to operate in the MSC certified NPF, which covers approximately 880,000 km2. Less than 12% of this area is fished.

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Northern Prawn Fishery

The Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF) is often referred to as Australia’s last ‘wild frontier’, occupying a large portion of Australia’s top end. The fishery extends from the low water mark to the outer edge of the Australian fishing zone. Its eastern extremity lies at Cape York in Queensland and stretches west to Cape Londonderry in Western Australia.

We operate 11 of the 52 licensed vessels in this Marine Stewardship Council certified fishery, which covers approximately 880,000 km2. Less than 12% of this area is fished, and fishing seasons are open for just a few months of the year respectively, allowing juvenile prawn stocks ample time to rejuvenate.

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Norwegian Seas

We source premium seafood items from Leroy Seafoods such as Fjord Trout and Leroy branded products.

 

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Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery

Our Southern Ocean fleet operates around Heard Island, 4,000km south-west of Perth, which is part of Australia’s sub-Antarctic territories.

Heard Island is home to Australia’s only active volcano, the Big Ben, which is permanently covered in snow and cloud and dominates the island’s topography. Here, we are entitled to catch Patagonian toothfish and Mackerel icefish, and have been working in this fishery since 1996.

We have also been involved in the Macquarie Island toothfish fishery, south-east of Tasmania, since 1994.

These three fisheries are certified as sustainable and well managed by the Marine Stewardship Council.

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West Norway

Located in the beautiful Hardangerfjord, at the base of the Bondhus Glacier, Lerøy’s Fjord Trout lives between the 1000 meter mountain peaks.

The hatchery itself lies under the glacier, and the plant is filled with mountain water from the glacier. Lerøy has six fjordtrout hatcheries in total and around 20 seawater locations in operation.

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Nova Scotia

Austral Fisheries source premium sustainable seafood from Clearwater Seafoods.

Clearwater's focus has always been to provide premium quality, wild, sustainable seafood, second to none. They will always strive to find new and innovative ways to serve their customers and responsibly harvest shellfish – but you can rest assured their focus will never change.

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Scotland

Austral source products from Shellfish pioneers Macduff.

Macduff take a wild and natural product in fresh and frozen form to demanding customers all over the world. They're focussed, dedicated - and with well over a century at sea behind them, hugely experienced .

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