Timor Reef Fishery

The Timor Reef

Austral Fisheries have recently invested into the Timor Reef Fishery. This fishery operates in the remote offshore waters of the Northern Territory. The trap fishing vessel, The Eubalaena, targets primarily Goldband Snapper, Saddletail Snapper, Red Emperor, Mixed Cod species as well as other tropical reef species.

The Fishery

The Timor Reef Fishery covers a 29,000 km² area known as the Timor Box and Austral has one trapping vessel operating here, catching goldband snapper and similar tropical reef fish. The fishery is located in the remote pristine waters north-west of Darwin, and is sustainably managed by the Northern Territory Government through a limited number of licenses. The Total Allowable Catch is assessed annually.

The Eubalaena

Built in 2001, the 25m steel vessel, Eubalaena, was purchased by Austral Fisheries in 2017 with a view to supplying the highest quality fresh fish to the Australian domestic market.

The vessel runs 48 fish traps and fishes for nearly 12 months of the year. The fish are handled using the Ike Jime method and immediately placed into iced seawater to chill the fish as quickly as possible. The fish are then removed from the iced water when at the correct temperature and stored in a refrigerated hold until they are ready for market.

Fishing Operation