JUST thinking how incredibly lucky we are to be surrounded by water teeming with fish and shellfish – fit for a king.
Our oysters are of the highest quality growing in the rivers and feeder streams that flow into the port.
I must admit that I prefer the Sydney Rock Oyster, indigenous to the area.
Although smaller and slower growing than its bigger cousin, the Pacific Oyster, the Sydney Rock is my choice.
Let’s not forget abalone, a shellfish that is making a very slow recovery.
When it comes to crabs, we are fortunate to have both monster mud crabs and blue swimmers tap dancing through the system.
More common west of Soldiers Point, the muddy can grow to an enormous four kilograms.
More common around the 1.5- 2kg mark the mud crab is highly prized.
The blue swimmer crabs that scamper over the sand flats and through the channels can be caught using a crab trap with an entry less than 32cm or a drop net. By law you are permitted to set four drop nets (dilly pots) and two traps – surely enough to catch a feed.
Remember that Port Stephens has crab catching laws different from everywhere else in the state in that the “witches hat” method is banned, to protect our turtle population.
It is nearing lobster season and again we are blessed with a better than healthy population that has been well managed by NSW Fisheries over recent years allowing recreational fishers to take three per day with a possession limit of 10.
Lobsters can be caught using one trap permitted by law or by grabbing one with the use of nothing more than a glove.
It may be of interest to learn that in fact there are no lobsters in Australia – they are all crayfish.
The fish on offer are amazing from mullet and bream through to snapper, kingfish, mulloway and teraglin.
Pearl perch are entering our system in increasing numbers as are spangled emperors.
Add to this list whiting, flathead, tailor, salmon, drummer, luderick and leatherjacket.
Have I forgotten any?
The only one sadly missing from the dining table is the squid.
It wasn’t so long ago that it took little effort to catch a bucket full, now we are lucky to see one.
Hopefully one day they will return.
By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE
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