FISHING OPERATIONS
FISHING OPERATIONS
SHARK BAY
Operating since 1963, our vessels fish seasonally from April through to September in the Shark Bay fishery, located south of Carnarvon in the North West of Australia.
The multi-species fishery catches primarily King Prawns, Tiger Prawns, Scallops and Blue Swimmer Crabs primarily, with by-catch of Squid, Whiting, Moreton Bay Bugs, Mantis Shrimp, Coral Prawns and Flathead.
Our facility in Carnarvon houses our five prawn vessels, cold store, dry dock slipway, with engineering and operations facilities.
We also have three vessels that port in Carnarvon and fish through the Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia, where they catch the premium Spanish Mackerel species.
Our vessels are EU and Export registered, with products marketed both locally and internationally.
exmouth
The business owns 100% of the prawn licences in the Exmouth fishery, which it markets under the Exmouth Wild brand. The company, formerly known as MG Kailis, has been fishing sustainably and in harmony with the oceans of Northwest Australia for over 50 years.
We have six vessels that port in Exmouth and fish within the Exmouth Gulf fishery.
SUSTAINABILITY & PROVENANCE
SHARK BAY
We are proud to operate in the UNESCO Shark Bay World Heritage Site. Our sustainable fishing practices and responsibility for the environment enabled Sea Harvest to receive Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, which is independent recognition granted to fisheries that achieve exacting sustainability standards and ensures that prawn supply will continue for the future.
EXMOUTH
In 2015, the Exmouth Wild Prawn fishery was awarded Marine Stewardship Council certification. The fishery was recognised again in 2020, This double recognition is world-leading and provides to consumers, an assurance that the wild seafood is caught using methods that do not deplete the natural supply.
PROCESS
EACH DAY WE STRIVE TO TOUCH THE WORLD LIGHTER THAN WE DID THE DAY BEFORE.
We invest in monitoring, research and best practice to protect our oceans for the benefit of the environment that underpins our fishery and community.
Our aim is to deliver the best quality Australian wild prawns and to ensure that they are caught sustainably in a well-managed environment to protect and preserve it for the future. Our nets are equipped with the latest in bycatch reduction devices to minimise the take of non-targeted species. Ongoing investment to improve net design has seen inclusions such as ‘grids’ to exclude rays, sharks and turtles, and wide mesh panels to allow fish to swim out.
Our catch is dropped into a ‘hopper’ tank of circulating seawater before it is hand-sorted on a conveyor, ensuring a significant portion of bycatch is returned to the ocean alive. We monitor sensitive bycatch to provide valuable data to researchers to help understand and protect these species. By working collaboratively with the Department of Fisheries (DPIRD), we have helped to drive innovation in net design.
Only 25% of the Exmouth Gulf prawn fishery area is actively fished in a year, with protected and sensitive bottom areas for sea grasses, filter feeders (sponges) and coral bottom excluded.
The prawn trawlers are at sea on average 22 days per trip, the fleet returns to port to offload its catch at the end of each trip which coincides with the full moon closure of the fishery.
DISTRIBUTION
EXPORT READY
Most of our products comply for export to Asia and the EU. We can help you with the requirements to build our products into your range. For further information or to request a quote, please contact us here.
RETAIL
Found in most major and many minor retail chains across Australia, some by brand and others thawed and available on the deli counter in take home formats.
FOOD SERVICE
We supply all major distributors around Australia, who in turn supply food service, hospitality, catering and industrial customers.
CONNECT
We can connect you to where our products can be sourced nationally in Australia.
