AFTER 10 days of wild weather in the Clarence Valley which prevented fishermen from heading offshore, conditions eased on Sunday night, allowing trawlers to bring in the first catch of succulent fresh Yamba king prawns for 2008.

The rush was on yesterday by 11am at the Yamba branch of the Clarence River Fishermen’s Co-operative, said store manager Leanne Madden, after signs that read last night’s catch available went up.

Ms Madden was preparing her team for a hot and sweaty onslaught of hungry customers on their way home from work last night.

It’s the first haul of fresh ocean prawns since fishermen tied up their trawlers on December 22, before the full moon. Clarence River Fishermen’s Co-operative general manager Russell Creighton said he hoped more trawlers would be able to head offshore last night, as fisherman reported flat conditions getting over the bar on Sunday night, and good weather yesterday allowed trawlers to land school, small and medium king prawns.

Ms Madden said there were plenty of happy customers, but some grizzled about paying $36kg for medium king prawns. Fisherman yielded about 90kg of small and medium king prawns which were almost sold out by 4pm yesterday. “I don’t have many mediums left, they’re walking out the door. People have been starved of them for too long,” she said.

Mr Creighton said the swell in the bar was between four and five metres over the past week, making it impossible for offshore fishing. “The surfers were surfing in the main river right up to where the Coast Guard is. They were having a great time,” he said. “But it’s usually our busiest time of year. Unfortunately the rain has hurt us in a big way. It chased a lot of people home.”

Mr Creighton said the loss would run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

“Our shops have been hurting big time. It took away all our tourists trade,” he said.

For nearly two weeks, the co-operative, locals and tourists have relied on the school prawn catches in the river which had been in huge quantities, Mr Creighton said. Schoolies have been selling for $8.50kg or two kg for $15. While the weather has turned around for now Mr Creighton and Ms Madden are concerned there is another change looming.

“We could have a wet January with more flooding,” Mr Creighton said. “There will be plenty of product but no tourists to buy them.”

Ms Madden said she could not say when the co-op would be able to send fresh ocean stock to the Sydney markets again.

Source: Grafton Daily Examiner