Cray pioneers turning in graves

THE cray fishermen after World War II who pioneered the industry, some building their own boats, relying on skills used defending our country — finding craggy coastline, howling gales and huge ocean swells a walk in the park compared to bloody warfare — would be turning in their graves watching the machinations of the present industry.

Long story short these older guys spread their risk. Domestic, America and Japan were markets that sustained them and provided a pretty good income. All owned their licences. Generally about 40 craypots. Fast forward, a small percentage of skippers on cray boats own their own pots. They have to buy quota upfront for minimum say $65 a kilo to the quota-holder. In good market times if the price paid by the only market available China is $85 to $100 per kilo the hardworking skipper after paying the generally wealthy quota-holder has $20 to $30 margin to cover all costs. So if the proverbial hits the fan as in the coronavirus and the price paid by China (that has had constant support by governments) the cray fishermen that weather the storms should not have to take the financial hit. If the three year average value to the Chinese market has fallen 50 per cent (caused by a virus from the very market destination of the Tassie crays) the quota-holder should have to take the loss and reimburse the skipper for all losses until the market balances out.

The skipper and his crew are generally hardworking with a great commitment and not a lot of financial wriggle room, unlike the quota-holder who is usually reading all this bad news on a brand new phone in an overseas five-star resort.

Paul Blizzard Blackmans Bay