REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Tuesday, December 14, 2004

GEORGE Richardson risked his life in the quest for Christmas prawns fetching $20 a kilogram.

There was still no sign of the missing 68-year-old fisherman who was presumed drowned after his fishing trawler capsized off Cape Moreton.

His devastated family maintained a vigil at the bedside of George’s son David, who miraculously survived 40 hours lost and alone at sea.

Other fishermen told of the risks they were prepared to take to meet massive seafood orders at their busiest time of the year.

Family friend and commercial fishing boat operator Kevin Baker said prawns had not moved in price for about 10 years.

“Our overheads, our insurance, fuel and running costs have doubled in that period and the price of our product has gone nowhere,” he said.

“A boat like the Star Mist would have been working an average of 14 hours a day ... and could have stayed out to sea for anywhere up to six days.’’

They would have had to pay about $2000 a night a licence.

“We’re already working to a maximum before Christmas even starts because of the (government) regulations on how many nights we’re allowed to go out on the water,” Mr Baker said.

“Once Christmas is over, prawns will drop even further by about another one-third.”

Mr Baker said the increasing supply of imported product flooding the Australian market was the main problem.

“At the moment, we’re getting about $20/kg (wholesale) for our medium to large prawns and as little as $10/kg for our ocean kings.”