2011/747 Setting standards to maximise the quality of Australian wild-caught prawns

By Grant Carnie

The Australian wild-caught prawn industry has identified the need for improved product handling and quality assurance practices, through Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries (ACPF) Board meetings and from individual member feedback. Variable quality across the industry is a key issue, and leads to reduced value to the fishers, therefore this area is identified as a key priority by the ACPF.

There are many prawn fisheries within Australia, which operate separately, have different capabilities in product handling and storage, and use different mechanisms / techniques for ensuring product quality. Each prawn fishery either has independent standards or use standards that have been developed by a wholesaler /retailer. Attempts at developing national standards have been made, but these have not necessarily been taken up within fisheries and in some cases, users are not aware of them.

This project aimed to address product handling and quality assurance practices and guide fishers and crew in using the best practices available, as well as defining them in an easy to use and meaningful way for industry.