Scallop splitting in full swing

• Splitting Victorian scallops at Bridport.

By Tony Scott,
June 23, 2021

The scallop season has started in earnest for splitters at the Bridport Superfresh Seafoods’ factory.

For the first time the company is processing fish landed in Victoria.

The build-up of Bass Strait commercial scallop populations has resulted in the first season being declared for Victorian waters for about 11 years.

Bridport factory manager Alanna Stanford said the scallops were boxed up and trucked aboard the Spirit of Tasmania on Saturday night.

“It’s the first time we’ve tried anything like this, so we were a bit nervous, but it all worked seamlessly,” she said.

They intend running back-to-back refrigerated semi-trailer loads into the Bridport factory, which has cranked up to full capacity.

“The season is looking really good.

“We started with the survey scallops about a month ago.

“And now moving onto the Victorian scallops means we don’t have that month’s break between the survey and the Central Zone fishery opening.”

The business is employing 40 people to allow for a full table of 26 splitters up to seven days a week.

“We had been a bit concerned whether we’d find enough people. 

“We generally employ a lot of local splitters but rely a bit on backpackers and that type of casual workers as well, but we’re doing ok so far,” she said.

Surveys have shown good stocks of scallops with good quality meat, particularly for so early in the season.

Mrs Stanford said demand is also high.

“Last year we had a smaller staff with the market uncertainty because of Covid.

“Processing capacity was down all round really, so there were no frozen scallops left by the time the new ones were available.”

That has meant an increase in the retail price with fresh scallops selling for $40 and up to $44 kg in some retail outlets.

The availability of scallops this winter is set to increase dramatically.

Victoria has set a total allowable catch of 950 tonnes and last year’s TAC for the Commonwealth-controlled Central Zone of Bass Strait of 3000 tonnes could also be lifted, after an industry recommendation of a 30 per cent lift to 4000 tonnes.

On top of that a scallop season for Tasmanian waters, generally 20 nautical miles out from shore may also be declared for the first time in five years. 

However, chief executive of the Scallop Industry Association Andrew Sullivan said it’s unlikely all will be caught.

“There’s just not the processing capacity available to split the scallops.

“There are a few factories set up to do it at Stanley, George Town and Margate. Bridport is the biggest.

“But to process efficiently it takes quite a specialised plant and the good splitters are very skilled and there’s only so many of them,” Mr Sullivan said.