Major operator wraps up season ahead of schedule amid strong catches
Australia’s largest operator in the Northern Prawn Fishery has ended its banana prawn season nearly a month early after achieving its catch targets sooner than expected, highlighting a strong year for one of the nation’s most valuable seafood industries.
The early finish comes amid healthy prawn stocks across northern Australian waters and changing dynamics within the industry following the exit of major seafood company A Raptis and Sons from the fishery earlier this year.
Austral Fisheries ends season early after meeting targets
Austral Fisheries, now the largest player in the Northern Prawn Fishery, confirmed it had brought its 11-vessel fleet back to shore ahead of the official mid-June season close.
The company operates across waters stretching from Cape York in Queensland to Cape Londonderry in Western Australia — one of Australia’s most productive commercial fishing regions.
Austral Fisheries executive Rhys Arangio said the business deliberately capped its catches to align with domestic market demand while reducing operating costs, particularly fuel expenses.
After several difficult seasons marked by lower catches and economic pressure, he described this year’s banana prawn run as exceptionally strong.
“I’ve seen footage of prawns jumping out of the water and into the boat effectively, so for us it was great,” Mr Arangio said.
“Really managing what we wanted to catch and doing it as quickly and as efficiently as possible was our game plan this year.
“Fuel is probably our biggest input cost … we chose to fish really close to Karumba this year, minimising the distances that we had to be steaming to catch that prawn.”
Fewer vessels could reshape the fishery
This season marks the first without seafood giant A Raptis and Sons, which previously operated the largest fleet in the Northern Prawn Fishery before entering administration earlier in 2026.
The departure removed 13 trawlers from the fishery, significantly reducing overall fleet numbers.
Mr Arangio said the reduced competition had not negatively affected the industry this season and could improve efficiencies for remaining operators over the coming years.
“For us at Austral to have a larger share of that Northern Prawn Fishery will likely result in some better performances overall,” he said.
“Less boats in the fishery means that the boats that are left can fish for longer and therefore we’re utilising that asset more efficiently. So yes, there probably will be benefits there.”
While Austral has ended its banana prawn operations for the season, some vessels from other companies are continuing to fish in northern waters.
Strong supply expected to keep prawn prices steady
Retailers in Far North Queensland are already seeing strong supply levels, with banana prawns arriving in seafood markets from April.
Ocean World Seafood Market owner Peter Adams said consumers could expect reliable availability and relatively stable prices through the year.
“There are good volumes available,” Mr Adams said.
“They’re probably a good value prawn this year, so we hope we can help that supply move on.
“We could supply all year by the look of it.”
He said retail prices were expected to remain between $20 and $30 per kilogram, depending on prawn size.
“The different sizes, the price varies, but yeah, they’ll be a product that will hold their value,” he said.
Healthy prawn stocks reported across Australia
Industry experts say strong prawn catches are not limited to the Northern Prawn Fishery, with fisheries around Australia reporting healthy stock levels.
Crispian Ashby from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation said favourable environmental conditions and sustainable fishery management practices had contributed to the strong season.
“We are seeing some really good catches of prawns around the country,” he said.
The Northern Prawn Fishery is widely regarded as one of Australia’s best-managed fisheries, operating under strict quotas and environmental controls designed to maintain long-term stock sustainability.
Industry focuses on sustainability and reducing bycatch
Austral Fisheries also introduced a redesigned trawl rig this season aimed at improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
Mr Arangio said the updated system used a smaller trawl setup with a larger net opening, helping reduce bycatch while improving operational performance.
“Trawling has been given a bad rap in recent years,” he said.
“So from an industry perspective, seeing the work that’s gone into bycatch reduction … especially in the Northern Prawn Fishery in recent years has been an incredible achievement.”
Outlook remains positive for Australia’s prawn industry
With strong stocks, stable consumer demand and improved fishing efficiencies, industry operators are optimistic about the outlook for Australia’s prawn sector despite recent market challenges.
The combination of sustainable management practices and favourable seasonal conditions has delivered a welcome boost for northern fisheries, while consumers are likely to continue benefiting from solid supply and competitive pricing in the months ahead.
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