WA crayfishing activity slows for second time in five months after new outbreak of COVID-19 in major Chinese food wholesale market Xinfadi

WA crayfish beach prices tumbled earlier in the week prompting some fishing activity to grind to a halt for the second time since February. Meanwhile other Australian seafood exporters fear they could be hit by a new COVID-19 outbreak in China. Authorities have linked the latest outbreak to imported salmon sold at Beijing’s biggest seafood and produce market, Xinfadi. It has triggered a boycott of salmon throughout the country, with import bans in some regions extending to other animal products. The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment issued a note to Australian exporters yesterday advising of the temporary closure of the market and urged exporters to work closely with their Chinese importers to keep informed on changes in sales. Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative, the world’s biggest processor and exporter of rock lobsters, said while it had not received an official announcement from Chinese authorities, customers had reported inspection and custom clearance processes had been ramped up, causing big delays. A co-op spokesman said as a highly perishable product, customers were taking a cautious approach by not taking lobsters, causing a fall in demand. As a result, GFC is attempting to reduce its intake and yesterday shaved $10 to $11/kg off its beach price of $38/kg on Monday morning. The pre-COVID longer-term beach price average was about $60/kg. The spokesman said it was inevitable some boats would stop fishing because returns could be below the cost. “We have not put a ‘stop fish’ note out, but we are trying to reduce the intake and are proceeding cautiously,” he said. GFC said many Chinese destinations were still accepting WA crays and some demand remained, though the situation would continue to be monitored closely. The outbreak is another blow for the $500 million-a-year WA rock lobster industry which was just starting to recover from coronavirus lockdowns in China earlier in the year which stopped all demand and brought Australian crayfishing to a virtual standstill. Thanks to easing restrictions and the Federal Government’s subsidised air freight program, the industry had started to recover. Fishing activity had reached near long-term average levels last month, according to GFC, but the beach price was still well below the long-term average. The latest issues in China extend beyond crays and salmon, and slower clearances are widespread rather than targeted at Australia. IBISWorld senior industry analyst Matthew Reeves said China was a critical market for Australian seafood, accounting for 44.7 per cent of export revenue in 2019-20. The World Health Organisation has issued statements confirming that there is no evidence that COVID-19 may be transferred to humans through food.