Seafood exporters are selling premium produce on the domestic market at cut-rate prices as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc with international trade.
High-grade tuna that would usually be sold in Japan and the United States will instead be available on the shelves of Coles supermarkets in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria at a greatly reduced cost.
Heidi Walker, of Queensland-based Walker Seafoods, said the deal would allow the company to retain staff.
"It means that we can keep 50 people employed," she said.
"It means that we're moving our fish and we're not putting it in the freezer and waiting for something to happen.
"It will be selling it for $35 dollars a kilogram, which would be less than half what you would normally pay if you were to go somewhere like the Sydney fish markets and purchase it."
'Our model has to change'
Like Walker Seafoods, Rockcliff Seafoods, has opened a pop-up shop to sell direct to the public at Mooloolaba.
"[That has] allowed us to at least let the boats go and fish for a little bit," the company's Vanessa Hughes said.
"It's not much but at least it provides them some income and at the same time it's giving us some turnover to support our staff that we have here.
"When you're buying local seafood, you're supporting businesses to stay open."
Aussie Red Crabs, meanwhile, has approached a major retailer about stocking its spanner crab meat.
"We've come to the stark realisation that our business model has to change," the company's Jason Simpson said.
"We've got to go down the track of producing goods for the retail customer, and we're currently in the situation of developing a range of value-added products."
Not all export markets have closed, however.
De Brett Seafood has enjoyed increased demand for its Noosa Seafood Market-branded frozen meals, which it also sells through IGA supermarkets.
"We've just sent a big shipment over to Singapore to a new business that's looking to sell quality Australian seafood," managing director Gary Heilmann said.
"People there are shying away from what they call the wet markets and looking at more pre-packaged frozen seafood ready to eat."
