Question 1

Does Tasman Star Seafood own its own fishing fleet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Tasman Star Seafood has operated its own commercial fishing fleet since 1994. The fleet includes the Peter K prawn trawler and other commercial trawlers operating off Queensland's east coast. Owning the fleet means Tasman Star controls quality from catch to retail — there is no middle wholesaler between the ocean and the stores.

Question 2

What species does the Tasman Star fishing fleet catch?

Accepted Answer

The Tasman Star fleet targets flathead, whiting, squid, octopus, and wild-caught Queensland prawns — including king, tiger, school, and banana prawns. The Peter K prawn trawler specialises in wild-caught prawns from coastal grounds off Queensland. Species availability varies seasonally with fishing conditions and regulatory closures.

Question 3

How fresh is the seafood from Tasman Star's trawlers?

Accepted Answer

Catch is iced immediately on board at sea. The Peter K and other trawlers return to port within 24–48 hours of their final set, maintaining refrigerated hold temperatures throughout. Once dockside, catch is offloaded directly into cold-chain vehicles and transported to the Labrador processing facility and retail stores. The entire chain from water to market takes less than 48 hours.

Question 4

Can I buy seafood directly caught by Tasman Star's fleet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Fresh catches from the Tasman Star fleet are stocked at both Gold Coast retail stores — Labrador (5-7 Olsen Ave, phone: 07 5529 2500) and Varsity Lakes (20 Casua Dr) — open 7 days, 7 AM to 6 PM. Fleet product is also available online for home delivery across the Gold Coast. Wild-caught prawns from the Peter K are seasonal and sell quickly — call ahead to check availability.

Question 5

Does Tasman Star supply wholesale customers directly from the fleet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Approved Tasman Star wholesale trade accounts can access fleet-caught product through the wholesale ordering system. During Queensland prawn season, the Peter K supplies direct wild-caught prawns to wholesale buyers. Contact the wholesale team on (07) 5507 6712 or email wholesale@tasmanstarseafood.com to discuss fleet supply for your restaurant or food business.

Question 6

What fishing grounds does the Tasman Star fleet operate in?

Accepted Answer

The Tasman Star commercial fleet operates across the Queensland east coast fishing grounds, including inshore and offshore zones from Wide Bay to the far north Queensland coast. The Peter K prawn trawler targets the rich prawn grounds of Moreton Bay and the wide bay area, as well as deeper offshore trawl grounds for prawns and mixed demersal species (flathead, whiting, squid, octopus). The fleet holds current commercial fishing licences under Queensland Fisheries Act regulations and operates within AFMA (Australian Fisheries Management Authority) compliant catch quotas.

Question 7

Is the seafood from Tasman Star's fleet sustainable?

Accepted Answer

Tasman Star's commercial fishing fleet complies with Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries regulations, including gear restrictions, minimum size limits, and seasonal closures designed to protect breeding stock. Trawl fishing in Queensland operates under the East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery management plan, which includes TTES (Turtle Excluding Devices) and BRDs (Bycatch Reduction Devices) as required by law. The business does not engage in unrestricted deep-sea dredging. Supplementary stock from the Sydney Fish Market comes from accredited Australian fisheries with MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified product available.

Question 8

How does Tasman Star ensure freshness from the fishing fleet to the retail stores?

Accepted Answer

The cold chain from fleet to retail works in four stages. Stage 1: fish is iced immediately on board at sea — the Peter K maintains refrigerated sea water (RSW) holds at 0–2°C from the moment of catch. Stage 2: on returning to port, catch is offloaded directly into refrigerated vehicles — no ambient-temperature staging. Stage 3: product arrives at the Labrador processing facility where it is graded, filleted, or kept whole, and stored in walk-in cool rooms at 0–4°C. Stage 4: distribution to retail stores and delivery customers happens the same morning in Tasman Star's own refrigerated fleet vehicles. The total elapsed time from ocean to retail counter is typically under 24 hours for inshore catches and under 48 hours for offshore trawl trips.

Our Fishing Fleet

Fleet to Fork

Our Trawlers

Sustainable Practices

Premium Species

Our Fleet in Action

Our Quality Standards

01Boat to Market

02Hand Inspected

03Fully Traceable

Fleet to Fork — Key Facts

Species Targeted

Cold Chain Timeline

Operating Since

Who Gets Fleet Product

Commercial Enquiries

Connect Fleet to Supply