Some of the best flathead in the world on the tables of ordinary citizens of Melbourne & their restaurants, shame on special interest groups like recreational fisherman, it’s not yours it’s ours. The bay is sustainable for all #savebayseafood A photo posted by Neil Perry (@chefneilperry) on Oct 30, 2015 at 12:09am PDT
Australia’s top chefs have warned that Melbourne’s global food reputation could take a dive due to a ban on commercial fishing nets in Port Phillip Bay.
An article in the Herald Sun reports that celebrity chefs, including Neil Perry of Rockpool, Guy Grossi of Grossi Florentino and the Flower Drum’s Anthony Lui, are campaigning for the Victorian Government to overturn the decision.
And Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has backed their bid.
The article says that restaurants could be forced to import King George whiting, garfish, silver trevally and red mullet from Adelaide, instead of using fish caught in the Bay that can be served to diners that night.
Perry, an award-winning chef, said 70 to 90 per cent of the seafood served in his Melbourne-based restaurants came from Port Phillip Bay.
“Beautiful fresh sustainable fish — that is fundamentally apart of the culture of Melbourne is going to disappear.”
“Some of the best flathead in world is on the tables of ordinary citizens of Melbourne and their restaurants. Shame on special interest groups like recreational fishermen. It’s not yours, it’s ours! The Bay is sustainable for all,” said Perry.
