There is no official explanation why there is an unofficial ban in China of rock lobsters mainly from Australia.
Fishermen, forced to wait for news of the market reopening, may have to throw their haul overboard.
This follows the shock recent announcement that the Chinese market had closed but note that fishermen and government departments have no clear idea of why, or when it may reopen.
It appears some 50 Australian boats are now stranded at sea. One fishing captain said, "They are loaded with crays and cannot come in and unload. There’s no storage room, and processors can’t take them. It is that serious."
Weekly Times Now reported a spokesman for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as saying the department had been advised by industry that a number of issues were affecting the trade of Australian rock lobsters into China, including delays in the clearance of products in China. But it still appears to be a total mystery.
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