Our history, fishing practice & sustainability.
Mures Fishing is an iconic Tasmanian family business that offers wholesale and retail customers a variety of quality seafood which is sustainably caught and sourced.
George & Jill Mure established Mures Fish House restaurant in 1973 at Battery Point, Hobart. When they struggled to source quality, fresh, local seafood, George took matters into his own hands and went fishing.
Fifty years on, and now owned by Will and Judy Mure, Mures Tasmania is a vertically integrated Tasmanian family business dedicated to providing fresh, local, sustainable seafood. Mures Fishing is the branch of the business that oversees the operations of our vessels, catch, processing, gourmet products, and wholesale supply.
We currently have two vessels in operation:
Diana, a 76-foot demersal longlining vessel targeting Blue Eye Trevalla, Pink Ling, Blue Grenadier, Ocean Perch and Gemfish
Selkie, a smaller minor line vessel primarily targeting Southern Bluefin Tuna
Our vessel Diana, specialises in demersal long-line fishing.
Species specific fishing.
Demersal longlining involves lines of up to 3000 hooks set horizontally, suspended from weights above the sea floor. This method ensures very low impact to the physical environment, specifically the ocean floor.
The method of using hooks is considered a “passive” method of fishing where the depth and bait target only specific specials, which results in a very limited level of bycatch. Fish which have been hooked are brought to the surface slowly, and are generally alive when they reach the boat, which greatly increases the likelihood of survivability for non-target species returned to the water.
Seabird welfare.
Seabird bycatch is a worldwide issue with line fishing. Our industry body, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), enforces the world’s best practice in relation to mitigation measures for seabird bycatch. This includes the following practices:
Mures demersal longlining is distributed with heavy weights so that baited lines sink immediately.
Whenever possible baited lines are set at night.
Mures also use tori lines which are similar to streamers, a recognised method to deter the presence of birds.
Mures disposes of offal in a bulk discharge beneath the surface to avoid attracting birds to the vessel and alerting them to fishing activity.
In conjunction with AFMA, Mures is currently investigating the use of laser technology to further deter the seabirds.
Regulated industry.
Most of these measures undertaken by Mures are not simply feel good guidelines that are lost out at sea but are actual conditions of Mures Fishing Permits.
While AFMA observers are often on our vessel at regular intervals, AFMA also have access to cameras on board, recording all fishing operations 24/7.
Selkie is a minor line vessel, specialising in rod and reel fishing.
About minor line fishing.
Mures using minor line fishing gear to primarily catch Southern Bluefin Tuna. This covers a process called Trolling, where four rod lines with lures are dragged through the water slowly off the back of Selkie. Once the lines receive a bite, any lines not currently engaging fish are reeled in before our fishers tackle the lines with fish on them. These are then reeled in by hand at great effort.
Minimal impact.
As minor line gear does not typically come in contact with the ocean floor, there is near zero environmental impact. This technique also has a very low bycatch rate, and any accidental catches can be safely released after capture.
MSC certification.
All Southern Bluefin Tuna caught by Selkie is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified. The MSC is considered the highest global sustainability standard for wild caught seafood.
MSC certification helps our customers make informed choices, supports recognition of responsible practices, and provides a platform for conversations around sustainability. It also highlights the global efforts being made to protect our oceans for future generations.
At Mures, we believe strongly in independent, science-based oversight of fisheries. This provides our customers with confidence in the products they choose, whether purchasing from our fishmongers or dining in our restaurants. Transparency is central to our approach, with clear country-of-origin labelling and the use of standard fish names across all Mures operations.
Fish species and seasonality.
Our catch primarily includes Blue Eye Trevalla, Pink Ling, Blue Grenadier, Ocean Perch, Gemfish, and Southern Bluefin Tuna.
95% of our fish is sold through Mures Lower Deck and Upper Deck restaurants on Victoria Dock Hobart, and our two Fishmongers outlets in Hobart and Cambridge. We also provide wholesale distribution to venues around Tasmania. On occasions, supply does outstrip demand and then we send a percentage of our fish to the Melbourne and Sydney fish markets.
During the winter months, Diana heads north to high seas fishing grounds, approximately 300 nautical miles off the New South Wales coast. These colder months are tough fishing with longer trips at sea and rough conditions. But the reward is a range of premium seafood that differs slightly from our summer species which includes Coral Trout, Redthroat Emperor, Yellowtail Kingfish and King Morwong.
