cold gold, from trawler to table

The wharf at Eden is a busy, noisy hub; boats pulling in, trucks backing up, crew lifting catch from the boat’s hold.

For locals such as South Coast Fish’s Shaz Isaac, it’s more than a workplace.

It’s the heartbeat of a community built on fishing.

“I’ve been in Eden for 40 years,” Shaz says. “My kids and grandkids are here. We’ve got some of the most pristine waters you’ll find anywhere and that’s why the fish here are so special.”

Speed is everything because the cold chain – keeping seafood at a consistently low temperature from ocean to plate – is what ensures quality and safety.

The moment fish come off the trawler, they’re moved directly into South Coast Fish’s chilled processing and storage facility, literally across the road from the dock.

The cold-chain cycle is never broken.

“Our boats unload straight into waiting trucks,” Shaz explains. “The fish comes straight across the road to our facility, a 25-second trip.

“From there it’s sorted, weighed and in the cool room within half an hour, ready for filleting.”

Once a fish warms up, even slightly, its quality starts to deteriorate.

By keeping it cold every step of the way, South Coast Fish delivers a product that’s as fresh as it gets.

“People come in and ask for the freshest fish,” Shaz says with a laugh. “I can point to one and say, ‘That was swimming an hour ago’. That’s how tight our process is.”

Eden’s location makes this possible.

The deep natural harbour – one of the world’s deepest – sits right on the edge of rich fishing grounds.

There’s no long haul to get to sea and no sprawling cities nearby to pollute the environment.

From local-region markets to Sydney, Melbourne and export overseas, South Coast Fish relies on this pristine environment and seamless cold chain to deliver the kind of seafood the Sapphire Coast is famous for.

“Freshness isn’t a marketing word,” Shaz says. “It’s how we work, every single day.”