Freshwater crayfish farmer Nathan Cleasby is facing an unexpected challenge: keeping up with overwhelming demand from restaurants across Australia. Despite a declining industry, Cleasby, who acquired his 20-hectare farm in Townsville in 2023, finds himself inundated with requests for redclaw crayfish, a delicacy increasingly sought after by chefs nationwide.
Cleasby aspires to establish the largest redclaw farm in Australia. With 5.5 hectares of ponds currently in operation, he is exploring avenues to boost production. Collaborating with James Cook University and the CSIRO, Cleasby is focusing on sustainable feedstock and animal genetics to enhance the survival rates of redclaw.
“We’ve got the land, we’ve got the machinery, it’s all ready to go,” Cleasby stated. “We just want to know what we’re doing before we start.”
The Challenges of a Struggling Industry
Redclaw crayfish, native to northern Queensland, face a unique challenge as they are classified as a noxious aquatic species outside their native range due to their ability to out-compete other native yabbie species. According to the Queensland Department of Primary Industries’ 2023-24 Aquaculture Production Summary, redclaw production has decreased by 45.7% from the previous year.
James Cook University aquaculture expert Dean Jerry describes the redclaw industry as a “cottage” industry, predominantly composed of small-scale farmers. He notes that this structure has deterred new entrants, despite the biological potential of redclaw as a scalable product.
“Quite often, for many new industries, projects are short and sweet, but they don’t sort of realise their potential impact because there is no continuation of the research,” Professor Jerry explained.
Jerry emphasizes the need for long-term research to ensure the industry’s growth can match other aquaculture sectors, such as prawns. He identifies nutrition and genetics as critical areas for development.
“We do know a little bit about the nutrition of redclaw, but there’s still a lot of work to be done in that area and the production of the feeds that are cost-effective,” he said.
Redclaw’s Rising Popularity in Fine Dining
Despite industry challenges, demand for redclaw remains robust. Townsville fine dining chef Steele Lee, who features Cleasby’s crayfish on his menu, reports that his customers are impressed with the versatile species.
“You can use the whole animal — the shells, the meat, it’s pretty exciting as a chef to be able to do so many different things with one animal,” Lee said.
Lee has observed a growing popularity of redclaw in fine-dining restaurants over recent years, noting its increasing presence on menus.
“It’s good to see it’s growing and getting its place on the menu,” he added.
Collaborative Efforts for Future Growth
Cleasby acknowledges the strong collaboration among the few remaining producers in the industry. He remains optimistic about the future, citing strong demand and favorable pricing as key factors that could help revitalize the industry.
“I think the demand is strong enough, the price point is really good, so hopefully we can turn the industry and start increasing production year on year,” Cleasby said.
The announcement comes as the redclaw industry seeks innovative solutions to overcome its current hurdles. By leveraging scientific research and collaboration, Cleasby and his partners aim to transform the industry, ensuring that redclaw remains a staple in Australian cuisine for years to come.
