Phill, I have seen fish advertised as 'New Zealand snapper' far cheaper in Aussie than we can buy it here.

Yesterday's price in Hastings $48.00 a kilo. That is damn near twice the price of good quality steak. A boat goes to sea, works the nets of lines, in many cases the fish is marketed the following day. A farmer usually needs to feed and medicate a cattle beast for nearly two years before it goes to the works.

Some would say this anomaly is due to costs. A fisherman does not need to feed fish, and the cost of a boat would be far less than a present the cost of land.

Late last week, Pak and Save in Hastings were selling whole gurnard, these were not small fish, most were between 750gm and a kilo, they had bins of them. The price ... two for $4.00. That is a huge difference to the $29.95 a kilo for fillets.