Whiting machine now filleting
The Lakes Entrance Fisherman’s Co-operative has invested in a fantastic new automated school whiting filleting machine. This machine was adapted from Scandinavian technology and at full speed can fillet three whiting a second.
Dale Sumner, Co-op General Manager explained, “eastern school whiting is a large volume local species that for many years was packed whole and exported for processing overseas. With the support of FRDC, State & Local Government and most importantly a select number of Danish Seine operators that supply the whiting, we were able to implement various pieces of plant & equipment including a whiting grading line and the filleting machine. This machinery will allow a species that we believe is undervalued to be domestically produced and the consumer will be able to connect to the region as it will be branded and sold under the Co-op brand “Wild Catch”. The machine is the only one of its type in the world given the specific modifications and attachments fitted to deal with the size of the school whiting.”
The machine will enable the Co-ops to produce large quantities of fillets which will increase sales growth. The school whiting fillet story is already catching attention given its caught, landed, processed & packed at Lakes Entrance. Consumers increasingly want to connect to the products that they are eating. Sales of the fillets are growing throughout Victoria and NSW.
