Soueast Seafoods wins From the Sea trophy at 2025 Produce Awards - Produce Awards

Aug 29, 2025

One man. One rod. One reel. This simple combination has transformed one of our most underutilised seafood species into a restaurant-quality product that's now in high demand by some of our leading chefs.

You might only ever have thought of mackerel as something that comes in tins, or a fish that’s not good for much more than bait. But in Australia, blue mackerel is not only in great abundance, it’s also offers huge potential as a sustainable seafood source. It breeds prolifically and grows fast. It’s also nutritious, and surprisingly delicious. It’s a fish that has long been enjoyed in many Asian countries, particularly in Japanese cuisine, and now it’s finally getting its time to shine here at home.

NSW fisher Craig Lukey of Soueast Seafoods saw the potential of blue mackerel, and quietly went about changing people’s minds by doing what he loves best – going fishing. While the majority of blue mackerel in Australia is caught in schools using large nets, Lukey uses a rod and reel to catch one fish at a time. This allows him to take a more focused and gentle approach to the handling of each fish, which in turn increases the quality – by a nautical mile. In the process, he has single-handedly created a demand for restaurant-quality blue mackerel.

Lukey now supplies his mackerel to some of our finest restaurants, including to the hallowed tables of Produce Awards National Judge and seafood savant Josh Niland‘s restaurant Saint Peter.

Australia’s most-famous seafood chef is such a huge fan of Lukey’s catch, in fact, that it features in what has become one of Niland’s signature dishes – the Salt & Vinegar Line Caught Blue Mackerel.

Lukey’s hard work has now been rewarded, with the the humble fisher being named winner of the From the Sea award at the 2025 delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards on Tuesday, August 26.

Soueast Seafoods — Craig Lukey accepting his award from Josh Niland.

Lukey, who is based in Ulladulla on the NSW South Coast, has also worked with Niland at The Fish Butchery in Sydney, learning holding and handling techniques that help him deliver a product that stays fresher for longer. His stunning silvery-blue mackerel shimmer with beautiful presentation, texture and flavour. Ahead of the awards, Niland praised Lukey’s work:

“I have long admired Craig’s work. To choose a species so undervalued and apply so much effort to it speaks volumes about him. His fishing practices are gold standard, not only for Australia, but the world.” – Josh Niland

How mackerel became “the gold star” on the menu at Saint Peter

Niland also presented Lukey with his award on the night, and spoke of his admiration for the fisher, and his patient, methodical approach to securing seafood of the highest quality.

“Craig catches one of the most most underrated fish, not just in Australia but in the world,” Niland said. “And to to not only catch it and celebrate it, but catch it so inconveniently – one at a time on rod and reel – and then to dispatch the fish in such a way that a day later it’s in our kitchen, being served.’

“What starts off as a feeling of trepidation to the guest; that ‘Oh, not sure about mackerel’ turns out to be the gold star on a menu filled with the likes of coral trout and King George whiting. It turns out that the humble mackerel handled by Craig is the real star. So, hence why he’s on the stage right now.”

Upon receiving the award, Lukey won everyone’s hearts with his unaffected acceptance speech, in which he thanked all involved before saying:

“I was tradesman in a former life and never used to go to work ’cause I was always fishing. So to be able to turn around and make a career out of it and get to this level is just insane. I love it.”

So the next time you see Craig Lukey blue mackerel on a restaurant menu, don’t hesitate – order it immediately. You won’t regret it. And you’ll never think of mackerel in a tin ever again.