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Fish, Crustaceans & Cephalopods

Beche De Mer
(Sea Cucumber)

Also known as Mulloway, jewfish (NSW, Qld, NT); kingfish (Vic.); river kingfish (WA); butterfish (SA); silver jewfish, school jew

The mulloway has a range of common names, their usage largely dictated by geography. In New South Wales and Queensland the fish is almost exclusively known as jewfish, "jew" or "jewie". In Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, the official name of mulloway is more widely accepted, although in South Australia the fish is sometimes called a butterfish or "buttery", while in the West it may be referred to as a river kingfish, silver kingfish or simply king. On the eastern sea board, juvenile mulloway up to about 3 kg are frequently nick-named "soapies", while fish from 3 to 8 kg or so are commonly called "schoolies"

Habitat:  Saltwater and estuarine, Found around inshore areas

Jewfish are silvery blue or grey, and sometimes they have a large black blotch at the upper part of the pectoral fin base.  The fins are grey or brown.  The dorsal fin is long and notched after the spines section.  Their mouth is terminal and there are 6 distinct pores on the chin.  The caudal fin margin is generally rounded or sigmoid ( } ) shaped.

Jewfish live in central and southern mainland Australian waters from Bundaberg and the Burnett River in Queensland to North West Cape in Western Australia.  Although these fish are common in western Victoria, they are much less abundant between Melbourne and southern New South Wales and have rarely been reported from Bass Strait.  Jewfish are also found around southern Africa and Madagascar.

These fish live in coastal environments, including the lower reaches of rivers, estuaries, rocky reefs, ocean beaches and embayments and the continental shelf out to 150m.  Adults are generally found close to the estuary floor or around shallow coastal reefs or rocky shores.  Jewfish are more prevalent in and around the mouths of larger rivers and embayments, especially after periods of high summer rainfall.

Jewfish are solitary or, particularly as juveniles, form loose schools.  Movement between estuaries several hundred kilometres apart has been recorded.

Juvenile Jewfish grow rapidly, especially from January to March.  Young jewfish in northern New South Wales can increase their length by an average of 2cm each month.   Weight also increases rapidly.  They mature at approximately 6 years of age when they are about 75cm long.

Angling for Jewfish | Mulloway:

Smaller mulloway mainly succumb to baits of prawns, worms, yabbies or fish pieces intended for bream or flathead. They will also take small live baits. Larger fish are best sought with live baits such as mullet, yellowtail, slimy mackerel, pike, tailor and sweep, or dead baits of whole or cut fish. Tailor, luderick pilchards and pike fillets are favourites in some areas. Squid, octopus and cuttlefish are also very good baits, especially if used alive or very fresh.

Despite their generous mouths, mulloway often fumble a bait or run with it for some distance before spitting it out. Using big, sharp hooks and being willing to strike while the fish is running usually give the best results. Periods of heavy rain and discoloured run-off are excellent for mulloway fishing. When floodwaters cause a distinct colour change in the water at a river mouth mulloway can readily be caught on lures. White, or red-and-white lead-head feathers, soft plastic-tailed jigs, large, strong-actioned minnows and so-called "chair-leg" poppers or darters are the favoured choices of "jewie" spinning specialists.

These fish may also be taken on lures at other times, particularly at night in and around the pools of light created under illuminated bridges, breakwalls and wharves or piers.  

Cooking Jewfish | Mulloway:

The mulloway or jewfish is unusual in that the flesh quality of small fish is generally inferior to that of larger adults. Jewish over 5 or 6 kg are very good table fare, despite their fairly strong smell. Below 3 kg the flesh is often soft and rather flavourless; hence the nickname of "soapy".

The flesh of the mulloway is mild and moist with only a few big bones, which are no fuss to remove. The shape and size of this finfish allow for many uniform cutlets of serving-portion size. The large, firm flakes make it ideally suited to grilling as steaks or fillets and are delicious when coated and fried. Larger specimens, which can be a little drier, are perfectly suited to casseroles and soups.

Flavours that will accompany the mulloway include tomato, capsicum, strong citrus and curry. To create a distinctly Australian flavour, use the bush tomato in bouillabaisse-style dishes. As this tomato is quite strong in taste, it is a good idea to check the intensity of its flavour so as not to overpower the flavour of the finfish.

Small mulloway are excellent cooked whole (gilled and gutted), either baked or on the barbecue.

Mulloway is a medium-priced finfish.

Microwave Cooking Times for Fish
- Fish fillets – 5 minutes per 500g on medium-high, +50 seconds more for thicker fillets, or until flesh flakes
- Whole fish - Large – 6 minutes/750g on medium
- Whole fish – Small – 3-4 minutes on medium

Commercial Fishing for Jewfish | Mulloway:

Wild caught, Aquaculture trials have been successful in New South Wales.

Recovery Rate
Fillets: 55% from whole mulloway (gilled and gutted)

 

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