Price of Bass fingerlings

[Member]

Getting quotes for fingerlings for this year, I've noticed a significant price rise since last year, way more than inflation, looking like at least 25% price hike with the quotes I've had back so far.
With the departure of Bill Proctor. who was a big producer, with competitive prices, do you think the remaining suppliers are gouging us, or do you think the price rises are justified?.

[Member]

Past prices were a gift, IMHO the cheaper prices quoted thus far are cheap for a commercial operation looking to make a profit. More like looking to gain a market share at minimal or no profit rather than gouging, just my opinion.

[Member]

Agree with you Steve

Bill was not in it for the money and really you have to ask how he did do it for the price. Would just cover his costs

[Member]

Bill was doing it more as a retirement hobby.  We received the benefit of that.  If they're price gouging us, where's Matt's BMW?

[Member]

With the departure of Bill Proctor. who was a big producer, with competitive prices, do you think the remaining suppliers are gouging us, or do you think the price rises are justified?.

It's called the market balancing out.......for to long, to many groups were happy to get cheap fingerlings from Bill and this affected other hatcheries that could not compete on price, some hatcheries that could have spawn bass didn't because it was not profitable. Bill has passed away and now all these groups think the other hatcheries should supply at a discounted rate...don't think that is going to happen. What do you think will happen next year.....?

[Member]

As a small stocking group with a permit for only 26,000 Bass each year.  we are happy to pay a little extra if the fingerlings are 50mm or more. What I found in the past was a couple of suppliers were slipping the Fingerling's through under size and may have reflected in the price. It will be Ok I gave you a couple of thousand more !!!!
To me this aint right.

Inflation is always going to happen and we as stocking groups have to deal with it, weather it be from sips ( which we don't get ) or more fund raising. I don't care how much we have to raise and will continue on this path of stocking as long as I am able.

Also we had a cr@p couple of years where we missed out on Bass and I';m sure the suppliers missed out on the dollars from us and maybe they need to re-coup the loss as well.

The the in the way it's going it will be supply and demand which may tell us what the price will be.
Would be interesting to see people put up what prices they have been quoted please !!

Regards Tony Payne

Australian Bass Assoc.

[Member]

From what I have seen and heard the 50mm rule was not adhered to in the past and It has been mentioned at a meeting of one of the stocking groups that I am a member if we wish to adhere to the 50mm rule we will not get any fingerlings as the demand exceeds the supply.
Cheers
Ray

[Member]

I would expect that a realistic & reasonable price for bass would be around what it costs to produce a barra. That would be around 1 cent / millimeter of fish

50mm = 50 cents



Bill sold bass very cheap, but were often very small fish. I'd prefer to see larger bass (50mm+ ) & pay a premium price, especially when stocking into waterways that have mouth almighty &/or forkies (known fingerling knocker offerers) like Wivenhoe.

[Member]

Always been interested in the 50mm rule being used accross multiple VERY different species of fish stocked.  IMO no difference in survival rates of Bass whether stocked at 35mm or 50mm anything that can catch and eat a 35 will get a 50. Have no issue stocking them at 35 myself.
Tony quotes thus far 27 cents to 35 cents.

[Member]

Dunno what you blokes have on your permits, but ours says we cant stock fish over 50mm ( without permission, Except toga), so its sub 50 fish we need.

It looks like everyone is thinking the value is still there, now if Campbell Newman actually gives us any money will be the next thing to worry about.......

[Member]

Elops, thanks for the price indication, sounds close, I have nothing under 30 cents and 35 cents highest.

Our permit stated that we ask for 50 mm bass and if we don't receive this size to send them back ! Something I have never done though.

The times we got small fingerlings off Bill we paid a small fee to another supplier to purge them and grow them out to 50 mm and larger and they were some of the healthiest bass I had seen.

Your right in saying they will get eaten at 35 or 50 mm but  gee 50 mm plus fingerlings looked so much better and maybe had a better chance of hiding and or escaping then a sickly fish.

Like I said we only stock a small quantity of fish and want as many to live as possible if we were stocking 100,000 or more maybe I wouldn't be so fussy.

Cheers tony

[Member]

Campbell Newman cannot stop the SIP Funds.  We'll let him continue to bring our State back to where it should be.  Now, on the price of fingerlings, in the past 4 years, salaries have increased an average of 12%, fuel costs have increased at least that, Electricity costs more than that.  How are the hatcheries expected to keep prices static when their cost of production is continuing to rise?  If we try to force prices down, we'll be left with hatcheries that will allow conditions to drop off, and give us inferior or deformed fish which is the last thing we need.  The difference between the price of a 35mm Bass and a 50mm Bass should be at least double, to cover the food the fingerlings eat to grow to the bigger size.
Larger orders of fingerlings will give a lower price simply because of the delivery costs.  If your delivering 100,000 fingerlings or 20,000 it's still going to cost the same in transport costs.  Lakes closer to the hatcheries will also have a lower cost due to transport distances.

[Member]

We dont get a look in at the SIP money, Dale, we get our funding as part of the recreational fishing enhancement fund (or whatever mouthful its title is  ) Campbell can certainly cut that off with a stroke of the pen, and DAFF are not answering any emails in regards to whether the fund is to continue this year or not. So you would have to think the risk of it going is high.

I dont mind paying a fair price, bearing in mind we are spending taxpayers money, not SIP money, we are just as obligated to get value for money as Newman is. The question was , what do others think of the price,  and the answer would appear to be yes its still a fair price, even with the steep rise.

[Member]

Campbell Newman cannot stop the SIP Funds.  We'll let him continue to bring our State back to where it should be.  Now, on the price of fingerlings, in the past 4 years, salaries have increased an average of 12%, fuel costs have increased at least that, Electricity costs more than that.  How are the hatcheries expected to keep prices static when their cost of production is continuing to rise?  If we try to force prices down, we'll be left with hatcheries that will allow conditions to drop off, and give us inferior or deformed fish which is the last thing we need.  The difference between the price of a 35mm Bass and a 50mm Bass should be at least double, to cover the food the fingerlings eat to grow to the bigger size.
Larger orders of fingerlings will give a lower price simply because of the delivery costs.  If your delivering 100,000 fingerlings or 20,000 it's still going to cost the same in transport costs.  Lakes closer to the hatcheries will also have a lower cost due to transport distances.

Yep what you siad, Except wish my contractors hourly rate would rise that much 

but happy to pay what we are paying and i don't like what may happen if the hatcheries can not afford to continue !

On A side not where and how much is the best place to gain Cod Fingerlings ?

[Member]

Always been interested in the 50mm rule being used accross multiple VERY different species of fish stocked.  IMO no difference in survival rates of Bass whether stocked at 35mm or 50mm anything that can catch and eat a 35 will get a 50. Have no issue stocking them at 35 myself.
Tony quotes thus far 27 cents to 35 cents.

I remember posts where they release bass fingerlings below 20mm down south. If the fingerlings can survive at this size down south why not in QLD?
If the survival rates are comparable with 50mm fish why not accept the smaller fish at a cheaper rate?
Have there been any studies on survival rates verses size or are we just going on the old wives tale  bigger is better.
Cheers
Ray