Moreton Bay Bugs???

[ianh]

Hi,
This is Ian's wife - who also enjoys my husband's hobby ;)
I have possibly a stupid question - that is why I told you straight away I was the wife ::)
How do you get moreton bay bugs?? They obviously breed in Moreton Bay - but how do you actually catch them and where??
Sorry if that is a stupid question - but I never hear of anyone talking about getting them except from a seafood shop.
Looking forward to hearing about how to acquire on of my fav foods... :-?

Thanks and don't hold this post against my husband if it is really a stooopid Q.

[dynamicspot]

Try buying a trawler might help you get those bugs


Cheers
Greg

[Wild_Thing]

Hi Ians Wife
Gregs on the money with the trawler , thats the only way i know to get them.They are only a by catch when there chasing prawns.
If your going to scarborough to buy some try getting them direct off the trawlers.(Fridays Mornings)That way you know their fresh not frozen I reckon once you freeze bugs you may as well eat cardboard.
Anyway it's pritty clear to me that your not afraid to ask! as you know if you don't ask you wont get!
Cheers Payney ;)

[fisher28]

moreton bay bugs are trawled for,not always as bycatch.i also believe that they can come from hervey bay also?something else to be wary of is imported bugs,how they can import bugs and sell them as moreton bay bugs is baffling but if they look the same no-one asks i guess.fresh bugs are by far my favourite!actually peeled some green ones,cut into quarters,battered then deep fried,was good for a change.

[OISTA]

are these related to balmain bugs

[LizardWizard]

are these related to balmain bugs

that is a very ambiguous question (not accurate enough to give a good yes/no answer).

let me answer it this way..
they are similar, but not same. they are related, but not closely.

Balmain bug = Ibacus spp
see....
http://www.marine.csiro.au/caabsearch/caab_search.caab_report?spcode=28821901
http://www.marine.csiro.au/caabsearch/caab_search.caab_report?spcode=28821004
http://faunanet.gov.au/wos/factfile.cfm?Fact_ID=72
http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/recreational/fish/balmain_bug
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/crust/mov1772t.html

Moreton Bay bug = Thenus spp
http://www.marine.csiro.au/caabsearch/caab_search.caab_report?spcode=28821903
http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/2548.html


add these to favourites...
http://www.marine.csiro.au/caabsearch/caab_search.fish_names_list


in Queensland they are a regulated catch....
see.... http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/11416.html#limits
quote " The following species are protected throughout Queensland and are therefore prohibited from being in anyone's possession without a permit:
Bugs Moreton Bay (egg bearing females)
any other sea bugs"

that means... your allowed to have male Moreton Bay Bugs, or females WITHOUT eggs (best practice is not to take them at all) , and you NOT allowed ANY other sea bugs, HOWEVER, research shows that Balmain bugs are a "Slipper Lobster" ......

quote "The following species are protected throughout Queensland and are therefore prohibited from being in anyone's possession without a permit:
Lobsters slipper (egg bearing females)
tropical spiny rock Panulirus spp (egg bearing and tar spot females). This includes the painted crayfish."

so i would guess that male Balmain Bugs are OK to catch, though i would confirm this with DPI Fisheries BEFORE loading the esky with them.