The winners of the second National Fish and Chips Awards have been announced in a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra. 

Run by The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), the National Fish and Chips Awards highlight the organisation’s research and development for Australian fishing and aquaculture. More than 19,000 votes were received over two months.

The National Judged Award was won by Western Australia’s ‘Hooked on Middleton’, a family business using local fish and other produce to showcase the area. Senator The Hon Richard Colbeck presented the award.

One of the judges who visited the national winner said, “All staff members are knowledgeable and keen to educate the public. I did not have to ask for information, they volunteered it”.

Judges said the scores for many businesses were close, making it difficult to pick a winner. “Some of the best shops had an emphasis on training staff and young people.”

The state and territory winners of the Judged Awards are:

• Beach Street Seafoods - New South Wales
• Frying Nemo - Northern Territory
• Fish & Chips Co - Queensland
• Stunned Mullet - South Australia
• Tasmanian Gourmet Seafood - Tasmania 
• Blu by Australian Seafood - Victoria

Since voting opened in August this year, customers have also had a chance to vote for their favourite fish and chips in the People’s Choice Awards category. More than 19,000 votes were received over the two months. 

The People’s Choice state and territory winners are:

• Pelican Rocks Seafood Restaurant and Café - New South Wales
• Frying Nemo - Northern Territory
• Fresh Coral Seafoods - Queensland
• Sotos Fish Shop - South Australia
• Fraggles Fish and Chips - Tasmania
• Seafood on Evans - Victoria
• Ocean and Paddock - Western Australia

The FRDC is a co-funded partnership between its two stakeholders, the Australian Government and the fishing and aquaculture sectors. The ACT and NSW were judged in the same category.

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