Australia's southern calamari (squid) is hand-jigged from coastal waters across SA, VIC, and TAS. Prized over imported squid for its tender flesh and clean flavour.
Southern Calamari is exclusively wild-caught.
Southern Calamari is most strongly associated with these 5 Australian regions:
How Southern Calamari compares to imported equivalents on the headline nutrients consumers care about.
When to enjoy Southern Calamari at its peak.
Four go-to preparations for Southern Calamari that respect the fish — short cooks, clean flavours, no over-doing it.
Cornflour-dusted rings, deep-fry 90 sec, sea salt + chilli + spring onion.
Cleaned tube, score the inside, slice thin — soy + ginger + sesame.
Whole tubes, hot grill 60 sec each side, lemon + chilli + parsley.
Tube stuffed with rice + herbs, braise in tomato sauce 30 min.
Hand-jigged Southern Calamari vs frozen imported squid rings — completely different products in flavour and texture.
Typically imported from: China, Vietnam, Thailand, India
Ask for "Australian Southern Calamari" — frozen rings are usually imported.
From 1 July 2026, every restaurant menu in Australia must show A (Australian), I (Imported), or M (Mixed) for each seafood dish. Read the law →