Fire fails to dampen appetite of Queensland Christmas seafood shoppers

A Brisbane seafood shop has been forced to move its Christmas trade operation to its carpark, on it's busiest day of the year, after a disaster struck the premises last night.

Staff were hard at work when an electrical fire broke out at Marine World Seafood Cafe at Tingalpa.

They all made it out safely, but inside, the shop's ceiling and wiring were damaged.

"We were still able to salvage all of our Christmas seafood. We've got a large freezer and a cold room, so we're just trying to sell what we have left," employee Claudia Somerville told 9News.

Loyal customers were undeterred and still lined up to support the business today.

It comes as sellers across the south-east are hit with a tidal wave of hungry shoppers, desperate to put prawns on the table this Christmas.

On the Gold Coast, locals were lining up at the Fishermen's Co-op from 2.30am.

Many bringing water, eskies and camp chairs to get them through the day. Coveted prawns sold out by 7am.

"Three o clock this morning we got there, and it's all gone. We got nothing," one shopper said.

"My mum was waiting a few hours to be one of the first people to get prawns, but she can't now," says another.

At the Mooloolaba Fish Market, lines stretched hundreds of metres down the road.

The business prepared for 20 tonnes of prawns, 48,000 oysters and over one tonne of whole fish to be purchased over the two days.

Lobsters also proved a popular choice, with 900 kilograms snapped up by Christmas shoppers.