Aquaculture on the rise

The aquaculture industry has grown significantly and now accounts for almost half of Australia’s fish production, said Senator Richard Colbeck, the federal minister for agriculture, in a recent announcement.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Australian fisheries statistics 2012 annual report, which was released on November 6, shows aquaculture has increased its share of Australian fishery product earnings from 30 per cent to 46 per cent over the past decade.

“Most of this increase can be attributed to the fast growing farmed fish sector. Farmed salmonids became the largest species group produced and increased earnings by 20 per cent in 2011-12. It remains Australia’s highest earning fisheries product at a value of $513 million,” Senator Colbeck said.

Senator Colbeck welcomed the growth in the aquaculture industry and said it vindicated the Coalition’s plan to work with industry to develop a national aquaculture strategy.

“We want to further develop the aquaculture industry in Australia because there are huge opportunities to be had,” he said.

“The fisheries sector is vital to regional economies and the tens of thousands of people employed in the industry. Our national aquaculture strategy will create employment in regional areas and support the sector so it continues to grow into the future.”

Senator Colbeck said the report showed the total gross value of production of Australian fisheries increased three per cent to reach $2.3 billion.

Other key species of farmed fish include farmed southern bluefin tuna (pictured) from South Australia, which increased in earnings by 31 per cent to reach $150 million; and farmed barramundi, which rose by $5.3 million to reach $41 million.

Senator Colbeck acknowledged the support and contribution of the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) in the development of the 2012 Australian fisheries statistics report.

Full details can be found at www.daff.gov.au/abares/publications.