Australia.- The gross value of Australian fisheries and aquaculture production (GVP) increased by 9 per cent to $3 billion in 2015-16, according to the ABARES Australian fisheries and aquaculture statistics 2016 report.
ABARES Executive Director, Dr Steve Hatfield-Dodds, said the value of both wild-caught and aquaculture increased, driven by a rise in the value of salmonids, rock lobster and prawn production.
“Wild-caught products increased by 8 per cent to $1.7 billion—the highest value in real terms since 2006-07, accounting for 57 per cent of the fisheries and aquaculture GVP,” Dr Hatfield-Dodds said.
“Rock lobster continues to be the most valuable wild-caught species group produced, with a value of $695 million.
“The value of aquaculture increased by 10 per cent to $1.3 billion, due mainly to the higher production value of salmonids, increasing 14 per cent to $718 million—with farmed salmonid remaining the most valuable aquaculture product.
“The overall volume of Australian fisheries production continued to grow to 266,393 tonnes (up 12 per cent), mainly due to increased production from Commonwealth fisheries and the aquaculture sector.
“Wild-caught species accounted for 64 per cent of total production, with aquaculture production making up 36 per cent.
“Tasmania, through its dominant farmed salmonid industry, had the largest share of GVP (30 per cent). Commonwealth fisheries accounted for 14 per cent of GVP with Western Australia (19 per cent), South Australia (17 per cent) and Queensland (10 per cent).
“The fisheries and aquaculture industry are also seeing increases in export values, up 7 per cent to $1.5 billion, rising steadily year on year, since 2013-14, although it is 22 per cent lower in real-terms from a decade ago.
Australian fisheries and aquaculture statistics 2016 is supported by funding from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and is part of a suite of ABARES publications that provides a comprehensive account of historical trends in, and the outlook for, Australian fisheries. To read the report visit ABARES Publication: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/publications/display?url=http://143.188.17.20/anrdl/DAFFService/display.php?fid=pb_afastats15d9abmd20171220_11a.xml
Source: ABARES
