Australian Government Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics Bureau of Rural Sciences. statistics. August 2010

Transcription

1 Australian Government Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics Bureau of Rural Sciences Australianfisheries statistics 2009 August 2010

2 Note to the readers The data is accurate at the time of publication but updates may subsequently be available on state websites until they can be incorporated into the following year s publication. A wider data set is available on request. ABARE BRS and FRDC 2010 This work is copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 permits fair dealing for study, research, news reporting, criticism or review. Selected passages, tables or diagrams may be reproduced for such purposes provided acknowledgment of the source is included. Major extracts or the entire document may not be reproduced by any process without the written permission of the Executive Director, ABARE BRS. The Australian Government acting through Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics Bureau of Rural Sciences has exercised due care and skill in the preparation and compilation of the information and data set out in this publication. Notwithstanding, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics Bureau of Rural Sciences, its employees and advisers disclaim all liability, including liability for negligence, for any loss, damage, injury, expense or cost incurred by any person as a result of accessing, using or relying upon any of the information or data set out in this publication to the maximum extent permitted by law. ISSN ABARE BRS 2010, Australian fisheries statistics 2009, Canberra, August. Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics Bureau of Rural Sciences Postal address GPO Box 1563 Canberra ACT 2601 Australia Switchboard Facsimile info@abare-brs.gov.au Web abare-brs.gov.au ABARE BRS project 3298 Fisheries Research and Development Corporation PO Box 222 Deakin West ACT 2000 Telephone Facsimile Internet On 1 July 2010, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) and the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) merged to form ABARE BRS. Acknowledgments Thuy Pham prepared this report. The assistance of officers from state fisheries departments and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, researchers and various industry representatives is gratefully acknowledged. The Australian Bureau of Statistics supplied the trade data. Funding for this report was provided by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

3 Foreword Australian fisheries statistics is an annual report that has been in publication since It provides annual updates of fisheries production and trade data and serves as an important source of information for the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries managers, policymakers and researchers. The estimates of the gross value of production provided in the report are used for a range of purposes; for example, to determine Commonwealth, state and territory fisheries research funding arrangements each year. The current report contains data on the volume and value of production from state and Commonwealth commercial fisheries, and on the volume and value of Australian fisheries trade, by destination, source and product. Profiles of Commonwealth and state commercial fisheries and state aquaculture for 2008 and 2009 are also provided. These cover selected species, fishing methods and number of licence holders. Additional information is also provided on the recreational fishing sector and the indigenous fishing sector. The amount of information included in the report regarding these two sectors is expected to increase in future reports. Australian fisheries statistics is part of a suite of ABARE BRS publications that provide a comprehensive account of historical trends in, and the outlook for, Australian fisheries. Australian commodity statistics provides a historical series of production and trade statistics for fisheries and a range of other commodities. Australian commodities includes forecasts for major fisheries commodities, which are updated each quarter. Detailed analysis of the economic performance of selected fisheries is provided in the annual Australian fisheries survey report. An assessment of the economic performance of all fisheries managed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority is provided in Fishery status reports. Phillip Glyde Executive Director August 2010 iii

4 Inquiries Inquiries regarding Commonwealth and state information should be directed to the respective coordinators of fisheries statistics shown below. New South Wales Laurie Derwent (Wild sector) NSW Fisheries Ph: (02) Fax: (02) Janine Sakker (Aquaculture) NSW Fisheries Ph: (02) Fax: (02) Victoria Mark Taylor and Paula Baker Victorian Department of Primary Industries Ph: (03) Queensland Lew Williams (Wild sector) Fisheries Queensland, Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) Ph: (07) Fax: (07) Ross Lobegeiger and Max Wingfield (Aquaculture) Fisheries Queensland, Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) Ph: (07) Fax: (07) Western Australia Eva Lai and Mark Cliff Western Australian Department of Fisheries Ph: (08) Fax: (08) South Australia Angelo Tsolos (Wild sector) South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) Ph: (08) Fax: (08) iv

5 Inquiries Natalie Prior (Aquaculture) Department of Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA) Ph: (08) Fax: (08) Tasmania Denise Garcia Marine Resources Division Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania Ph: (03) Fax: (03) Northern Territory Maree Apostoles NT Fisheries Department of Resources (DoR) Ph: (08) Fax: (08) Commonwealth Thim Skousen and Selvy Coundjidapadam Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) Ph: (02) Fax: (02) Mal Heath (Licensing) Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) Ph: (02) v

6 Definitions and explanations Aquaculture production is the live weight quantity of product produced and marketed by aquaculturists. Aquaculture value is the assessed value received by aquaculturists on the basis of an at farmgate equivalent, for product marketed. Export quantity data are supplied by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on the basis of the net product weight exported. Export value data are supplied by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on the basis of free on board value. Import quantity data are supplied by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on the basis of the net product weight imported. Import value data are supplied by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on the basis of product cost. The value excludes insurance and freight costs in delivering the commodity to Australia from the port of origin but may include inland freight and insurance costs incurred in delivering the commodity to the port of origin. Production quantity is a measure of the quantity of fish product landed by fishery, usually on the basis of catch records. Production value is the assessed value at the point of landing for the quantity produced and excludes transport and marketing costs. Products consist of fisheries products marketed for human consumption plus non-edible fisheries products. Real terms/real prices are historical or future prices adjusted to reflect changes to the purchasing power of money (most commonly measured by the consumer price index). Re-imports (included in merchandise imports statistics) are goods originally exported, which are subsequently imported in either the same condition in which they were exported, or after undergoing repair or minor operations which leave them essentially unchanged. Minor operations include blending, packaging, bottling, cleaning and sorting. vi

7 Definitions and explanations Reals and rounding Real dollars or real terms refer to the conversion of nominal dollar values to take account of inflation. Comparison from year to year is expressed in nominal terms unless stated otherwise. Small discrepancies in totals are generally caused by the rounding components. A dash (-) is used to denote a nil or negligible amount. Seafood is any fish or other aquatic plant or animal intended for human consumption; it excludes non-edible fisheries products. Southern bluefin tuna sold from aquaculture farms in South Australia is reported at its market value. However, the input value of those tuna is also included as a production output from the Commonwealth s Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery. To avoid double counting, the input value is netted out of Australian totals. Abbreviations and symbols kg kilogram t tonne kt kilotonne $ dollar (Australian) $ 000 thousand dollars (Australian) $m million dollars (Australian) $b billion dollars (Australian) fob free on board AFZ Australian Fishing Zone na not available nei not elsewhere included w wild catch a aquaculture vii

8 Contents Production 1 Fast facts 1 Production by species 2 Production by jurisdiction 7 Production by sector 16 Trade 19 Fast facts 19 Exports and imports 20 Exports by commodity 21 Exports by destination 23 Exports by state 24 Imports by commodity 25 Imports by source 27 Employment 29 Fast facts 29 Recreational and charter fishing 32 Indigenous fishing 34 Profile of Australian fisheries 39 References 48 viii

9 Production Fast facts In The total volume of Australian fisheries production fell by 2800 tonnes to tonnes. The gross value of Australian fisheries production remained relatively stable compared with , increasing by $4.9 million to $2.2 billion. Tasmania accounted for the largest share of gross value of production (23 per cent), followed by South Australia (21 per cent) and Western Australia (17 per cent). Commonwealth fisheries accounted for 14 per cent of gross value of production. The gross value of aquaculture production (including southern bluefin tuna wild catch input to the South Australian tuna farming sector) decreased by 1 per cent ($9.1 million) to $861 million, and accounted for 39 per cent of the gross value of Australian fisheries production. The volume of aquaculture production was tonnes, accounting for 29 per cent of total Australian fisheries production. The value of farmed salmonids rose by 7 per cent to $323 million in Farmed salmonids continues to be the largest aquaculture species produced in Australia, accounting for 37 per cent of the total value of Australian aquaculture production and 15 per cent of the total value of fisheries production. The gross value of production for the wild catch sector increased by 1 per cent, to $1.4 billion. The volume of production decreased by 5 per cent (8500 tonnes) to tonnes. Since The total annual volume of fisheries production has increased by tonnes (7 per cent), while the annual real gross value of production has fallen by $0.9 billion (30 per cent). The increase in production volume has been driven predominantly by growth in the production of Australian sardines and salmonids. The driving factor behind the fall in production value has been the decline in the value of rock lobster, prawns, abalone and tuna. The combined value of these four species has fallen by $0.8 billion (in real terms) over this period. Top five, by volume in (wild catch and aquaculture tables 2 and 17) Australian sardine tonnes Salmonids tonnes Prawns tonnes Oysters tonnes Tuna tonnes Top five, by value in (wild catch and aquaculture tables 2 and 17) Rock lobster $404 million Salmonids $323 million Prawns $289 million Abalone $188 million Tuna $187 million 1

10 Production Production by species The gross volume and value of Australian fisheries production by species is presented in tables 3 5. Production and value summaries are also presented in table 2 (wild catch sector), tables 7 14 (individual jurisdictions) and tables (aquaculture sector). In , the volume of Australian fisheries production decreased by 1 per cent (2800 tonnes) compared with , to tonnes (figure a). Over the past four years, including , the total volume of production has remained relatively stable at an average of tonnes a year. From to , the production volume varied more substantially, ranging between tonnes (in ) and tonnes (in ). Australian sardines accounted for the highest individual catch by volume in ( tonnes, accounting for 13 per cent), followed by salmonids ( tonnes, 13 per cent), prawns ( tonnes, 10 per cent), oysters ( tonnes, 6 per cent) and tuna ( tonnes, 6 per cent). Since , the real gross value of Australian fisheries production has fallen by 30 per cent, and was $2.2 billion in (figure b). From to , the production value of finfish (in real terms) has remained relatively stable compared with other species groups. Its production value has fallen by $2.9 million in real terms while the production value of crustaceans and molluscs has fallen by 43 per cent ($589.4 million) and 40 per cent ($290.4 million), respectively, over the same period. a Volume of Australian fisheries production Real gross value of Australian b fisheries production a kt $b other rock lobster oysters prawns Australian sardine salmonids abalone tuna molluscs crustaceans fish a Excludes other nei

11 Production c $m d Real value of Australian fisheries production, by key species rock lobster prawns tuna abalone salmonids Australian sardine Real unit prices for key species At the individual species level, the decline in real value was largely driven by decreases in the value of rock lobster, prawns, abalone and tuna (figure c). The combined value of these species has fallen by 44 per cent ($838.5 million) in real terms over the period. The declining values of these key species have been driven by falls in unit prices, with the exception of rock lobster (figure d). Since the production of these species is export-oriented, prices are strongly influenced by exchange rate movements. The strength of the Australian dollar against the currencies of major trading partners, particularly the United States and Japan, has reduced the competitiveness of Australian fisheries exports in recent years (box 1). Prices for lobster have been increasing since despite exchange rate movements, owing to increased demand for lobster on international markets and lower supply from key suppliers. The product composition of the gross value of production of Australian fisheries in has not altered substantially relative to In , rock lobster remained Australia s highest valued production species, at $404 million. It accounted for 18 per cent of the gross value of fisheries production. This was followed by salmonids ($323 million, 15 per cent), prawns ($289 million, 13 per cent), abalone ($188 million, 8 per cent) and tuna ($187 million, 8 per cent) (figure e) $/kg abalone rock lobster tuna prawns salmonids

12 Production e Value of Australian fisheries production, by product pearl oysters edible oysters scallops abalone crabs rock lobster prawns sharks barramundi salmonids tuna $m box 1 Exchange rates and unit value As a small producer and exporter of fisheries products, prices received by Australian producers are generally set on world markets in foreign currencies. Other things being equal, a depreciating Australian dollar results in producers receiving a higher export price in Australian dollar terms, while an appreciating Australian dollar results in a lower export price. The strong appreciation of the Australian dollar between 2001 and 2008 simultaneously made exports less competitive and imports more attractive to domestic consumers. From , the Australian dollar appreciated against the US dollar and the Japanese yen, causing Australian export prices to fall. From to , the Australian dollar appreciated by 71 per cent against the US dollar and 50 per cent against the Japanese yen (figure f ). However, a depreciation of the Australian dollar against these currencies in per cent against the Japanese yen and 16 per cent against the US dollar increased Australian export unit values in the financial year. f US dollar Australian dollar and Japanese yen Australian dollar exchange rates US$/A$ /A$ (right axis)

13 Production Rock lobster Key jurisdictions: Western Australia (wild catch (w)), South Australia (w) and Tasmania (w) In , the value of rock lobster production decreased by 3 per cent ($11.8 million) to $403.8 million, following a 16 per cent decrease in the volume of rock lobster production. Rock lobsters are caught mainly in Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. In , rock lobster production decreased considerably by 2200 tonnes to tonnes as a result of falling production volume in all states, with the exception of New South Wales. This decline was mainly attributable to the significant decreases in production in Western Australia and South Australia, which account for approximately 80 per cent of total Australian rock lobster production. Rock lobster production from these two states combined fell by 16 per cent (1900 tonnes) between and Historically, western rock lobster accounted for a greater share (about two-thirds on average) of the total value of Australian rock lobster production. However, in recent years, the relative share of western rock lobster in value terms has declined compared with southern rock lobster. In , the value of the two species was roughly equal mainly because of a 31 per cent increase in average unit value for southern rock lobster and a 15 per cent fall in western rock lobster catch. Between and , Western rock lobster catch fell by 15 per cent (1400 tonnes). Accordingly, production of southern rock lobster and western rock lobster contributed $191.3 million and $191.6 million, respectively, to the total value of Australian rock lobster production. The majority of rock lobster production is exported. Therefore, the beach price of rock lobster is highly dependent on the exchange rate between the Australian dollar and the US dollar. After falling considerably in , rock lobster prices improved in , increasing by 15 per cent following a 16 per cent depreciation of the Australian dollar against the US dollar (figure d). Most of the increase in prices occurred in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Salmonids Key jurisdictions: Tasmania (aquaculture (a)) Since the start of salmon farming in 1998, salmonids production has increased significantly, with most of this growth occurring from to Salmonids have become a key species of Australian fisheries production. Over 95 per cent of Australia s salmonids production occurs in Tasmania. The remainder of salmonids production occurs in New South Wales and Victoria. In , Tasmania produced tonnes of salmonids, while New South Wales and Victoria combined produced a total of 1000 tonnes. The value of salmonids production rose by 7 per cent ($20.2 million) in to $322.6 million. This increase was mainly driven by a 4300 tonne increase in Tasmanian salmonids production, with Tasmania s total production accounting for $315.6 million or 98 per cent of the total value. 5

14 Production Tasmanian producers supply most of their salmonids to the domestic market. A key factor contributing to the rapid growth in recent years has been a strong focus on marketing salmon to Australian consumers. Additionally, the sector s strong growth has been supported by research and development, which has allowed the sector to adopt improved feeding techniques and apply better disease control measures. Prawns Key jurisdictions: Queensland (w, a), Commonwealth Northern and Torres Strait prawn fisheries (w), Western Australia (w) and South Australia (w) In , the gross value of Australian prawn production rose by 6 per cent ($17 million) to $289.3 million, following a 5 per cent increase in the volume of production to tonnes. Driving this was a 29 per cent increase in the production volume of aquaculture prawns (mostly in Queensland) to 4000 tonnes, valued at $56.8 million. This value was $12.6 million higher than the previous year. Production of wild caught prawns was relatively stable, rising by 1 per cent to tonnes. The value of wild caught prawn production rose by $4.3 million to $232.4 million. Increases in aquaculture prawn production have largely offset decreases in wild caught prawn fisheries, particularly in the Commonwealth Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF) and the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery (TSPF). In , prawn production in the NPF fell by 5 per cent (400 tonnes) to 6500 tonnes. In value terms, NPF production fell by 1 per cent ($0.6 million) to $73 million. Meanwhile, prawn production in the TSPF fell by 29 per cent (300 tonnes) to 700 tonnes, with the value of production decreasing by 38 per cent ($4 million) to $6.1 million. Abalone Key jurisdictions: Tasmania (w, a), Victoria (w, a) and South Australia (w, a) In , the volume of abalone production increased by 5 per cent, from 5300 tonnes in to 5600 tonnes, with increases occurring in both wild catch and aquaculture production. In contrast, the value of abalone production stayed relatively constant, decreasing by $0.2 million to $188.4 million. This resulted from a $6 million decrease in the value of wild caught abalone being partially offset by a $5.7 million increase in the value of aquaculture production. Most of the increase in abalone production occurred in Tasmania, which increased by 23 per cent in volume terms and accounted for 55 per cent of Australia s total volume of abalone production in A large proportion of abalone is exported, mostly to Hong Kong, China and Japan. Therefore, exchange rate movements have a significant effect on abalone export quantities, which in turn affect domestic and export prices. From to , following the appreciation of the Australian dollar, abalone average unit prices fell by 45 per cent in real terms. As a result, the total value of production in real terms decreased by 46 per cent ($159.7 million) over the same period. 6

15 Production Tuna Key jurisdictions: South Australia (a) and Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery and Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (w) In , the value of tuna production fell by 11 per cent ($22.9 million) to $187.1 million (excludes southern bluefin tuna wild catch input to the South Australian tuna farming sector) (figure g). This was the result of a 6 per cent decrease in production volume. The driver of the fall in production volume was a 10 per cent decrease in the volume of aquaculture southern bluefin tuna production, with the aquaculture sector producing 8800 tonnes in This was valued at $157.8 million, 16 per cent ($29 million) lower than in Real value of Australian g tuna production $m yellowfin big eye southern bluefin (Commonwealth) southern bluefin (aquaculture) The wild catch sector accounts for a smaller share of the total value of tuna production, making up 39 per cent of the total value in However, its value increased by 9 per cent ($6.2 million) in to $73.7 million. This was mainly the result of a 30 per cent increase in the production volume of yellowfin tuna which caused its production value to increase by 87 per cent ($6.7 million) to $14.3 million. The value of albacore tuna production also rose by $1.8 million, following a 44 per cent increase in prices and a 10 per cent increase in its production volume. These increases offset a decrease in the value of bigeye tuna production, which fell by $2.8 million to $8.5 million. A large proportion of Australia s tuna production is exported, mostly to the Japanese sashimi market. Therefore, prices are highly dependent on the exchange rate between the Australian dollar and the Japanese yen. A depreciation of the Australian dollar in resulted in higher prices for most tuna species. Production by jurisdiction The gross volume and value of Australian fisheries production by jurisdiction and location of catch is given in tables 3 6. Production and value summaries for each jurisdiction are given in tables In , Tasmania had the largest gross value of production ($522.2 million), accounting for 23 per cent of total fisheries production, followed by South Australia ($465.5 million, 21 per cent) and Western Australia ($393.6 million, 17 per cent) (figure h). By location of catch where Commonwealth catch is distributed to the states according to where it was caught Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia accounted for 66 per cent of Australia s gross value of production. 7

16 Production h $m Value of Australian fisheries production, by jurisdiction, NSW Vic Qld WA SA jurisdiction location of catch Tas NT other Commonwealth In recent years, there has been a substantial shift in the contribution of individual state fishery production to total Australian fisheries production (figure i). Tasmania s share of Australian fisheries gross value of production has increased significantly from 11 per cent in to 23 per cent in South Australia s share of the gross value of production has also increased considerably from 17 per cent to 21 per cent over this period. This reflects the strong growth in aquaculture production in these states during this time. In contrast, Western Australia s share has declined from 31 per cent to 17 per cent over the same period, reflecting declines in both wild caught and aquaculture production. The share of Commonwealth fisheries production also fell from 17 per cent to 14 per cent in real value terms over the same period. i Shares in gross value of production, by jurisdiction % % New South Wales 5 New South Wales 6 Victoria 4 Victoria 3 Queensland 12 Queensland 13 Western Australia 31 Western Australia 17 South Australia 17 South Australia 21 Tasmania 11 Tasmania 23 Northern Territory 4 Northern Territory 2 Commonwealth 17 Commonwealth 14 New South Wales table 7 Key species: oysters (a), prawn (w), sea mullet (w) and rock lobster (w) In , the gross value of New South Wales fisheries production was $141.7 million, of which the wild catch sector accounted for $93 million or 66 per cent. The aquaculture sector, which was valued at $48.7 million, accounted for 34 per cent. Compared with , the gross value of fisheries production rose by 4 per cent ($4.8 million) in , following a 4 per cent increase in average unit values. In contrast, the total volume of fisheries production fell by 1 per cent (180 tonnes) to tonnes in

17 Production In , the New South Wales wild catch sector produced a total of tonnes of seafood, which was a decrease of 2 per cent (370 tonnes) compared with Despite this decline, the value of wild catch production increased by 5 per cent ($4.2 million). The most valuable wild caught species in New South Wales is prawns. On average, it has accounted for 20 per cent of the total value of wild catch production over the past five years. In , the sector harvested about 1800 tonnes of prawns, worth a total of $19.6 million. A large proportion of the catch is typically made up of school prawns. This species accounted for 61 per cent (1100 tonnes) of the total volume of production of wild caught prawns in and king prawns accounted for 35 per cent (634 tonnes). Together, these two prawn species contributed a total of $18.6 million (20 per cent) of the total value of production of the wild catch sector. The New South Wales wild catch sector also comprised a wide range of finfish species in , including mullet (2000 tonnes, valued at $5.5 million), school whiting (1100 tonnes, $3.4 million), bream (259 tonnes, $3.1 million), snapper (289 tonnes, $3 million) and Australian salmon (1400 tonnes, $2.3 million). Declines in the volumes of production for these species resulted in the total volume of finfish production falling by 3 per cent (420 tonnes) to tonnes in In contrast, the value of finfish production rose by 8 per cent ($3.9 million) to $51.6 million as a result of a 12 per cent increase in its average unit value. The New South Wales aquaculture sector produced a total of 5400 tonnes of seafood in , which represents an increase of 4 per cent (190 tonnes) compared with This increase was driven mainly by a 5 per cent (235 tonnes) increase in the volume of mollusc production to 4800 tonnes. Oyster production accounted for 99 per cent (4700 tonnes) of this tonnage and was valued at $40 million. Compared with , the value of farmed oyster production rose by $1 million (3 per cent). The value of farmed mussels also increased, more than doubling to $0.3 million in The increases in the value of farmed oyster and mussel production partly offset a decline of $0.8 million in the total value of farmed fish and crustacean production. This resulted in the value of aquaculture production rising by 1 per cent ($0.6 million) to $48.7 million. Other aquaculture species included prawns (164 tonnes, valued at $2.3 million), silver perch (180 tonnes, $1.9 million), barramundi (111 tonnes, $1.3 million) and salmonids (143 tonnes, $1.5 million). These species combined accounted for 11 per cent and 14 per cent of the total volume and value of New South Wales aquaculture production, respectively, in Victoria table 8 Key species: abalone (w), rock lobster (w) and trout (a) In , the gross value of Victorian fisheries production was estimated at $69.9 million. The wild catch sector, which was valued at $54.5 million, accounted for 78 per cent of this total value. The aquaculture sector was valued at $15.5 million and accounted for 22 per cent. Compared with , the gross value of fisheries production fell by 18 per cent ($15 million) in , following a 24 per cent (2100 tonnes) decrease in the total volume of production to 6500 tonnes. 9

18 Production Victorian wild catch production fell by 24 per cent (1500 tonnes) to 4900 tonnes in The decrease was mainly driven by decreases in the production volumes of scallops and wild caught abalone. Scallop production declined by 500 tonnes (56 per cent) to 400 tonnes in Wild caught abalone fell by 300 tonnes (25 per cent) to 910 tonnes. Lower total allowable catch settings for abalone and the outbreak of disease in wild abalone stocks in recent years contributed to this fall. A decline in the production of rock lobster (81 tonnes or 23 per cent) also contributed to the overall decline. The falls in volume also resulted in a 20 per cent fall in the value of the Victorian wild catch sector. A key factor, once again, was wild caught abalone. Its value declined by $11.4 million (30 per cent) between and to $26.6 million. This decline was partly offset by a 4 per cent increase in the value of rock lobster to $14.4 million, which accounted for around 26 per cent of the total value of wild catch production in Other key species in the wild catch sector included King George whiting ($2.6 million, 5 per cent of wild catch production value), Australian sardine ($1.3 million, 2 per cent) and scallops ($1 million, 2 per cent). The volume of aquaculture production in Victoria decreased by 26 per cent, from 2220 tonnes in to 1650 tonnes in This was largely driven by a 23 per cent decrease in salmonids production. In value terms, aquaculture production decreased by $1.6 million to $15.5 million, mainly the result of falls in the value of salmonids and mussels. The value of salmonids production fell by $1.4 million (20 per cent) to $5.4 million while the value of mussels fell by $0.4 million (25 per cent) to $1.3 million following a 30 per cent decrease in production volume. Contrasting these declines was farmed abalone, which increased in value by $0.7 million (11 per cent) to $6.6 million and in volume by 13 tonnes (8 per cent) to 179 tonnes. Queensland table 9 Key species: prawns (w, a), coral trout (w), crabs (w) and barramundi (a) The gross value of Queensland fisheries production rose by 7 per cent ($18.9 million) in to $303 million. Wild catch production accounted for $219.2 million, or 72 per cent, of this value. The aquaculture sector made up the remaining $83.9 million, or 28 per cent. In volume terms, total fisheries production in Queensland rose by 5 per cent. In , the Queensland wild catch sector produced a total of tonnes of seafood, which was an increase of 3 per cent (740 tonnes) compared with This increase was largely the result of an increase in the volume of prawn production. In the sector harvested about 6300 tonnes of prawns, accounting for 25 per cent of the total volume of Queensland s wild catch production. This is about 1300 tonnes (25 per cent) more than the previous financial year, with most of the increase being attributed to tiger prawns. In value terms, this increase in prawn production translated to a 26 per cent or $15 million increase (to $72.9 million), with relatively stable unit prices. Overall, Queensland s wild catch production value also increased, by 5 per cent ($10.6 million) to $219.2 million. The increase in wild catch production was attributed to a 10 per cent increase 10

19 Production in the production volume and value of barramundi and a 25 per cent increase in the value of Spanish mackerel catches, to $9.8 million in In contrast, the production value of coral trout, which accounted for 16 per cent of wild catch production, fell by 1 per cent to $35.2 million. The production value of lobster (mainly bugs) and scallops also fell considerably, by $4.2 million and $1.1 million, respectively, with falling production volumes and, in the case of lobster, prices. Together, lobster (mainly bugs) and scallops contributed $16.6 million (8 per cent) of the total production value of the Queensland wild catch sector. Aquaculture production in Queensland rose by 15 per cent (850 tonnes) in to 6500 tonnes. In value terms, production increased by 11 per cent ($8.3 million) to $83.9 million, mainly because of a significant increase in production of prawns, Queensland s most valuable aquaculture species. A 32 per cent increase in production volume in resulted in the value of aquaculture prawn production increasing by 31 per cent ($13 million) to $54.6 million, making up 65 per cent of the total value of aquaculture production in Queensland in Another key change was a 12 per cent ($2.9 million) decrease in the value of barramundi production from $24.3 million in to $21.4 million in Other key species produced in the Queensland aquaculture sector in included silver perch, jade perch, redclaw and oysters. Together, these species contributed $3.2 million (4 per cent) to the total value of Queensland s aquaculture sector. Western Australia table 10 Key species: rock lobster (w), pearls (a) and prawns (w) The gross value of Western Australian fisheries production was $393.6 million in Compared with , this represents a fall of 13 per cent ($60.2 million). The total value of fisheries production in Western Australia included $293.4 million of wild catch production (75 per cent of the state s total fisheries production value) and $100.2 million of aquaculture production (25 per cent), which includes pearl production. The total volume of fisheries production also fell by 13 per cent (3800 tonnes) to tonnes. In volume terms, wild catch production in Western Australia totalled tonnes in This followed a decrease of 3800 tonnes or 13 per cent relative to A key component of this catch was approximately 7600 tonnes of rock lobster, 15 per cent (1400 tonnes) lower than the 9000 tonnes caught in Wild caught prawn production also fell, by 11 per cent (300 tonnes) to 2400 tonnes. The fall in volume in wild catch production was also linked to a decline in value of 11 per cent ($37 million). This was mainly caused by decreases in the value of rock lobster, prawns and scallops as these species accounted for 78 per cent of the total value of Western Australian wild catch production in The value of rock lobster production fell by 12 per cent ($25.9 million) to $191.6 million. Wild caught prawn production fell by 9 per cent ($2.7 million) to $26 million. The value of scallop production fell by 30 per cent ($5.3 million) to $12.5 million given a 30 per cent (1500 tonnes) decrease in production volume. Together, the declines in these three key species resulted in a $34 million decline in value for Western Australian wild catch production between and Other notable changes included a 11

20 Production 7 per cent ($2.3 million) decrease in the value of finfish species production to $32.6 million in This decline can be predominantly attributed to decreases in the production value of pink snapper, emperor and West Australian dhufish. Aquaculture production in Western Australia also declined in in value terms, falling by 19 per cent ($23.2 million) to $100.2 million. This fall was mainly the result of a $23 million decrease in the value of pearls, which is the most valuable aquaculture species produced in the state and contributed around 90 per cent ($90 million) of aquaculture production value in The edible seafood component of Western Australia s aquaculture sector accounted for the remaining 10 per cent of its total aquaculture production value in It fell by $0.2 million between and to $10.2 million. In volume terms, the aquaculture sector produced a total of 1000 tonnes of edible seafood. Decreases in the value of aquacultured crustaceans and molluscs were offset by an increase in the value of aquaculture fish production of $0.9 million to $5.4 million. Key edible aquaculture species produced in included barramundi (453 tonnes, valued at $4.8 million), mussels (433 tonnes, $1.6 million), marrons (57 tonnes, $1.6 million) and yabbies (40 tonnes, $0.7 million). These species combined accounted for around 97 per cent and 85 per cent of the total volume and value of edible aquaculture seafood production, respectively, in Western Australia in South Australia table 11 Key species: southern bluefin tuna (a), rock lobster (w), prawns (w), abalone (w) and oysters (a) The gross value of fisheries production in South Australia fell by 1 per cent ($2.6 million) between and to $465.5 million. This occurred with a 3 per cent (2200 tonnes) decrease in production volume. The aquaculture sector accounted for the largest proportion of this value, making up $246.2 million or 53 per cent of the state s total production value. Wild catch production was valued slightly lower, at $219.3 million, accounting for the remaining 47 per cent of the state s total fisheries value. Wild catch production in South Australia fell by 6 per cent (2600 tonnes) in volume terms to tonnes. However, in value terms, wild catch production rose by 6 per cent ($13.3 million) between and , following increases in the value of crustacean and finfish production by $11.4 million (9 per cent) and $1.8 million (5 per cent), respectively. The most valuable wild caught species in South Australia is rock lobster. A 46 per cent increase in the average unit price of rock lobster between and resulted in the production value of this species increasing by 14 per cent ($13 million), despite a 22 per cent decline in the volume of rock lobster production. The species accounted for 48 per cent or $104.7 million of the total value of wild catch production in the state in The increase in rock lobster value contrasts with decreases in the production value of prawns and abalone. These two species accounted for 29 per cent of total production value in the wild catch sector in following a $1.6 million (4 per cent) decrease for prawns and a 12

21 Production $1 million (3 per cent) decrease for abalone, relative to These declines in production value were the result of decreases in the production volumes of each species. Farmed production of southern bluefin tuna makes up the major share of the value of fisheries production in South Australia. The majority of southern bluefin tuna caught in Australia is by Commonwealth-endorsed vessels that catch fish in the Great Australian Bight and tow them to aquaculture farms off Port Lincoln in South Australia for fattening. Almost all of the farmed tuna is exported to Japan. In , the value of farmed southern bluefin tuna production fell by 16 per cent ($29 million) to $157.8 million. This followed a 10 per cent decrease in volume and a 6 per cent decrease in the estimated average price paid for southern bluefin tuna. Despite this fall, southern bluefin tuna still accounted for 41 per cent and 64 per cent of South Australian aquaculture production and value, respectively. These declines in southern bluefin tuna production were the main cause of a 6 per cent ($16 million) fall in the total value of aquaculture production in South Australia in Other key changes in South Australian aquaculture production in included increases in the value of oyster and abalone production, by $2.4 million (8 per cent) and $3 million (58 per cent), respectively. The value of other aquaculture products (mainly fish species) also increased by $14.5 million (52 per cent). Tasmania table 12 Key species: salmonids (a), abalone (w) and rock lobster (w) In , the gross value of Tasmanian fisheries production increased by 7 per cent ($35.2 million) relative to , to $522 million. The total volume of production also rose by 13 per cent (4800 tonnes) to reach tonnes in In value terms, the wild catch sector accounted for 34 per cent ($176 million) of the state s total production and the aquaculture sector accounted for the remaining 66 per cent ($346 million). In volume terms, Tasmania s wild catch production increased by 5 per cent between and to 7200 tonnes. Wild catch production also rose in value, increasing by 7 per cent ($10.8 million) from $165.6 million in to $176.3 million in , driven by increases in the values of production of wild caught abalone and rock lobster. Abalone generally contributes greater than 50 per cent of the total value of wild catch production. In , the sector caught 2800 tonnes of abalone, accounting for 39 per cent of the total volume of Tasmanian wild catch production, and the value of abalone production rose by 7 per cent ($5.9 million) to $94.6 million. Rock lobster was the next most valuable wild caught species, accounting for 41 per cent ($72.2 million) of the total value of Tasmanian wild catch production in This followed a 9 per cent increase ($6.2 million) in value compared with , given a 1 per cent decrease in catch and an 11 per cent increase in average unit prices. In , abalone and rock lobster accounted for 95 per cent ($166.8 million) of the total value of production of the Tasmanian wild catch sector. Tasmanian aquaculture production increased by 4500 tonnes between and to tonnes. A large proportion of Tasmania s aquaculture production consists of salmonids, which have accounted for, on average, 84 per cent of the total volume and 88 per cent of 13

22 Production the total value of Tasmanian aquaculture production over the past 10 years. The volume of salmonids production rose considerably in by 17 per cent (4300 tonnes) to tonnes. This was equivalent to 86 per cent of the total volume of aquaculture production in Tasmania. The value of salmonids production also rose, by 8 per cent ($22.5 million) to $315.6 million in Another key Tasmanian aquaculture species is edible oysters. It accounted for around 11 per cent of the state s aquaculture production volume in and contributed $19.3 million (6 per cent) towards Tasmania s gross value of production. The remainder of Tasmania s aquaculture production is composed of mussels (1100 tonnes, valued at $3.1 million) and abalone (230 tonnes, $7.9 million). These two species accounted for 3 per cent of Tasmania s gross value of fisheries production in Northern Territory table 13 Key species: gold band snapper (w), crabs (w), barramundi (w, a) and mackerel (w) Fisheries production in the Northern Territory was valued at $54.6 million in following a 2 per cent ($0.9 million) decrease compared with Wild catch production was valued at $33.7 million and accounted for 62 per cent of the Northern Territory s total production value. The aquaculture sector was valued at $20.9 million and accounted for 38 per cent. Production volume decreased by 7 per cent between and In , the Northern Territory wild catch sector harvested a total of 5600 tonnes of seafood, 400 tonnes (7 per cent) lower than in In contrast, the value of wild catch production remained relatively stable, increasing by $0.8 million (2 per cent) to $33.7 million. This increase was mainly driven by a $3.7 million increase in the value of crab production to $10.2 million. This species accounted for 30 per cent of the total value of wild catch production in the Northern Territory in The increase in crab production value partly offset a decrease in the value of finfish species. Finfish species decreased in value by $2.8 million because of decreases in the volumes of production of gold band snapper and snapper and unit prices of barramundi and sharks. However, sea perch production increased from 9 tonnes in to 1100 tonnes in , and from $ in to $4.6 million in The value of Northern Territory aquaculture production decreased by 7 per cent ($1.7 million) to $20.9 million in Farmed barramundi accounted for 20 per cent ($4.2 million) of this value. Commonwealth table 14 Key species: prawns, tuna and sharks In , the gross value of production of Commonwealth-managed fisheries increased by 9 per cent ($25 million) to $314 million (figure j). This was despite a 2 per cent decrease in production volume because the average unit value of species caught in Commonwealth fisheries increased by 10 per cent. The reduction in production volume was attributed to decreases in catches in all major Commonwealth fisheries, with the exception of the Commonwealth Trawl Sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark (SESS) Fishery. 14

23 Production Despite a slight decline in value, the Top five Commonwealth fisheries, by value Northern Prawn Fishery remains Northern Prawn Fishery $74 million the most valuable Commonwealthmanaged fishery. The fishery s gross SESS Commonwealth Trawl Sector $56 million value of production declined by Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery $45 million 1 per cent in to $74 million. Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery $39 million This was the result of a 5 per cent SESS Gillnet, Hook and Trap sectors $31 million fall in catch volume and a 5 per cent increase in average unit values. The fall in production volume was driven by declines in tiger and banana prawn catches, the two key species in the fishery. The increase in average unit values was driven mainly by a 27 per cent increase in tiger prawn prices, but increases for endeavour prawns (13 per cent) and king prawns (6 per cent) were also a factor. Banana prawn prices remained relatively stable, declining by 1 per cent. The Commonwealth Trawl Sector of the SESS fishery is the second most valuable Commonwealth-managed fishery. In , the sector was valued at $56 million, which was a $9.5 million (21 per cent) increase from This increase was a result of a 19 per cent increase in average unit values and a 2 per cent increase in the volume of production. The volume of production of blue grenadier, tiger flathead and silver warehou continues to dominate production in this sector, accounting for 54 per cent of production volume in These species contributed $30.3 million or 54 per cent of the sector s total value in j $m Real gross value of Commonwealth fisheries production, by species other crustaceans and molluscs other fish sharks prawns tuna The third most valuable Commonwealth fishery is the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery. A 5 per cent increase in the average unit value of tuna caught in the sector was partly a result of a depreciation in the Australian dollar against the Japanese yen in Combined with a 3 per cent decrease in production volume, the fishery s gross value increased by 2 per cent in The Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery reopened in June 2009 after three years of closure following the 2006 ministerial direction to the Australian Fisheries Management Authority to protect Commonwealth fish stocks. The total allowable catch for the 2009 fishing season was set at 2500 tonnes, with fishing occurring in part of the fishery s area. In June 2009, a total of 594 tonnes was caught, valued at $1.2 million. The remainder of the quota is expected to be filled in the financial year. Prawns, which were valued at $79 million, remained the most valuable species caught in Commonwealth- 15