The value of farmed salmonid production rose by 7% to AUD323 million (€224.3 million/$295.7 million) in 2008-09, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics – Bureau of Rural Sciences (ABARE–BRS) Australian fisheries statistics 2009 report.
Most of this growth occurred in Tasmania which produces more than 95% of Australia’s farmed salmon production, said ABARE–BRS Deputy Executive Director Paul Morris.
Australian shrimp production also increased, by 6% to $265 million (€201 million) as a result of a 5% increase in production volume.
In 2008-09, farmed salmon continued to be the largest aquaculture species produced in Australia and now accounts for 37% of the total value of Australian aquaculture production and 15% of the total value of fishery production.
The combined growth in salmon and shrimp production contributed to the gross value of Australia’s fisheries production remaining stable at $2 billion (€1.5 billion) in 2008-09, following a decline in the value of tuna and rock lobster production.
In 2008-09, the total value of Australian fisheries exports increased by 14% to $1.4 billion (€1.1 billion). Rock lobster was the most valuable export species ($423 million/€320.8 million), followed by pearls ($335 million/€254.1 million), abalone ($190 million/€144.1 million) and tuna ($162 million/€122.9 million).
Hong Kong remained Australia’s main export market for fisheries products in 2008-09 at $665 million (€504.3 million), ahead of Japan ($336 million/€254.8 million) and the US ($79.6 million/€60.4 million).
The value of Australian imports of fisheries products continued to grow in 2008-09, increasing by 22% to $1.6 billion (€1.2 billion).
Canned fish from Thailand, together with frozen fish fillets, and fresh and chilled whole fish from New Zealand remained the major sources of Australian imports of fisheries products.
