1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2004

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/02/2004

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Contents >> Forestry and fishing >> Fishing

Production, processing, and exports and imports of fisheries products

Value of fisheries production

Australia's major commercially accessed species are prawns, rock lobster, abalone, tuna, other finfish, scallops, and edible and pearl oysters. Australian fishing operators concentrate their efforts on estuarine, coastal, pelagic (surface) species and demersal (bottom living) species that occur on the continental shelf.

Table 15.5 shows the quantity (or volume) and table 15.6 the gross value of production of the Australian commercial fishing industry in 2001-02. The gross value of Australian fisheries production (including aquaculture) remained steady in 2001-02 at $2.4b following a 4% increase the previous year (table 15.8). Rises in the value of pearls and finfish other than tuna were offset by falls in abalone, prawns and other fishery products (table 15.9). In quantity terms, there was a 2% increase over the year in Australian fisheries production to 233,000 tonnes, with the catch of finfish other than tuna (up 12%) being the most significant contributor (table 15.7).

Australian fisheries production covers total production from both Commonwealth and state managed fisheries and from aquaculture. Commonwealth fisheries accounted for 20% of the total gross value of Australian fisheries production in 2001-02 (table 15.6). Commonwealth fisheries are those managed on behalf of the Australian Government by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. State governments manage inland fisheries and aquaculture, in addition to those salt water fisheries not managed by the Australian Government. The distribution of the management of fisheries between the Australian Government and state governments is determined following consultations held under the Offshore Constitutional Settlement Agreement.

15.5 FISHERIES PRODUCTION, Quantity(a) - 2001-02
		NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	Cwlth(b)	Aust.
		tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes

Fish
	Tuna	52	-	-	9,245	27	-	6	(c)11,806	(d)15,903
	Other	12,844	4,784	13,814	16,852	16,456	15,546	4,438	(e)50,065	134,798
	Total	12,896	4,784	13,814	26,097	16,483	15,546	4,444	61,871	150,702
Crustaceans
	Prawns	2,162	107	9,955	2,631	3,497	-	-	(f)10,680	29,032
	Rock lobster	103	472	436	2,392	9,050	1,522	-	330	14,304
	Other	590	105	3,668	724	1,171	109	1,189	315	7,870
	Total	2,854	684	14,059	5,747	13,718	1,630	1,189	11,325	51,206
Molluscs
	Abalone	281	1,423	-	885	296	2,928	-	-	5,813
	Scallops	-	550	3,120	-	1,975	-	2	11	5,658
	Oysters(g)	4,916	-	116	2,425	-	2,188	-	-	9,644
	Other	1,337	1,770	190	1,988	1,413	474	127	(h)1,531	8,830
	Total	6,535	3,743	3,426	5,298	3,684	5,590	129	1,541	29,946
Other fisheries production		19	-	335	270	72	146	-	650	1,493
Total quantity		22,304	9,211	31,634	37,412	33,956	22,912	5,763	75,387	233,346

(a) Includes estimates of aquaculture production (except NT); excludes hatchery and inland commercial fishery production. (b) Total includes all fisheries under federal jurisdiction. (c) Includes the Southern bluefin, Eastern tuna and billfish, Southern and Western tuna fisheries. (d) Total has been adjusted down so as not to double count some Southern bluefin tuna caught in the Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery which was used as input to farms in SA. (e) Includes the fish component of Commonwealth fisheries, plus catch from Commonwealth fisheries that cannot be disaggregated due to confidentiality reasons. (f) Includes the Northern prawn, Torres Strait, South East and other fisheries. (g) Excludes pearl oyster production. (h) Includes squid, octopus and cuttlefish from the South East and Great Australian Bight fisheries, and pearl oyster from the Torres Strait Fishery.

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2002'.

15.6 FISHERIES PRODUCTION, Gross value(a) - 2001-02
		NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	Cwlth(b)	Aust.
		$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000

Fish
	Tuna	236	-	-	260,500	203	1	23	(c)132,585	(d)322,999
	Other	41,399	26,783	94,194	27,981	40,243	115,789	19,855	(e)172,730	538,974
	Total	41,635	26,783	94,194	288,481	40,446	115,790	19,877	305,315	861,973
Crustaceans
	Prawns	32,964	1,391	134,400	47,731	46,380	-	-	(f)158,648	421,513
	Rock lobster	4,752	20,540	5,067	91,862	305,267	64,619	-	8,852	500,959
	Other	5,596	1,018	24,042	4,733	9,087	3,480	10,878	3,820	62,654
	Total	43,313	22,949	163,508	144,326	360,734	68,099	10,878	171,320	985,127
Molluscs
	Abalone	12,373	61,261	-	36,656	14,599	120,451	-	-	245,340
	Scallops	-	1,283	15,077	-	6,574	-	4	86	23,024
	Oysters(g)	31,538	-	620	13,303	175,000	11,566	-	-	232,027
	Other	5,651	4,700	959	4,232	16,496	1,976	1,197	(h)2,488	37,699
	Total	49,562	67,244	16,657	54,191	212,669	133,993	1,202	2,574	538,091
Other fisheries production		1,216	-	3,026	2,779	868	9,529	4,627	1,415	23,461
Total value		135,725	116,976	277,385	489,777	614,718	327,410	36,585	480,624	2,408,651

(a) Includes estimates of the value of aquaculture production, but excludes the value of hatchery and inland commercial fishery production. (b) Total includes all fisheries under federal jurisdiction. (c) Includes the Southern bluefin, Eastern tuna and billfish, Southern and Western tuna fisheries. (d) Total has been adjusted down so as not to double count some Southern bluefin tuna caught in the Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery which was used as input to farms in SA. (e) Includes the fish component of Commonwealth fisheries, plus catch from Commonwealth fisheries that cannot be disaggregated due to confidentiality reasons. (f) Includes the Northern prawn, Torres Strait, South East and other fisheries. (g) Includes pearl oyster production. (h) Includes squid, octopus and cuttlefish from the South East and Great Australian Bight fisheries, and pearl oyster from the Torres Strait Fishery.

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2002'.

15.7 FISHERIES PRODUCTION, Quantity(a)
		1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02
		tonnes	tonnes	tonnes

Fish
	Tuna	16,201	16,107	15,903
	Other	113,454	120,118	134,798
	Total	129,655	136,225	150,702
Crustaceans
	Prawns	26,781	30,026	29,032
	Rock lobster	20,312	16,837	14,304
	Other	7,761	8,856	7,870
	Total	54,854	55,719	51,206
Molluscs
	Abalone	5,572	5,667	5,813
	Scallops	12,014	9,197	5,658
	Oysters	9,654	9,560	9,644
	Other	8,495	10,766	8,830
	Total	35,735	35,190	29,946
Other fisheries production		1,505	1,975	1,493
Total		221,748	229,110	233,346

(a) Includes estimates of aquaculture production (except in NT); excludes production of pearl oysters in Qld and WA, and hatchery and inland commercial fishery production.

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2002'.

15.8 FISHERIES PRODUCTION, Gross value(a)
	$m

1982-83	423
1987-88	828
1992-93	1,493
1997-98	1,883
1998-99	2,106
1999-2000	2,344
2000-01	2,428
2001-02	2,409

(a) Includes estimates of the value of aquaculture production, but excludes the value of hatchery and inland commercial fishery production.

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2002'.

15.9 SELECTED FISHERY PRODUCTS, Gross value(a)
	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02
	$m	$m	$m

Prawns	415	453	422
Rock lobster	545	481	501
Tuna	257	329	323
Other finfish	454	484	539
Abalone	221	276	245
Scallops	43	40	23
Oysters	53	55	57
Pearls(b)	190	150	175
Other n.e.i.(c)	165	160	124
Total	2,344	2,428	2,409

(a) Includes estimates of the value of aquaculture production, but excludes the value of hatchery and inland commercial fishery production. (b) Excludes NT. (c) Includes pearl oysters and aquaculture for NT.

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2002'.

Processing of fish, crustaceans and molluscs

In Australia, very little processing of fish products is undertaken which adds value to the product. Processing establishments vary in size, scope of operations and sophistication of technologies employed. The majority of establishments undertake only the most basic cleaning, filleting, chilling, freezing and packaging processes, but some have the capacity for significant product transformation. Much of the value that is added to the catch is due to correct handling and quick delivery by air to local or overseas markets.

Exports and imports

Exports of fisheries products come under Commonwealth jurisdiction, while domestic market activity is the responsibility of the states and territories.

A significant proportion of Australian fisheries production (edible and non-edible) is exported. In 2001-02, the value of exports (including live fish) declined by 3.5% to $2.1b (table 15.10). Although the value of rock lobster exports fell by 8% (for the second year running) to $493m, this product remained Australia's highest earning fisheries export in 2001-02, accounting for 30% of the total value of fisheries products exported. Tuna, abalone and prawns were the next largest edible fisheries exports worth $319m, $263m and $263m respectively. Pearl exports earned $404m. (For some fisheries categories, the value of exports exceeds the value of production because exports are valued on a free-on-board (f.o.b.) basis which includes the value of packaging and distribution services to the point of export.)

In 2001-02, Japan continued to be the major destination for Australian exports of fisheries products, accounting for 34% of the total value. The combined value of shipments to the four largest export markets, Japan, Hong Kong, United States of America and Taiwan, fell $128m (7.9%). A 43% increase in exports in 2001-02 has resulted in China moving ahead of Singapore in the ranking of fisheries export destinations (table 15.10).

In 2001-02, South Australia earned $475m (29% of the total Australian value) from the export of seafood (i.e. edible fisheries products) half of which came from the sale of fresh, chilled or frozen fish ($263m). Western Australia, the next largest earner from the seafood export trade, moved shipments worth $428m with three-quarters of this sum coming from exports of rock lobster ($330m). Prawns earned Queensland $190m out of a total $378m worth of seafood exported from that state.

15.10 DESTINATION OF EXPORTS OF FISHERIES PRODUCTS(a)
	1999-2000		2000-01		2001-02

Country	$m	%	$m	%	$m	%

Japan	680	34.6	745	35.0	698	34.0
Hong Kong (SAR of China)	368	18.7	496	23.3	468	22.8
United States of America	187	9.5	192	9.0	172	8.4
Taiwan	211	10.7	180	8.5	147	7.2
China (excl. SARs & Taiwan Prov.)	42	2.1	51	2.4	73	3.6
Singapore	60	3.1	61	2.9	65	3.2
New Zealand	16	0.8	32	1.5	32	1.6
Thailand	8	0.4	18	0.8	23	1.1
Spain	19	1.0	31	1.5	19	0.9
France	21	1.0	13	0.6	13	0.6
United Kingdom	13	0.7	16	0.8	8	0.4
Germany	8	0.4	7	0.3	8	0.4
Other	331	17.0	285	13.4	326	15.8
Total	1,964	100.0	2,127	100.0	2,052	100.0

(a) Includes non-edible products (e.g. marine fats and oils, fishmeal, pearls and ornamental fish). Excludes sea products landed abroad directly from the high seas.

Source: ABS data available on request, International Trade Special Data Service.

The total value of Australian imports of fisheries products increased by 3% in 2001-02, to an estimated $1.2b (table 15.11), although Australia remained a net exporter of fisheries products. The major item of value imported in 2001-02 was pearls at $217m (although most of these are previous exports returning unsold). Other significant fisheries imports, in value terms, were frozen fillets ($207m), canned fish ($177m) and prawns ($167m). The two main sources of these imported fisheries products were Thailand and New Zealand.

15.11 SOURCE OF IMPORTS OF FISHERIES PRODUCTS(a)
	1999-2000		2000-01		2001-02

Country	$m	%	$m	%	$m	%

Thailand	241	22.1	244	21.2	233	19.6
New Zealand	156	14.3	164	14.2	174	14.7
United States of America	75	6.9	75	6.5	61	5.2
Vietnam	32	2.9	44	3.8	48	4.0
Japan	34	3.1	23	2.0	43	3.6
India	15	1.4	35	3.0	42	3.5
Indonesia	25	2.3	40	3.5	40	3.4
South Africa	34	3.1	37	3.2	39	3.3
Malaysia	32	2.9	36	3.1	35	2.9
China (excl. SARs & Taiwan Prov.)	14	1.3	22	1.9	30	2.5
Chile	23	2.1	21	1.8	29	2.5
Taiwan	22	2.0	26	2.3	24	2.0
Other	388	35.6	385	33.5	389	32.8
Total	1,091	100.0	1,152	100.0	1,187	100.0

(a) Includes non-edible products (e.g. marine fats and oils, fishmeal, pearls and ornamental fish).

Source: ABS data available on request, International Trade Special Data Service.

Fisheries resources

The Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ) covers offshore waters between three miles and two hundred nautical miles seaward of the territorial sea baseline of Australia and its external territories. This area of 8.9 million square kilometres makes it an expanse 16% larger than the Australian land mass, and the third largest fishing zone in the world. However, the catch is insignificant by world standards as the waters of the AFZ lack nutrient rich currents, causing low productivity. Map 15.12 shows the status of Australia's Commonwealth managed or jointly managed fisheries resources.

While some species are considered to be over-harvested, some fish resources such as albacore and Southern whiting are not being used optimally. There are some 3,000 known species of fish, and at least an equal number of crustaceans and mollusc species inhabiting Australian waters, but only about 600 are commercially fished.

The level of fishing activity has increased over the last decade to the point where almost all the major known fish, crustacean and mollusc resources are fully used. Some major species such as Southern bluefin tuna, gemfish and shark have suffered serious biological depletion.

15.12 STATUS OF COMMONWEALTH MANAGED OR JOINTLY MANAGED FISHERIES RESOURCES
Map - 15.12 Status of Commonwealth managed or jointly managed fisheries resources

Map - 15.12 Status of Commonwealth managed or jointly managed fisheries resources

Source: Bureau of Rural Sciences.

Management of fisheries

The Commonwealth has jurisdiction over the AFZ. Conversely, the states and the Northern Territory have jurisdiction over inland fisheries and marine waters up to three nautical miles seaward of the territorial sea baseline. To aid the management of Australian fisheries, arrangements known as Offshore Constitutional Settlements have been entered into, which transfer jurisdiction from the Commonwealth to the state or territory.

The Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cwlth) is the main fisheries legislation, and applies to commercial fishing for swimming and sedentary species in the AFZ. The establishment of the AFZ in 1979 brought portions of oceanic tuna stocks, and demersal and pelagic fish stocks previously accessed by foreign fishing vessels, under Australian control.

The Fisheries Administration Act 1991 (Cwlth) establishes the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and specifies its functions. These include a duty to engage in appropriate consultation and to devise and implement management plans, adjustment programs and exploratory/feasibility fishing programs. AFMA establishes priorities for management-related research and arranges for such research to be undertaken. Details of these and other government legislation relating to the management of fisheries can be obtained from the AFMA web site, <http://www.afma.gov.au>.

Aquaculture

Aquaculture is an alternative to harvesting the naturally occurring fish stocks, and has considerable potential as a means of ensuring sustainability of harvesting yields. Australia's first experience with aquaculture was the farming of the Sydney rock oyster. More recently, operations to produce tuna, cultured pearls, salmon and prawns have become well established.

Aquaculture operations occur in diverse environmental areas including tropical, subtropical and temperate sectors. The location of aquaculture is dependent on seasonal factors, the type of species being cultivated, the stage of aquatic organisms in their life-cycle and proximity to marine parks. The industry directly employs about 5,000 people, provides regional development opportunities in rural Australia and contributes to export growth.

There are many types of systems used in aquaculture employing a variety of management techniques. The main emphasis of the industry is on producing high value species in near-shore or land-based sites within the coastal zone; only about 10% of total production value is from freshwater species. Systems can be open or closed depending on the water flow. Open systems allow water to move through the cages such as in open seas or flowing rivers. In closed systems, the water flow is contained as in a lake or an aquarium.

In 2001-02, the gross value of Australian aquaculture production was $733m, an increase of 4% on that for 2000-01 (table 15.13). This increase was mainly due to a $24.6m (16%) rise in the value of pearl oyster production, a $14.9m (30%) increase in the value of prawns and a $12.9m (13%) increase in the value of salmon produced.

15.13 AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION, Gross value(a)
		1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02
		$m	$m	$m

Fish
	Salmon	84.8	99.2	112.1
	Tuna	202.0	263.8	260.5
	Trout	13.0	12.8	12.9
	Other(b)	17.4	19.6	21.0
	Total	317.3	395.4	406.5
Crustaceans
	Prawn	51.3	49.5	64.4
	Yabbies	3.7	3.4	2.1
	Other(c)	2.1	2.5	2.4
	Total	57.0	55.4	68.9
Molluscs
	Pearl oysters	190.5	150.5	175.1
	Edible oysters	53.3	55.1	56.9
	Other(d)	7.3	9.0	10.6
	Total	251.1	214.6	242.6
Other fisheries production(e)		59.5	42.1	14.6
Total		684.9	707.5	732.6

(a) Excludes hatcheries production, crocodiles, microalgae and aquarium worms. (b) Includes eels, aquarium fish and other native fish. (c) Includes marron and redclaw. (d) Includes mussels, scallops, giant clams and abalone. (e) Includes all NT; includes value of species unable to be assigned to a specific category.

Source Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2002'.

Table 15.14 shows the volume of Australian aquaculture production for the three years 1999-2000 to 2001-02, with the latest year showing an 8% increase in total. In 2001-02, production of salmon (14,356 tonnes, a 13% increase on the previous year) accounted for the largest share of aquaculture production while the next biggest contributors to the total were edible oysters and tuna. Prawn production increased by 31% to 3,696 tonnes in 2001-02.

15.14 AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION, Quantity(a)
		1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02
		tonnes	tonnes	tonnes

Fish
	Salmon	10,907	12,724	14,356
	Trout	1,887	1,950	1,864
	Tuna	7,780	9,051	9,245
	Other(b)	1,274	1,470	1,861
	Total	21,848	25,195	27,326
Crustaceans
	Prawn	2,909	2,819	3,696
	Yabbies	284	276	173
	Other(c)	125	147	134
	Total	3,318	3,242	4,002
Molluscs
	Edible oysters	9,654	9,560	9,644
	Other(d)	2,057	2,566	3,083
	Total	11,711	12,126	12,727
Other fisheries production(e)		337	480	270
Total		37,214	41,044	44,325

(a) Excludes NT; excludes hatcheries production, crocodiles, microalgae and aquarium worms. (b) Includes eels, aquarium fish and other native fish. (c) Includes marron and redclaw. (d) Includes mussels, scallops, giant clams and abalone. (e) Includes production of species unable to be assigned to a specific category.

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2002'.

Recreational fishing

Results of a national survey of recreational fishing conducted over a 12-month period during 2000-01 showed that 3.4 million Australians (2.3 million males and 1.1 million females) over the age of five years went fishing at least once in the period (AFFA, National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey). In addition, nearly 4% of international tourists visiting Australia were estimated to have engaged in recreational fishing. In the 12-month period, fishers caught and retained a total of 136 million aquatic animals, weighing in excess of 32,000 tonnes.

Just over a third of Australia's recreational fishers reported they went fishing mainly to 'relax and unwind' (37%). Another 18% fished 'for sport' and 15% 'to be with family'. Only 8% of recreational fishers considered catching fish for food as their prime motivation and only 4% were members of fishing clubs.

Most recreational fishing occurred in saltwater with coastal (41%), estuarine (35%) and offshore waters (4%) attracting over three-quarters of the fishing effort. The shore was the preferred location for 57% of fishers and line fishing (85%) easily the most popular fishing method.

Finfish (60.4 million) comprised the largest group of the catch retained by recreational fishers, with the main species being whiting, flathead, herring and salmon. It is also estimated that the 'bagged' catch of recreational fishers, included 47.7 million prawns and yabbies, 11.5 million baitfish, and 6.1 million crabs and lobsters (graph 15.15). A total of 60 million aquatic animals were caught and released, with Murray cod, barramundi, wrasse, snapper and mud crab the most likely to be returned to the water.

Graph - 15.15 Recreational fishing harvest - 2000-01

In 2000-01, Australian recreational fishers spent an estimated $1.8b on fishing related items, or an average of $552 per person. Fishers reported more than 45 different expenditure items with expenditure on boats and trailers ($940m) the biggest individual expense. Travel associated with fishing ($395m) and fishing gear ($182m) followed in importance. More than 511,000 boats with a capital value of $3.3b were used for recreational fishing.