4607.0 - Fish Account, Australia, 1997  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/03/1999   
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MEDIA RELEASE

March 23, 1999
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
35/1999

Australian fisheries harvest falls - ABS

The harvest of fish from Australian waters declined by 13% between 1992-93 and 1996-97, according to estimates in the first issue of a 'physical account' for fish released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The decline largely resulted from decreased harvests in Tasmanian and Commonwealth managed fisheries.

Imports of fresh fish and seafood increased by 63% from 1992-93 to 1997-97. Molluscs and crustaceans accounted for most of the increase. Exports of fresh finfish rose 66%, with an overall increase in exports of 44%.

As an experimental first issue, Fish Account, Australia is one of a series of environmental accounts produced by the ABS and provides information on Australia's fisheries resources. These publications focus on the flow of natural resources between the economy and the environment and the flow of commodities through the economy in physical terms.

The publication contains some information about stocks and presents detailed catch information. Experimental estimates of flows of commodities from the natural environment through the production process to end-users are also included. The estimates are 'experimental' as they were based on limited data and a number of assumptions.

Experimental estimates show household consumption accounted for more than 60% of Australia's production and imports of fresh fish and seafood from 1992-93 to 1996-97. A further 10% is used by the 'accommodation, cafes and restaurants' industry. In 1996-97, 19% was processed into 'other food products', 5% was exported and 2% used by 'other' industries.

Details are in Fish Account, Australia, 1997 (cat. no. 4607.0) available from ABS Bookshops. A summary of the main findings are available on this site.