1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/01/2003   
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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 17.7 shows the quantity and table 17.8 the gross value of the production of the Australian commercial fishing industry. Australian fisheries production covers total production from both Commonwealth and state managed fisheries and from aquaculture. Gross value of production is the value placed on recorded production at the wholesale price realised in the principal markets. In general, the principal markets are the metropolitan markets in each state. However, in cases where commodities are consumed locally or where they become raw material for a secondary industry, these points are treated as the principal markets.

The gross value of Australian fisheries production (including aquaculture) rose by 4% ($103m) in 2000-01, to $2.5b (table 17.9) following a 13% increase the previous year. Contributing to this latest rise were a 29% increase in the value of tuna production and a 24% increase in the value of the rock lobster catch (table 17.10). As well, the values of the prawn and crab catches each rose by 10%. In quantity terms, there was a 1% increase over the year in Australian fisheries production to 230,000 tonnes, with an 11% increase in prawn production the most significant contributor (table 17.11).

Commonwealth fisheries accounted for 19% of the total value of Australian fisheries production in 2000-01 (table 17.8). Commonwealth fisheries are those managed for the Commonwealth 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 Commonwealth. The distribution of the management of fisheries between the Commonwealth and the states is determined following consultations held under the Offshore Constitutional Settlement Agreement.


17.7 FISHERIES PRODUCTION(a) - 2000-01
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
Cwlth(b)
Aust.
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
Fish
Tuna
28
-
-
9,051
17
-
12
(c)12,159
(d)16,105
Other
11,106
4,494
14,661
12,130
14,905
13,445
4,678
(e)44,661
120,080
Total
11,134
4,494
14,661
21,181
14,922
13,445
4,691
56,820
136,186
Crustaceans
Prawns
2,600
172
9,441
2,988
2,976
-
-
(f)11,375
29,552
Rock lobster
105
587
512
2,563
11,348
1,519
-
276
16,910
Other
596
154
4,257
765
1,264
102
1,208
303
8,649
Total
3,300
913
14,211
6,316
15,588
1,621
1,208
11,954
55,112
Molluscs
Abalone
305
1,409
-
920
316
2,709
-
-
5,659
Scallops
-
810
4,905
-
3,166
47
1
31
8,960
Oysters(g)
5,141
-
91
2,202
-
5,200
-
-
12,634
Other
1,524
1,364
267
2,263
1,269
436
202
(h)3,305
10,630
Total
6,970
3,583
5,263
5,385
4,751
8,393
202
3,336
37,883
Total quantity
21,405
(i)9,078
34,135
(i)33,362
(i)35,353
23,459
6,101
72,110
229,841
(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.
(i) Includes production not elsewhere specified due to confidentiality.

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2001'.


17.8 GROSS VALUE OF FISHERIES PRODUCTION(a) - 2000-01
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
Cwlth(b)
Aust.
$’000
$’000
$’000
$’000
$’000
$’000
$’000
$’000
$’000
Fish
Tuna
108
-
-
263,793
97
-
46
(c)123,931
(d)328,616
Other
35,808
21,467
92,144
24,723
34,480
98,971
21,108
(e)148,071
476,772
Total
35,916
21,467
92,144
288,516
34,577
98,971
21,154
272,002
805,388
Crustaceans
Prawns
34,869
2,259
146,304
52,682
46,512
-
-
(f)190,390
473,016
Rock lobster
4,489
21,451
7,056
82,726
299,629
58,011
-
7,168
480,531
Other
5,144
1,261
27,405
4,606
10,513
2,640
11,152
3,055
65,775
Total
44,502
24,971
180,765
140,014
356,654
60,650
11,152
200,614
1,019,322
Molluscs
Abalone
15,200
70,387
-
42,688
15,612
129,463
-
-
273,350
Scallops
3
1,619
26,600
-
15,896
79
3
32
44,232
Oysters
31,603
-
442
11,011
171,048
14,430
-
-
228,534
Other
6,150
3,506
1,823
5,326
15,884
3,124
1,962
(g)6,910
44,685
Total
52,955
75,512
28,865
59,025
218,440
147,096
1,965
6,942
590,800
Total value
133,373
(h)127,114
301,775
(h)491,877
(h)610,050
306,718
(i)89,270
479,558
2,480,375
(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 squid, octopus and cuttlefish from the South East and Great Australian Bight fisheries, and pearl oyster from the Torres Strait Fishery.
(h) Includes value of production not elsewhere specified due to confidentiality.
(i) NT aquaculture has been aggregated for reasons of confidentiality.

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2001'.


17.9 GROSS VALUE OF FISHERIES PRODUCTION(a)
$m
1981-82
344
1982-83
423
1983-84
449
1984-85
522
1985-86
635
1986-87
702
1987-88
828
1988-89
1,022
1989-90
1,092
1990-91
1,223
1991-92
1,376
1992-93
1,493
1993-94
1,679
1994-95
1,813
1995-96
1,690
1996-97
1,776
1997-98
1,883
1998-99
2,106
1999-2000
2,377
2000-01
2,480
(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, 2001'.


17.10 GROSS VALUE OF SELECTED FISHERY PRODUCTS(a)
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
$m
$m
$m
Prawns
443
431
473
Rock lobster
412
552
481
Tuna
220
255
329
Other finfish
439
469
477
Abalone
173
221
273
Scallops
40
46
44
Oysters
45
53
57
Pearls(b)
183
190
172
Other n.e.i.(c)
151
160
174
Total
2,106
2,377
2,480
(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, 2001'.


17.11 FISHERIES PRODUCTION(a)
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
Fish
Tuna
16,738
16,201
16,105
Other
127,423
118,499
120,080
Total
144,162
134,699
136,186
Crustaceans
Prawns
31,235
26,721
29,552
Rock lobster
19,035
20,428
16,910
Other
6,557
7,722
8,649
Total
56,827
54,872
55,112
Molluscs
Abalone
5,641
5,569
5,659
Scallops
11,575
12,236
8,960
Oysters
10,731
12,046
12,634
Other
9,230
8,353
10,630
Total
37,178
38,204
37,883
Total
238,930
228,209
229,841
(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, 2001'.


Aquaculture, or 'fish farming', is an alternative to harvesting the naturally occurring fish stocks, and has considerable potential as a means of ensuring sustainability of harvesting yields. For more information, see the article Aquaculture and the environment.

In 2000-01, the value of Australian aquaculture production increased by $59.0m (9%) (table 17.12). This increase was mainly due to a $61.8m (31%) rise in the value of tuna production and a $10.5m (12%) increase in the value of salmon.


17.12 GROSS VALUE OF AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION(a)
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
$m
$m
$m
Fish
Salmon
71.5
84.8
95.3
Tuna
166.7
202.0
263.8
Trout
10.9
12.9
12.8
Other(b)
12.5
15.0
14.9
Total
261.6
314.7
386.9
Crustaceans
Prawn
42.2
51.9
49.5
Yabbies
2.4
3.7
3.4
Other(c)
2.1
2.1
2.5
Total
46.7
57.7
55.4
Molluscs
Pearl oysters
182.6
190.5
171.5
Edible oysters
45.2
53.3
57.5
Other(d)
7.6
8.8
10.3
Total
235.4
252.6
239.3
Total(e)(f)
606.1
687.2
746.2
(a) Excludes aquarium fish, 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 NT aquaculture production which has been aggregated due to confidentiality reasons.
(f) Includes production of species in SA unable to be assigned to a specific category.

Source Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2001'.


Table 17.13 shows the volume of Australian aquaculture production for the three years 1998-99 to 2000-01, with the latest year showing a 9% increase in total. In 2000-01, production of edible oysters (12,634 tonnes, a 5% increase on the previous year) accounted for the largest share of aquaculture production. Tuna and salmon production in 2000-01 increased by 16% and 12% to 9,051 tonnes and 12,223 tonnes respectively.


17.13 AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION(a)
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
tonnes
tonnes
tonnes
Fish
Salmon
9,195
10,907
12,223
Trout
1,646
1,960
1,950
Tuna
6,365
7,780
9,051
Other(b)
1,135
1,327
1,384
Total
18,341
21,974
24,607
Crustaceans
Prawn
2,319
2,955
2,819
Yabbies
246
292
276
Other(c)
127
126
147
Total
2,692
3,373
3,242
Molluscs
Edible oysters
10,731
12,046
12,634
Other(d)
1,949
2,065
2,551
Total
12,680
14,111
15,184
Total(e)
34,143
39,830
43,602
(a) Exclude NT.
(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 in SA unable to be assigned to a specific category.

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2001'.


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 2000-01, the value of exports (including live fish) rose by 9% to $2.2b (table 17.14). Although the value of rock lobster exports fell by 8% to $533m, this product remained Australia's highest earning fisheries export in 2000-01, accounting for 25% of the total value of fisheries products exported. Prawns, whole tuna and abalone were the next largest fish export earners worth $291m, $264m and $249m respectively. (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.)

Japan continued to be the major destination for Australian exports of fisheries products, accounting for 34% of the total value in 2000-01. Exports to Hong Kong (SAR of China) increased by 37% over the previous year, and now make up 25% of the total value. Slight fluctuations saw the United States of America and Taiwan swap places in the rankings of destinations for Australia's fisheries exports.

Western Australia continued to be the Australian state which earned the most from the export of seafood (i.e. edible fisheries products) with sales of $478m (28% of the total value) contributing, in value terms, 70% of Australian rock lobster exports. South Australia, the next largest earner from the seafood trade, moved shipments worth $452m, bringing in more than half this sum from fish exports ($272m). Queensland prawn exports earned the state $219m out of a total $402m worth of seafood exported.


17.14 DESTINATION OF EXPORTS OF FISHERIES PRODUCTS(a)
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
Country
$m
%
$m
%
$m
%
Japan
463
30.6
681
34.2
746
34.4
Hong Kong (SAR of China)
260
17.2
391
19.7
536
24.7
United States of America
145
9.6
188
9.4
194
8.9
Taiwan
170
11.3
211
10.6
181
8.3
Singapore
43
2.8
60
3.0
61
2.8
China
104
6.9
42
2.1
51
2.4
New Zealand
14
0.9
16
0.8
32
1.5
Spain
23
1.5
19
1.0
31
1.4
Thailand
11
0.7
8
0.4
18
0.8
United Kingdom
7
0.5
13
0.7
16
0.7
Switzerland
31
2.1
26
1.3
14
0.6
France
14
0.9
21
1.1
13
0.6
Other
226
15.0
312
15.7
276
12.9
Total
1,511
100.0
1,988
100.0
2,169
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 6% in 2000-01, to an estimated $1.2b (table 17.15), although Australia remained a net exporter of fisheries products. The major item of value imported in 2000-01 was canned fish at $188.6m. Other significant fisheries imports, in dollar terms, were fresh, chilled or frozen fillets ($185.5m), pearls ($182.9m) and prawns ($175.6m). The two countries bringing the most fisheries products into Australia were Thailand and New Zealand.


17.15 SOURCE OF IMPORTS OF FISHERIES PRODUCTS(a)
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
Country
$m
%
$m
%
$m
%
Thailand
237
26.9
241
22.0
244
21.2
New Zealand
143
16.2
156
14.3
164
14.2
United States of America
61
6.9
75
6.9
75
6.5
Vietnam
32
3.6
32
2.9
44
3.8
Indonesia
19
2.2
25
2.3
40
3.5
South Africa
33
3.7
34
3.1
37
3.2
Malaysia
25
2.8
32
2.9
36
3.1
India
15
1.7
15
1.4
35
3.1
Canada
27
3.1
24
2.2
26
2.3
Taiwan
22
2.5
21
1.9
26
2.3
Peru
10
1.1
16
1.5
26
2.3
Japan
26
3.0
34
3.1
23
2.0
China
13
1.5
14
1.3
22
1.9
Chile
21
2.4
23
2.1
21
1.8
Singapore
11
1.3
12
1.1
11
1.0
Hong Kong (SAR of China)
11
1.3
13
1.2
9
0.8
Other
175
19.8
325
29.8
311
27.0
Total
880
100.0
1,091
100.0
1,152
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.



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