1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2006

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/01/2006

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Contents >> Chapter 15 - Forestry and fishing >> Fishing

FISHING

PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, AND EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF FISHERIES PRODUCTS

Value of fisheries production

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

Table 15.4 shows the quantity of production and table 15.6 the gross value of production of the Australian commercial fishing industry in 2003-04. The gross value of Australian fisheries production (including aquaculture) in 2003-04 decreased by 5% to $2.2b, the third consecutive decline (table 15.8). A number of the major species contributing to the total value of production showed significant falls during 2003-04. While the value of prawns, other finfish and pearls remained virtually unchanged, the value of oysters and crabs increased (table 15.9). In quantity terms, Australian fisheries production increased by 5% during the year to 266,613 tonnes, with the catch of finfish other than tuna (up 8%) being the most significant contributor (table 15.7).

Australian fisheries production covers total production from both Commonwealth and state managed fisheries, including aquaculture. Commonwealth fisheries accounted for 15% of the total gross value of Australian fisheries production in 2003-04 (table 15.5). Commonwealth fisheries are those managed on behalf of the Australian Government by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. State and Northern Territory 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) - 2003-04
		NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	Cwlth	Aust.
		tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes

Finfish
	Tuna	24	-	-	9,290	15	-	8	10,084	(c)14,418
	Other	14,405	4,284	15,102	36,818	17,260	15,554	5,264	(d)54,551	163,238
	Total	14,429	4,284	15,102	46,108	17,275	15,554	5,272	64,635	177,656
Crustaceans
	Prawns	2,001	56	11,450	2,126	3,689	-	-	(e)7,783	27,106
	Rock lobster	108	496	535	2,400	13,742	1,601	-	839	19,721
	Crab	633	11	4,229	707	1,122	64	437	20	7,223
	Other	114	46	105	49	108	-	-	79	501
	Total	2,857	609	16,319	5,282	18,661	1,665	437	8,721	54,552
Molluscs
	Abalone	252	1,562	-	982	351	2,645	-	-	5,792
	Scallops	-	261	1,999	-	2,287	3,542	-	1,118	9,207
	Oysters(f)	-	-	-	4,382	-	3,243	-	-	7,625
	Other	1,672	1,357	195	2,224	1,783	490	87	2,813	10,622
	Total	1,924	3,180	2,194	7,588	4,421	9,920	87	3,931	33,245
Other fisheries production		16	-	73	894	87	75	-	15	1,160
Total		19,226	8,073	33,688	59,872	40,444	27,214	5,796	(b)77,437	266,613

(a) Includes estimates of aquaculture production (except NT); excludes hatchery and inland commercial fishery production. (b) Total includes all fisheries under federal jurisdiction. (c) Total has been adjusted so as not to double-count some Southern bluefin tuna caught in the Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery which was used as input to aquaculture in SA. (d) Includes the finfish component of Commonwealth Fisheries, plus catch from Commonwealth Fisheries that cannot be disaggregated due to confidentiality. (e) Includes the Northern prawn, Torres Strait, South East and other fisheries. (f) Excludes pearl oyster production in Qld and WA and edible oysters in NSW. Source: ABARE 2005a, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2004'.

15.6 FISHERIES PRODUCTION, Gross value(a) - 2003-04
		NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	Cwlth	Aust.
		$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000

Finfish
	Tuna	83	-	-	242,000	93	-	29	72,296	(b)276,148
	Other	44,660	25,528	93,937	38,828	47,205	118,476	25,789	(c)155,874	550,296
	Total	44,743	25,528	93,937	280,828	47,298	118,476	25,818	228,170	826,444
Crustaceans
	Prawns	27,737	730	150,107	43,423	44,782	-	-	(d)88,093	354,872
	Rock lobster	4,196	13,730	6,230	61,365	261,398	44,921	-	13,725	405,565
	Crab	6,005	241	29,729	4,020	7,153	1,643	4,473	91	53,354
	Other	1,547	324	1,361	905	1,817	-	-	1,525	7,479
	Total	39,485	15,025	187,427	109,713	315,150	46,564	4,473	103,433	821,270
Molluscs
	Abalone	8,668	49,927	-	34,663	14,209	88,655	-	-	196,122
	Scallops	-	395	9,954	-	7,685	4,014	-	1,528	23,577
	Oysters	37,921	-	750	21,152	(e)150,000	11,998	-	-	221,822
	Other	6,825	4,502	974	6,402	18,057	2,161	848	4,195	43,963
	Total	53,414	54,824	11,679	62,217	189,951	106,828	848	5,724	485,484
Other fisheries production		1,718	-	1,701	7,534	801	6,513	(f)28,000	123	46,391
Total		139,360	95,377	294,743	460,292	553,200	278,381	59,139	(g)337,449	2,179,589

(a) Includes estimates of the value of aquaculture production, but excludes the value of hatchery and inland commercial fishery production. (b) Total has been adjusted so as not to double-count the value of some Southern bluefin tuna caught in the Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery which was used as input to aquaculture in SA. (c) Includes the finfish component of Commonwealth Fisheries, plus catch from Commonwealth Fisheries that cannot be disaggregated due to confidentiality. (d) Includes the value of Northern prawn, Torres Strait, South East and other fisheries. (e) Value of pearl production. (f) Includes value of NT pearl production. (g) Total includes the value of all fisheries under Commonwealth jurisdiction. Source: ABARE 2005a, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2004'.

15.7 FISHERIES PRODUCTION, Quantity(a)
		2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
		tonnes	tonnes	tonnes

Finfish
	Tuna	15,891	14,729	14,418
	Other	137,315	150,836	163,238
	Total	153,206	165,566	177,656
Crustaceans
	Prawns	29,419	26,252	27,106
	Rock lobster	14,322	17,069	19,721
	Crab	7,229	6,886	7,223
	Other	919	1,083	501
	Total	51,890	51,289	54,552
Molluscs
	Abalone	5,856	5,177	5,792
	Scallops	5,607	8,401	9,207
	Oysters	10,236	11,433	7,625
	Other	8,739	9,398	10,622
	Total	30,438	34,409	33,245
Other fisheries production		1,611	1,710	1,160
Total		237,144	252,974	266,613

(a) Includes estimates of aquaculture production (except in NT); excludes production of pearl oysters in Qld and WA and edible oysters in NSW, and hatchery and inland commercial fishery production. Source: ABARE 2005a, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2004'.

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	2,439
2001-02	2,430
2002-03	2,305
2003-04	2,180

(a) Includes estimates of the value of pearl oyster production and aquaculture production, but excludes the value of hatchery and inland commercial fishery production. Source: ABARE 2005a, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2004'.

15.9 SELECTED FISHERY PRODUCTS, Gross value(a)
	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
	$m	$m	$m

Prawns	429	360	355
Rock lobster	502	460	406
Crab	54	50	53
Tuna	323	317	276
Other finfish	546	560	550
Abalone	247	216	196
Scallops	23	33	24
Oysters	57	62	72
Pearls(b)	175	150	150
Other n.e.i.(c)	74	98	98
Total	2,430	2,305	2,180

(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 the value of pearl oysters and aquaculture for NT. Source: ABARE 2005a, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2004'.

Processing of fish, crustaceans and mulluscs

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 2003-04 the total value of exports (including live fish) declined by 10% to $1.6b (table 15.10). However, Australia still remained a net exporter of fisheries product. Australia's highest earning fisheries export product is rock lobster, which accounted for 26% of total value of exports of fisheries products in 2003-04. Exports of rock lobster fell by 8% to $427 million (m) in 2003-04, continuing its decline of the previous three years. Exports of tuna, the second largest edible fisheries export product, declined 15% to $272m while the next highest edible fisheries export product, abalone, increased by 10% to $238m. The highest value non-edible export earner, pearl, recorded a 7% fall to $310m in 2003-04. (For some fisheries categories, the value of exports exceeds the value of production because exports are valued on a free-on-board basis which includes the value of packaging and distribution services to the point of export.)

In 2003-04, Hong Kong overtook Japan as the major destination for Australian exports of fisheries products, accounting for 34% of total exports of fisheries products. This turn-around was due to the value of exports to Hong Kong rising 27% and the value of exports to Japan falling 20%. Value of shipments to the next four largest markets also fell, by a total of $70m or (4%).

South Australia remained the highest earning state from edible seafood exports in 2003-04, with income of $400m accounting for 30% of the total value of Australia's seafood exports of $1.3b. South Australia earned $244m (61%) of this income from exporting whole fresh, chilled or frozen fish. Western Australia earned $370m (28%), most of which (79%) came from sales of rock lobster worth $293m. Prawns earned Queensland $81m (35%) out of a total $232m worth of seafood exported from that state.

15.10 EXPORTS OF FISHERIES PRODUCTS(a)
	2001-02		2002-03		2003-04
Country of destination	$m	%	$m	%	$m	%

Hong Kong (SAR of China)	469	22.8	433	24.1	552	34.2
Japan	698	34.0	656	36.5	526	32.6
United States of America	172	8.4	199	11.1	155	9.6
Taiwan	147	7.1	93	5.2	76	4.7
China (excl. SARs & Taiwan Prov.)	73	3.6	74	4.1	70	4.4
Singapore	65	3.2	50	2.8	41	2.5
Spain	19	0.9	20	1.1	25	1.6
New Zealand	32	1.6	28	1.5	23	1.4
France	13	0.6	18	1.0	17	1.1
Greece	3	0.1	10	0.6	16	1.0
United Kingdom	8	0.4	7	0.4	12	0.7
Germany	8	0.4	6	0.3	10	0.6
Other	346	16.9	204	11.3	90	5.6
Total	2,053	100.0	1,797	100.0	1,613	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 in 2003-04 declined 8% to an estimated $1.1b (table 15.10). The major items of imports, in value terms, were frozen fish fillets ($194m), prawns ($184m) and canned fish ($179m). The two main sources of imported fisheries products were Thailand and New Zealand which together accounted for more than a third of the value of imports. Pearls were again the leading non-edible import at $145m down 11% from the previous year.

15.11 IMPORTS OF FISHERIES PRODUCTS(a)
	2001-02		2002-03		2003-04
Country of source	$m	%	$m	%	$m	%

Thailand	236	19.7	242	20.2	222	20.1
New Zealand	177	14.7	194	16.2	180	16.3
Vietnam	48	4.0	76	6.3	85	7.7
China (excl. SARs & Taiwan Prov.)	32	2.7	44	3.7	69	6.2
India	42	3.5	42	3.5	38	3.4
United States of America	61	5.1	52	4.3	34	3.1
South Africa	39	3.2	38	3.1	34	3.1
Indonesia	40	3.3	50	4.2	31	2.9
Malaysia	37	3.1	30	2.5	27	2.4
Taiwan	24	2.0	22	1.8	22	2.0
Canada	21	1.8	24	2.0	20	1.8
Japan	43	3.6	24	2.0	17	1.5
Other	400	33.3	363	30.2	326	29.5
Total	1,200	100.0	1,202	100.0	1,106	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 3 and 200 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 small 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 in 2004. Brief definitions of the main status classifications can be seen below (or obtained in more detail from the Bureau of Rural Sciences, Fishery Status Reports 2004):

Overfished: stock biomass is below a prescribed level

Overfishing: fishing is exceeding a prescribed level

While some species are considered to be overfished, there may be opportunities to further utilise some species such as albacore and southern whiting. While there are about 3,000 known species of fish, and at least as many species of crustaceans and mollusc inhabiting Australian waters, only about 600 species are fished commercially.

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, eastern gemfish and school shark have suffered serious biological depletion.

15.12 STATUS OF COMMONWEALTH MANAGED OR JOINTLY MANAGED FISHERIES RESOURCES - 2004
Map 15.12: STATUS OF COMMONWEALTH MANAGED OR JOINTLY MANAGED FISHERIES RESOURCES - 2004

Map 15.12: STATUS OF COMMONWEALTH MANAGED OR JOINTLY MANAGED FISHERIES RESOURCES - 2004

Source: Bureau of Rural Sciences.

Aquaculture

Aquaculture is an alternative to harvesting the naturally occurring mature fish stocks. It involves the breeding and/or 'growing out' of aquatic organisms with intervention in the rearing process designed to enhance production e.g. regular stocking, feeding and protection from predators. It has potential as a means of reducing fishing pressure on wild capture fisheries.

Aquaculture commenced in Australia in the late-1800s with the successful introduction of trout from the northern hemisphere and cultivation of the native Sydney rock oyster. The industry remained centred on these two species until the 1950s when the first cultured pearl farm was established in north-western Australia. A new wave of aquaculture development began in the 1980s with the beginning of the Atlantic salmon industry in Tasmania and commercial cultivation of native freshwater finfish, freshwater crayfish, prawns and Pacific oysters. The value of aquaculture production increased significantly in the 1990s based on increased production and processing of Pacific oysters, prawns, Atlantic salmon, pearls and southern bluefin tuna.

Aquacultural operations occur in diverse environmental areas including tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. The location of aquaculture is dependent on seasonal factors, the type of species being cultivated, the life-cycle stage of aquatic organisms and proximity to marine parks. The industry directly employs about 5,100 people, provides development opportunities in regional 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 2003-04 the gross value of Australian aquaculture production declined marginally to $732m (table 15.13). Tuna remained the species contributing the most ($242m) to total gross value, followed by pearl oysters ($150m) and salmon ($116m).

15.13 AQUACULTURAL PRODUCTION, Gross value(a)
		2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
		$m	$m	$m

Finfish
	Salmon	112.1	106.1	115.7
	Tuna	260.5	266.9	242.0
	Trout	12.9	12.6	12.9
	Other(b)	20.2	27.5	23.7
	Total	405.7	413.2	394.3
Crustaceans
	Prawn	65.4	56.1	55.9
	Yabbies	2.1	1.7	1.0
	Other(c)	2.4	2.8	2.6
	Total	69.9	60.4	59.5
Molluscs
	Pearl oysters(d)	175.1	150.0	150.0
	Edible oysters	56.9	62.1	71.8
	Other(e)	9.6	11.3	13.8
	Total	241.7	223.4	235.7
Other fisheries production(f)		13.9	37.5	42.3
Total		731.2	734.5	731.8

(a) Excludes hatcheries production, crocodiles, microalgae and aquarium worms. (b) Includes eels, aquarium fish and other native fish. (c) Includes marron and redclaw. (d) Excludes production in the NT. (e) Includes mussels, scallops, giant clams and abalone. (f) Includes all NT; includes value of species unable to be assigned to a specific category. Source: ABARE 2005a, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2004'.

Table 15.14 shows the quantity of Australian aquacultural production for the three years 2001-02 to 2003-04, with the latest year showing a 5% decrease in total production. As in previous years, salmon was the major aquaculture product (14,828 tonnes) in 2003-04, while tuna (9,290 tonnes) surpassed edible oyster (7,625 tonnes) as the second most plentiful product.

15.14 AQUACULTURAL PRODUCTION, Quantity(a)
		2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
		tonnes	tonnes	tonnes

Finfish
	Salmon	14,356	13,603	14,828
	Tuna	9,245	9,102	9,290
	Trout	1,864	1,811	1,850
	Other(b)	1,804	2,579	2,332
	Total	27,269	27,095	28,301
Crustaceans
	Prawn	3,757	3,365	3,563
	Yabbies	172	121	75
	Other(c)	133	443	142
	Total	4,062	3,930	3,781
Molluscs
	Edible oysters	10,236	11,433	7,625
	Other(d)	2,836	2,351	2,815
	Total	13,072	13,784	10,440
Other fisheries production(e)		342	1,134	954
Total		44,746	45,943	43,475

(a) Excludes NT; excludes pearl oysters, 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: ABARE 2005a, 'Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2004'.