The state government of South Australia has announced the release of its 10-year seafood growth strategy, as the federal government also announced an AUD 1.275 million (USD 933,000, EUR 858,000) grant to Seafood Industry Australia to help develop and expand its global seafood markets.
"The Government of South Australia's Seafood Growth Strategy" is underpinned by seven "key pillars” that provide a pathway for future growth for the country’s seafood industry. The core goal of the strategy is to achieve a primary industries revenue of AUD 23 billion (USD 16.8 billion, EUR 15.4 billion) by 2030.
The pillars are: support, unity, and resources; seafood products and production; security of access and investment; industry promotion and communication; capacity-building, education, and training; strategic research, development, and extension; and technology adoption and innovation.
“The government of South Australia is committed to growing our seafood industry to increase the profitability of fishing businesses, grow sustainable fish populations, and improve opportunities for recreational and Aboriginal traditional fishers,” David Basham, the minister for primary industries and regional development of the South Australian government, said in an outline of the strategy.
According to the strategy, the financial goal represents a 3 percent growth annually for the industry, a target that the plan said can be achieved through reaching strategic targets to drive productivity gains.
“We are driven by the goal of developing certainty for all stakeholders through creating a vibrant, productive, diverse, and sustainable seafood sector, which provides the best-quality seafood and seafood experiences,” Seafood Advisory Forum Independent Chair Catherine Cooper said in the strategy. “With this strategy, we are proactively planning for success.”
At the same time as South Australia unveiled its plan, the federal government announced a grant to Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) to help the organization expand its marketing efforts in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. The latest grant builds upon an AUD 888,000 (USD 651,00, EUR 567,000) grant issued in 2021 for the same purpose.
“Australian seafood is recognized among the best in the world. Expanding our markets will see demand for our premium product grow across the globe,” Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said in a release. “This grant will help implement the Australian Seafood Industry Export Market Strategic Plan, focusing on high-priority sectors such as rock lobster and abalone, and provide greater access to markets for smaller producers.”
SIA CEO Veronica Papacosta said SIA will leverage the lessons learned by the previous marketing effort to improve the effectiveness of the new funding.
“With the knowledge gained through phase one, we are now better equipped with the information required to commit to a targeted export diversification program to address industry-identified needs,” Papacosta said. “This funding will underpin increased industry collaboration and practical approaches for building out diverse export markets for the Australian seafood industry well into the future. We thank the coalition for [its] continued support for our great Australian seafood.”
The new grant has been committed through the Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC), itself a component of the Australian government’s agri-business expansion initiative. All told, the Australian government has granted AUD 15.3 million (USD 11.2 million, EUR 10.2 million) in funding through ATMAC to help increase market access for Australian agricultural products, including seafood.
Photo courtesy of Seafood Industry Australia
