The gross value of Australian fisheries and aquaculture production (GVP) increased by 12 percent to AUD 2.8 billion (USD 2 billion, EUR 1.9 billion) in 2014-15, according to the new Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) “Australian fisheries and aquaculture statistics 2015” report.
ABARES acting Executive Director, Peter Gooday, attributed the increase to a rise in the volume and prices of wild-caught rock lobster, which was caused by strong export demand and a lower value of the Australian dollar.
Wild-caught products accounted for 58 percent or AUD 1.6 billion (USD 1.2 billion, EUR 1.1 billion) of the total GVP. These products also accounted for 64 percent or 151,439 metric tons (MT) of the total 235,710 MT produced.
Rock lobster was the most valuable species group produced with a value of AUD 668 million (USD 485.7 million, EUR 465.3 million), a rise of 14 percent in the year, and made up 42 percent of the gross value of wild-caught fisheries production.
In 2014-15, the country’s aquaculture production value increased by 19 percent or AUD 189 million (USD 137.5 million, EUR 131.6 million) to AUD 1.2 billion (USD 872.9 million, EUR 836 million), increasing its contribution to 42 percent of the total value of fisheries and aquaculture production, up from 39 percent in the previous year.
“The aquaculture sector is becoming increasingly important, largely as a result of increased Tasmanian salmonid production,” said Gooday.
Farmed salmonids continued to be the most valuable aquaculture species group, accounting for 53 percent of the total value of Australian aquaculture production. The value of farmed salmonids increased by 16 percent to AUD 631 million (USD 459 million, EUR 439.6 million).
Tasmania accounted for the largest share of GVP (30 percent), followed by Western Australia (21 percent), South Australia (17 percent) and Queensland (11 percent).
The total export value of fisheries and aquaculture products increased by 10 percent or USD 135 million (USD 98.2 million, EUR 94 million) in 2014-15 to AUD 1.4 billion (USD 1 billion, EUR 975.2 million).
Australia’s main seafood export destinations were Vietnam with the trade totaling AUD 716 million (USD 520.9 million, EUR 498.7 million), followed by Hong Kong and Japan with AUD 192 million (USD 139.7 million, EUR 133.7 million) each, China with AUD 49 million (USD 35.6 million, EUR 34.1 million) and Singapore with AUD 35 million (USD 25.4 million, EUR 24.4 million). Combined, these markets accounted for 92 percent of the total value of Australian seafood exports in 2014-15.
The total import value of fisheries and aquaculture products remained stable in 2014-15 at AUD 2 billion (USD 1.5 billion, EUR 1.4 billion).
The major sources for Australian edible imports (not including live products) were Thailand, China, Vietnam and New Zealand. Together, these countries contributed to 64 percent of imports in 2014-15.
Imports from Thailand, China and Vietnam have been trending upwards in real terms from 2004-05 to 2014-15, said Gooday.
