Western Australia recorded the largest gross value of fisheries production of all states in 2004-05, according to a recent report on Australian fishing statistics for 2005 by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Western Australia recorded the largest gross value of fisheries production of all states in 2004-05, according to a recent report on Australian fishing statistics for 2005 by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
The report, released this month, revealed the state’s production accounted for 26 per cent of the total value of Australian fisheries production.
The state experienced close to a 2 per cent increase in the gross value of production, up from $530 million in 2003-04 to almost $540 million in 2004-05.
Scallop production was the main driver of the increase, up from $8.3 million in 2003-04 to $24.5 million in 2004-05, returning the value of production to levels reported in 2002-03.
Department of Fisheries trade and international relations manager Jim Paparo told WA Business News the significant increase in scallops was due to high catches achieved in the Abrolhos Islands and Mid-West trawl fishery in 2005.
“Scallop fisheries can be highly variable, being independent on sporadic recruitment, which appears to be strongly influenced by environmental conditions,” he said.
Of the gross value of fisheries production, state wild catch fisheries accounted for $411,098 with rock lobster making up 64 per cent of the total. Aquaculture accounted for $128,475 with pearls making up 95 per cent of production.
Reductions in average fish prices and in the quantity of mussels were highlighted as reasons behind the total value of aquaculture production falling by $1.1 million to $128 million in WA.
From an export perspective, the state accounted for 29 per cent of the total value of edible fisheries products exported from Australia.
Mr Paparo said the state’s biggest export earner in the fisheries industry was the Western Rock Lobster, with the industry producing 10.4 million kilograms in the 2005-06 season at an expected average beach price of $25 a kilogram.
“The department’s research division predicts that the catch in 2006-07 and 2007-08 will be 9.8 million kilograms and 10.1 kilograms respectively,” he said.
“If the average price is maintained, the gross value of production will be in the order of $245 million and $252 million for these seasons.”
Mr Paparo said that, given most of WA’s seafood was exported, a major determining factor on the gross value of fisheries production was the value of the Australian dollar relative to the US dollar.
“Also, any future international financial or other problems can rapidly decrease the quantity and value of our exports and this impacts right down the line to those who catch or produce the fish,” he said.
“Consequently, while the gross value of production could increase further this year, it is always subject to external factors.”
Nationally, Australian fisheries production rose by 5 per cent in 2004-05, however falling unit values for a number of major species, including tuna and prawns, resulted in the gross value of production falling by 6 per cent (or $120 million) to $2.05 billion.
