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Subject: WA Fish eNews - 2 September 2011

Winners to be announced at the Gala Dinner and Presentation Evening, Friday 14 October 2011

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The value of salmonids production increased by 13 per cent to $369.1 million in 2009–10, to surpass rock lobster as Australia’s highest earning fisheries product, according to Australian fisheries statistics 2010, released this week by Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).

Australian salmonids production predominantly consists of trout and Atlantic salmon.

ABARES acting Deputy Executive Director, Terry Sheales, said the higher value for salmonids was underpinned by higher production in the aquaculture sector, more than 95 per cent of which is in Tasmania.

“Despite higher earnings from the production of salmonids and prawns, the gross value of Australian fisheries production fell by 2 per cent to $2.18 billion in 2009–10,” Dr Sheales said.

“This decrease was mainly a result of lower earnings from the wild-catch sector, which fell by 3 per cent, while earnings from aquaculture production remained roughly stable.

“Australian fisheries production, in volume terms, increased by 2 per cent in 2009–10, however lower export prices for many fisheries products resulted in the gross value of production falling in the year.”

Export earnings in 2009–10 were influenced by the appreciation of the Australian dollar against several major currencies – 18 per cent against the US dollar, and by 8 per cent against the Japanese yen – which resulted in Australian producers receiving a lower price for their exports.

In 2009–10, the value of Australian fisheries exports decreased by 18 per cent to $1.2 billion, with rock lobster the most valuable fisheries export in the year (valued at $400 million), followed by pearls ($244 million), abalone ($216 million), tuna ($118 million) and prawns ($61 million).

Hong Kong and Japan remained the main export markets for Australian fisheries exports in 2009–10, accounting for 55 per cent and 22 per cent in value terms, respectively.

Other major export markets include the United States (5 per cent), China (4 per cent) and Singapore (3 per cent).

The value of Australian imports of fisheries products declined by 11 per cent to $1.5 billion in 2009–10, which is mostly because of lower import values of pearls.

On releasing the report, Dr Sheales acknowledged the assistance and contribution of the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation to the report.

Source: ABARES

Photo: The Age

Did you know … ?

31 August marked the end of the 2010-2011 commercial rock lobster fishing season in Western Australia. It was the first season of a quota management system, where fishers were individually told how much they could catch. Abrolhos Island fisher, Peter Armstrong, says because of the quota system, he expects per kilo prices to increase in the coming seasons and fishers to return to the industry.

Source: ABC News

°°°°

The National Seafood Industry Alliance launched its website called “Seafood for Australia” see

www.seafoodforaustralia.com.au. The website will be a major tool to inform the community about the proposed Commonwealth Marine Reserves, the impact this may cause to industry and to the supply of seafood to the Australian community.

Source: WAFIC

°°°°

Diversified Business Communications and Alimentaria Exhibitions announced the launch of Seafood Barcelona, which will take place in 2012. It’s the latest addition to Diversified’s global portfolio of seafood events, which includes the International Boston Seafood Show, European Seafood Exposition in Brussels and Asian Seafood Exposition in Hong Kong. Source: Seafood Source

Did you catch this?

Aust: Australian Fisheries Statistics 2010 - 1 Sept 2011

The report contains data on the volume and value of production from state and Commonwealth commercial fisheries, and on the volume and value of Australian fisheries trade, by destination, source and product.

Source: ABARES

UK: Survey: Brits not eating enough fish - 31 August 2011

A new survey from Young’s Seafood reveals that 11 percent of British citizens barely manage to include seafood in their diets once a month, despite government advice to eat fish at least twice a week.

Source: Seafood Source

Aust: Eastern orange roughy stock “rebuilding strongly” - 30 August 2011

A report that Australia’s Eastern roughy stock is rebuilding well, is tribute to good fisheries management, the country’s South East Trawl Fishing industry Association said today.

Source: FishNewsEu

NZ: Sealord threatens legal action against Greenpeace - 30 August 2011

Sealord, the big New Zealand fishing company, which also has major interests in the UK, and the Greenpeace appear to be on collision course over a new campaign by the global enrvironmental organisation.

Source: FishUpdate

EU: Turkey now No. 1 in bream, bass production - 30 August 2011

Turkey has surpassed Greece as the Mediterranean’s principal farmed gilthead bream and sea bass producer. Turkish aquaculture has become an increasingly important sector for the country, accounting for annual exports in excess of EUR 400 million (USD 575 million).

Source: SeafoodSource

Iceland: Iceland firm says most mackerel caught for human consumption - 29 August 2011

HB Grandi, one of Iceland's main pelagic fishing companies, has said most of the mackerel it is catching and processing is now going for human consumption and not for fish meal or oil as has been the case in the past.

Source: FishUpdate

Europe: Commissioner Damanaki to meet European Parliament President - 29 August 2011

The discussion is likely to focus on central elements of the Commission's proposals for the reform: the establishment of clear and defined targets for reaching maximum sustainable yield, the elimination of discards and the regionalization of decisions, to move away from centralized micromanagement.

Source: EU Fisheries

SA: Cuttlefish decline prompts extended protection zone - 29 August 2011

A protection area is being expanded in upper Spencer Gulf in South Australia for giant cuttlefish.

Critically low numbers had been found this season. In the past there had been more than 250,000 cuttlefish but this year's count was just 25,000.

Source: ABC News

SA: New species found in Lower Lakes - 28 August 2011

Floodwaters coming down the Murray-Darling system have led to the discovery of new species of microscopic animals.

Source: ABC News

Japan: NZ-Philippines JV debuts smoked salmon - 27 August 2011

Prime New Zealand and Tokyo-based importer Koyo are now offering a new product in the Japanese market: Retail packed smoked salmon slices, made with New Zealand king salmon processed in the city of General Santos, Philippines.

Source: SeafoodSource

UK: Fish restaurants hailed by global travel website - 26 August 2011

TWO award winning fish restaurants have been have been named as among the most talked about dining establishments in the UK by Tripadvisor.com, the international travel review website.

Source: FishUpdate

Mexico: Marine Reserve Success Story: Cabo Pulmo - 26 August 2011

Mexican scientists recently released the results of a research project, showing that the increase in fish populations in Cabo Pulmo in the last decade is the largest increase ever measured in a marine reserve.

Source: Greenpeace International

Quotes of the week

“Probably the most important message from this work is that the Eastern orange roughy stock is rebuilding and has increased by 7,400 tonnes between 2006 and 2010,” said the country’s South East Trawl Fishing industry Association. The comment follows a report into the state of the Eastern stock by the national government body for scientific research in Australia (CSIRO) using world-leading technology called an Acoustic Optical System. Source: FishNewsEu

°°°°

"With Defra's £110m funding to help clean up England's rivers and the extensive work being done by the Environment Agency, water companies and landowners, we're already seeing fish and mammals, including salmon and otters, thriving once more."

… Environment Minister Lord Henley on the subject of the UK’s work in meeting tough new EU targets on the water quality and ecology of its rivers and lakes. Source: FishUpdate

Coming events

SSA Network Meeting (Gold Coast)

Watermark Hotel, Surfers Paradise

26 October 2011 (0845-1630)

Business tips

It’s GAME ON for Australian Business

Local businesses in need of new business software can enter a new competition from Greentree Business Software, Greentree is giving away $250,000 worth of its business software, which includes implementation and cloud hosting for the first two years. Source: Dynamic Business

WA Fish eNews contact information

Gaye Looby, Department of Fisheries, 168 St George's Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6000

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