Download PDF 134 KB - Department of State Growth

Sector summary 2014
Food and agriculture - salmonid
The trade and investment sectors contained in sector summary series have been compiled from Australian and
New Zealand Standard Industry Classification (ANZSIC) classes using a value chain approach. This means that
industry classes from ANZSIC have been grouped together to provide estimates of the size of the particular trade
and investment sectors.
Coverage: The marine farming of salmonids (Atlantic salmon and ocean trout) and associated downstream
processing.
Key indicators
Regional employment
Percentage of Tasmanian total
Salmonid
0.6%
0.5%
27%
0.4%
North
West
0.3%
North
0.2%
6%
67%
South
0.1%
0.0%
Employment
Key statistics at a glance
Indicator
Units
Period
Data
Change from
five years ago
Per cent of
Tasmania
Per cent of
Australia
Gross packed and processed value (a)
Employment (b)
International exports (c)
Interstate exports (a)
$M
2011-12
$607
NA
NA
NA
No.
$M
$M
2013
2012-13
2011-12
1 200
$20
$495
NA
NA
NA.
0.5%
0.7%
NA
NA
NA
NA
(a) Tasmanian Seafood Industry Scorecard 2011-12, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
(b) Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association.
(c) Estimates of international exports using Australian Bureau of Statistics data.
Summary of sector
The marine farming of salmonids commenced in Tasmania in the mid1980s and has since expanded to be a major
industry within the state.
The estimated gross packed and processed value of the industry is $607 million. The sector directly employs
approximately 1 200 people and indirectly another 3 500. There are four main companies in Tasmania. Three of
these have vertically integrated production and processing systems. A range of value-added products are
produced in Tasmania for the domestic market, including smoked products.
The Tasmanian salmonid industry’s competitive advantage derives from geographic location (Tasmanian waters
are within the biological water temperature range for salmonids), production efficiencies, reputation for clean and
safe produce, and proximity to its key domestic market. The industry peak body, the Tasmanian Salmonid
Growers' Association (TSGA), believes that the industry has the potential to grow to $1 billion.
Constraints and opportunities
Constraints
•
Limited access to new farm sites in existing marine farming development areas is seen by industry as a key
constraint.
•
Balancing industry expansion with environmental sustainability and community acceptance.
•
Production growth needs to be carefully planned and matched to market demand growth.
•
Reduction in port access or sea freight services to the mainland.
•
Potential biosecurity and fish-health risks.
Opportunities
•
Tasmania has a strong and thriving aquaculture sector and is highly regarded as a quality producer.
•
The industry is capable of, and planning for, significant expansion over the next 20 years. In the short
term, it plans to increase production levels from over 40 000 head on, gutted (HOG) tonnes to 50 000
HOG tonnes.
•
There is increasing global demand for aquaculture products. Aquaculture is likely to become an
increasingly important source of world fish supply as output from wild fisheries stabilises or declines.
Strategy summary
Industry strategy
Industry is keen to work with the Tasmanian Government to see continued support for the salmonid industry,
through the setting of policies and strategies that facilitate sustainable industry growth. This includes:
•
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Working with the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment and the Department
of State Growth regarding support, focus and operational resources to ensure that the industry is able to
achieve sustainability and global cost-competitiveness in fish production.
•
Increased access to world class, local research capacity to drive innovation and sustainability. The industry
is seeking specific research-based activities, backed by a commitment to providing research funding.
Directed research focus should support solutions for key health, environmental and regulatory issues.
•
Improved stakeholder engagement.
•
Domestic market development, both wholesale and retail.
Government strategy
The Tasmanian Government has provided significant support to the Tasmanian salmonid industry to enable it to
grow and thrive. It will continue to work with industry in the areas of market development, regulation,
infrastructure, labour and skills requirements, research and development access, business assistance and investment
attraction.
Tasmania’s Marine Farming Planning Act 1995 seeks to achieve well-planned, sustainable development of marine
farming activities. It provides for the planning of marine waters for marine farming and the allocation of marine
farming leases.
Discussion
There is a need for industry to continue to increase production in order to meet demand as markets develop.
Based on industry production plans, increased hatchery capacity will be required not only at existing facilities but
also at greenfield sites. Similarly, increased production will be dependent on optimising existing sites and, more
importantly, the availability of suitable new marine farming sites. A constraint may be the availability of sites from a
social and environmental perspective.
It is essential that the aquaculture industry builds on its core aquatic animal health capacity to match its growth.
Increased diagnostic testing, health surveillance, and vaccine research capacity and capability, via an aquaculture
health and vaccine centre of excellence, is a high priority for the salmonid and broader aquaculture industry.
Industry is mindful that as global aquaculture production increases, access to sustainable sources of fish protein and
oil for feed is becoming an issue. This is leading to interest in the development of alternate feed sources and
research and development in fish feed.
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