THE aquaculture industry has become South Australia’s leading producer of seafood, according to the most recent economic study.
The Economic Impact of Aquaculture on the South Australian State and Regional Economies for 2010/11 shows aquaculture contributed almost 54 per cent of the state’s total value of seafood production for that year.
This figure - an increase of 5 per cent compared to the previous year - equates to $229 million of the state’s total seafood production value of $426 million, with the remainder ($197 million) contributed by the state’s wild catch fisheries.
The report shows southern bluefin tuna continues to be the largest single sector in the industry.
“The sector accounts for almost 55 per cent of the state’s gross value of aquaculture production - a 22 per cent increase on the previous year - with total production valued at $125 million.
This is followed by the oyster and marine finfish sectors, which account for 16 per cent and 12 per cent of total production value respectively.
Eyre Peninsula maintained its position as the centre for aquaculture in South Australia, employing 67 per cent of the 1113 full-time equivalent positions directly employed by the sector.
The report can be found at www.pir.sa.gov.au