North Queensland is leading the way in the skyrocketing barramundi sector as industry value and production continues to grow, according to new data.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner released the latest 2020-21 industry findings last week which showed more than 4300 tonnes of seafood worth $73.2 million produced in Mackay alone.
"The most valuable aquaculture sectors continue to be prawn and barramundi with total aquaculture production increasing 24 per cent from 9535.8 tonnes to 11824.6 tonnes," Minister Furner said.
"Prawn production went up by 28 per cent, from 6245.2 tonnes in 2019-20 to 8002.7 tonnes in 2020-21.
"While barramundi production grew by nearly 20 per cent with 3477.9 tonnes sold compared with 2904.4 tonnes the previous year."
Mainstream Aquaculture's head of business for Queensland, Marty Phillips, based in Innisfail has been farming barramundi in the region for some 20-years and now operates one of the world's largest barramundi hatcheries.
Mr Phillips said the demand for barramundi was increasing as the impacts of the pandemic began to subside.
"Demand was very up and down during COVID with the halt of international supply; largely due to no flights and the reduction and closure of restaurants overseas," he said.
"Before COVID we were exporting about half-a-tonne of fish to Los Angeles."
As trade normalcy starts to return, Mr Phillips said it was an exciting time to be in the aquaculture industry.
"The barramundi sector is on an upward trajectory," he said.
"Demand is increasing especially in domestic markets.
"We export right across the country with huge demand in the major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne."
So, why barramundi? Mr Phillips attributes Australia's love of seafood to the sector's success.
"There is this global push for people to eat healthy and a seafood diet supports that," he said.
"It also tastes bloody good. Barramundi can be cooked and eaten in a multitude of ways.
"It's such a part of our Aussie lifestyle."
Mr Phillips said as demand increased so did employment opportunities.
"We have increased staff numbers on the ground here in Innisfail," he said.
"It is a very strong market and job growth supports that. Barramundi is just an all-round great product."
Townsville Barramundi Restocking Group president and member of the East Coast Inshore Fishery Working Group, Rhyce Bullimore, said the spotlight on the aquaculture industry was not surprising.
"We are working with the Government on reform processes for harvest strategies, which came into effect in September 2021," Mr Bullimore said.
"Wild numbers of some species are down, as currently evident with Spanish mackerel, and there are other species of concern that the relevant working groups will work through when their stock assessment numbers are published.
"Aquaculture is a clear pathway for Australian seafood."
Minister Furner said the 9.5pc rise in employment in the aquaculture industry was another important contributor to Queensland's COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.
"We have supported growth in aquaculture in this state with the express purpose of growing jobs, and that's exactly what has happened," he said.
"The overall value of the industry has been increasing at an average rate of 6.6 per cent per annum since 1999-2000, with the long-term production average showing annual growth of 7.1 per cent.
"We will continue to work with the sector to further enhance production, reduce red tape and grow the socio-economic benefits from aquaculture in Queensland."
The 2020-21 Aquaculture Production Summary for Queensland is available online at Queensland Government website.
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Zoe Thomas
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
