Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Global Issues for Fisheries and Aquaculture

Jim Groves

General Manager, Economic Policy

Queensland Dept Employment, Economic Development & Innovation

Prawn & Barramundi Conference

3 August 2011

Views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily of the Queensland Government

CONSUMPTION GROWING

• 3.5 % pa, 1.8 % pa per capita

• quality, tasty, nutritious, healthy

Queensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

WILL CONTINUE TO GROW

2 % pa = per capita consumption doubling by 2050

= per capita consumption in Spain and Thailand today

= 190% increase in total consumption by 2050Queensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

WON’T COME FROM WILD

• Wild catch peaked in mid-1990s

• Now falling as sustainability limits reached

AND management improvesQueensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

DEPENDING ON MANAGEMENT

19502010 2050

• Present = sustainability problems slowly addressed

• Precautionary = abuse of precautionary principle

• Optimal = rebuild stocks to maximise sustainable yield

Optimal

Present

Precautionary

Queensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

THE POLICY AGENDA

• Gordon-Schaefer model suggests need to:

• avoid over-fishing AND under-fishing

• enhance value

• minimise costs – esp management costs

Queensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

AQUACULTURE THE FUTURE

• Total consumption up 2.75% pa AND fixed wild catch

=> aquaculture growth 4.2% pa to 2050

• aquaculture exceeds wild catch around 2020

• conservative - assumes no change in wild catch

Aquaculture 38% of total supply in 2008

Queensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

HOW INDUSTRIES GROW

Wellbeing - What we Value

Freedom/ Environmental Material Equity Security/ Community HealthDemocracy Amenity Standards Safety

Our Resources

Institutions People Physical NaturalAssets Resources/

Environment

GDP/GSP

LabourEmployment/ Hours worked

Capital Services

InputAvailabilityand Quality

InputQuantity

Productivity

MeetingNeeds –Markets

PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGE

Labour Productivity Growth – Australia and OECD (Whole Economy)

THE PRODUCTIVITY AGENDA

1. R&D

2. Journey from concept to commercialisation

3. Connect business to ideas and markets

4. Invest to support opportunities

5. Talented people• Leadership, Skills, Creativity• Developing, Attracting

6. Environment for innovation and business growth• Regulation, Taxation, Competition

7. Productive regions

• Infrastructure, Clusters

AQUACULTURE ISSUES

Aquaculture growth only in past 30 years old

• cf other animal protein industries

• Limited species availability

• Tropical fin fish a major opportunity

• Reliance on wild broodstock

• Genetic improvement (in a GM-world)

Farming technologies

• cf aviation

• Growth of cage culture

AQUACULTURE ISSUES (ctd)

Environmental impacts• Difficulty of achieving “No net impact” requirements

- esp where offsets not allowed

AQUACULTURE ISSUES (ctd)

Queensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

AQUACULTURE ISSUES (ctd)

Reliance on fishmeal, not always produced sustainably

• Most imports to Australia are sustainable

• Fishmeal requirements declining as food-conversation ratios improve and plant-based substitutes are developed

Queensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

Queensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

Biosecurity

AQUACULTURE ISSUES (ctd)

QUEENSLAND ROLE

Most aquaculture destined for developing countries• 85% of global production (by value) in 2008• Major opportunity for Pacific region

Australia/Queensland can lead in innovation

World-class R&D facilities in Cairns and Bribie Is

• Partnerships DEEDI, CSIRO, JCU

Queensland Fisheries Strategy 2009-2014 available at http://www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

Thank you