Aquaculture
Greater Whitsunday Aquaculture
Key Facts of Our Aquaculture¹
| Total production value | $116m |
| Share in Queensland production | 51.8% |
| Total ponded area | 367 ha |
About Aquaculture
The 2021-22 Aquaculture Production Summary Report quantifies the value of aquaculture in the Greater Whitsunday region to be $116M or more than half the entire value of the Queensland aquaculture sector (total $225M).² Significant growth is expected in the next five years from a range of new and exciting investments in the region.
The region is home to two Queensland Government Aquaculture Development Areas (ADA) and is on track to increase production to 20,000 tonnes of prawns within the next ten years.
The fish and seafood industry is emerging as the fastest growing sector in the region. The key species farmed in the region include barramundi and tiger prawns. The key species caught in the region include Coral trout, Prawns, Barramundi, Spanish Mackerel and Red Throat Emperor. Red coral trout are caught and exported live to Hong Kong.
- Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics and Sciences 2020, Agriculture Sector in Mackay Region, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, viewed 14 April 2023, <https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/australian.bureau.of.agricultural.and.resource.economics.and.sci/viz/AMR_v9_A3L/Dashboard1>.
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries 2022, Aquaculture Production Summary for Queensland, State of Queensland.
