Employment 2018
Tasmania is the largest employer in the fisheries and aquaculture sector
In the release of Australian Industry, 2017–18 the ABS estimated that in 2017–18 the fishing and aquaculture industry employed 17,000 people (Figure 26) (ABS 2019b). This compares with 16,000 people in 2016–17. The additional 1,000 people employed in 2017–18 were accounted for by an increased in the fishing workforce. Of the 17,000 people employed in 2017–18, 11,000 people were employed in fishing and 6,000 people were employed in aquaculture. Although employment increased in 2017–18, the total workforce that year was 5,000 people lower than the workforce in 2007–08.
The data provided in Australian Industry uses data obtain by the ABS through its annual Economic Activity Survey. This differs from previously provided employment statistics used in Australian fisheries and aquaculture statistics which used data from the ABS series Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly which contains data collected from the ABS Labour Force Survey component of the Monthly Population Survey.
The 2016 ABS Census is the most recent survey detailing employment in the fishing industry by sector and by state. Commercial fishing, hunting and trapping and aquaculture activities employed 9,745 people—59% (5,777 people) were engaged in commercial fishing, hunting and trapping activities and 41% (3,968 people) in aquaculture activities. Fish wholesaling and seafood processing employed 4,013 people—62% (2,477 people) were employed in fish wholesaling and 38% (1,536 people) in seafood processing.
The offshore longline and rack aquaculture sector employed the largest number of people (1,406), followed by rock lobster and crab potting (1,106). By state, excluding fishing, hunting and trapping, Queensland employed the largest number of people in the wild-catch sector (1,274), followed by Western Australia (1,091) and South Australia (968). Tasmania employed the largest number of people in the aquaculture sector (1,585 people), followed by New South Wales (675) and South Australia (568).
| Category | NSW no. | Vic. no. | Qld no. | SA no. | WA no. | Tas. no. | NT no. | ACT no. | Australia no. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquaculture | 84 | 142 | 118 | 156 | 92 | 139 | 8 | 0 | 737 |
| Onshore aquaculture | 106 | 104 | 334 | 152 | 74 | 120 | 17 | 0 | 913 |
| Offshore longline and rack aquaculture | 453 | 19 | 103 | 220 | 77 | 532 | 3 | 0 | 1,406 |
| Offshore caged aquaculture | 32 | 29 | 11 | 40 | 11 | 794 | 0 | 0 | 912 |
| Rock lobster and crab potting | 42 | 66 | 81 | 189 | 544 | 164 | 12 | 0 | 1,106 |
| Prawn fishing | 64 | 0 | 167 | 76 | 61 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 392 |
| Line fishing | 6 | 7 | 12 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 58 |
| Fish trawling, seining and netting | 11 | 11 | 28 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 |
| Fishing, hunting and trapping | 260 | 196 | 276 | 89 | 99 | 45 | 18 | 7 | 997 |
| Other fishing | 673 | 299 | 710 | 574 | 380 | 316 | 173 | 0 | 3,144 |
| Fishing and aquaculture total | 1,731 | 873 | 1,840 | 1,536 | 1,345 | 2,113 | 245 | 7 | 9,745 |
| Seafood processing | 202 | 173 | 221 | 321 | 266 | 349 | 5 | 0 | 1,536 |
| Fish and seafood wholesaling | 668 | 625 | 604 | 191 | 258 | 109 | 16 | 7 | 2,477 |
| Processing and wholesaling total | 870 | 798 | 825 | 512 | 524 | 458 | 21 | 7 | 4,013 |
| Grand total | 2,606 | 1,667 | 2,668 | 2047 | 1,875 | 2,586 | 282 | 18 | 13,755 |
a Based on 2016 ABS Census data. Categories are consistent with ANZSIC 2006.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
The 2016 ABS Census is the most recent survey detailing employment in the fishing industry by sector and by state. Commercial fishing, hunting and trapping and aquaculture activities employed 9,745 people—59 % (5,777 people) were engaged in commercial fishing, hunting and trapping activities and 41 % (3,968 people) in aquaculture activities. Fish wholesaling and seafood processing employed 4,013 people—62 % (2,477 people) were employed in fish wholesaling and 38 % (1,536 people) in seafood processing.
The offshore longline and rack aquaculture sector employed the largest number of people (1,406), followed by rock lobster and crab potting (1,106). By state, excluding fishing, hunting and trapping, Queensland employed the largest number of people in the wild-catch sector (998), followed by Western Australia (992) and South Australia (879). Tasmania employed the largest number of people in the aquaculture sector (1,585 people), followed by New South Wales (675) and South Australia (568).
