In Victoria, aquaculture has been undertaken
for over twenty years, growing significantly
over the past ten years. Aquaculture is
managed under the Fisheries Act (Victoria)
1995. The Act provides for the management,
development and promotion of an ecologically
sustainable and viable aquaculture industry.
Marine species farmed are Abalone, Atlantic Salmon and Blue mussels. Rainbow trout farming is the largest aquaculture sector in Victoria. Other freshwater species farmed are Barramundi, Eels - long-fin and short-fin, Golden perch, Murray cod, Ornamentals (e.g. freshwater goldfish and tropical freshwater species to highly coloured marine species), Silver perch and Yabbies.
The gross value of Victorian aquaculture production was $21.9 million in 2005/06, or about 22% of Victorian fisheries production ($97.9 million). In 2005/06, Victorian production was about 3% of Australian aquaculture production.
Main marine species farmed in Victoria
Victoria’s aquaculture industry increased its production value (farm gate) by 60% between the 1997/98 and 2005/06 financial years from $13.7 million to $21.9 million or approximately 6% per annum. Unlike other states, Victorian aquaculture production in the 2005/2006 financial year was dominated by freshwater species (66%) which are, in most cases, now severely affected by drought.
Mussels
The aquaculture industry in Port Phillip Bay has been established for around 25 years, with longline culture of blue mussels the predominant activity. About 1,600 tonnes of mussels worth about $3.7 million, were produced by farming in 2002, mainly in Port Phillip Bay and WesternPort. This is the largest mussel production industry in Australia.
Portarlington - home of Australia’s
largest mussel farming fleet
Image from
Victorian Aquaculture Strategy
Mussels are also the main crop from the Flinders Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve and the Geelong Arm
Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves.
Longlines, consisting of anchors, ropes and floats are used in Victoria to grow mussels.
Sea cage farming of abalone in Victoria has also been trialled.
This form of aquaculture is in the experimental or
developmental phase and there has been no significant commercial
production at this stage.
Aquaculture products from Victoria
Image from Victorian Aquaculture Strategy
