Domestic fisheries

Australia's commercial fishing and aquaculture industry is worth over $2 billion annually and employs around 16,000 people (9,700 directly and 6,200 indirectly) (ABARES, 2010).

Australia's fishing zone is the world's third largest (total of 8,148,250 square kilometres), but our waters lack nutrient-rich currents and, consequently, have lower productivity. Australian waters contain some 3,000 known species of fish and at least an equal number of crustaceans and molluscs, but only about 10 per cent are commercially fished.

Commonwealth fisheries generate over $300 million in value alone and annually produce about 52,000 tonnes of catch.

Up to date information on the biological and economic status of fish stocks managed by the Australian Government can be found from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences.