Australian Barramundi Farmers Association

Since its establishment in 1993, the Australian Barramundi Farmers Association (ABFA) has played a key role in the development of the rapidly expanding Australian farmed barramundi industry.

The ABFA continues to be involved in a range of activities including:

Industry workshops are held each year at which farmers obtain the latest information on industry issues and developments, and have an opportunity to exchange information with other farmers.

Membership of the Association is voluntary with fees being set each year at the Annual General Meeting. Full and Associate membership is available. The ABFA has the support of a number of companies with close links to the industry as sponsors and partners.

Increasingly, the Association is becoming involved in providing valuable links between the industry and support sectors and organisations such as equipment suppliers, feed producers, financial services, wholesalers and retailers.

The Australian Farmed Barramundi Industry

Since its establishment in the mid 1980s, the Australian farmed barramundi industry has expanded rapidly and now consists of about 100 licensed farmers.

In 1995-96 an estimated 460 tonnes of Barramundi were produced. By 2003/04 ABFA estimates that over 2,700 tonnes were produced and the forecast for 2004-2005 is over 3600 tonnes.

Barramundi traditionally has been produced as plate fish for the restaurant trade. Increasingly, it is being sold as portioned and filets and a new market is developing with direct sales to the major supermarkets.

Barramundi is grown in every main land State and Territory. The value of production is estimated at around $8 million at farm gate. There is every indication that the industry is poised for continuing expansion over the next year or so with growth coming from existing farms and new entrants to the industry.

Australian barramundi is farmed in hugely diverse production systems. The majority of production comes from outdoor fresh water pond operations in north Queensland and the Northern Territory. The remainder comes from intensive farming operations, using thermal spring water or indoor recirculation systems, or from cages in estuarine waters.

Recirculation systems are operated mainly in South East Queensland and southern states. A large-scale sea cage operation has been established in the Northern Territory. The size of production units varies greatly from very small operations, usually based on recirculation systems, to large-scale pond or cage systems.

Association

The Australian Barramundi Farmers Association

The Australian Farmed Barramundi Industry