The tuna farming industry is now focussed on planning for the new season and an expanded farming area that for the first time will offer a vast new "tuna farming zone" for the fish farms. The focus for the industry is now on maintaining and repairing pontoons and equipment as the tuna fishermen wait for the next harvest of wild tuna, which will take place in December.
Australian tuna industry spokesman Brian Jeffriess said this year's record earnings were due to strong demand generated by improved product quality. Another highlight this season was the very low mortality rate of about two per cent, thanks to both cooler water temperatures and improved farming practices. Speaking from a Tuna Boat Owners Association meeting over the weekend, Mr Jeffriess said companies were now working out fishing and quota strategies for next season as well as working out how best to take advantage of the new water made available.
The South Australian Government has released a new aquaculture policy for the region that proposes to cap the total of tonnage of finfish production at 9,200 M/T, which is close to the current total production of the tuna farms. That tonnage is reached by fattening Australia's Southern Bluefin Tuna quota of just over 5,000 M/T. But the policy creates a new 17,225-hectare "tuna zone" out in Spencer Gulf's deeper water, which is exactly what the tuna industry wanted to continue to lower its stocking densities.
In other industry-related developments, the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) was scheduled to meet on 15 October to discuss quotas, but Mr Jeffriess said it was "highly unlikely" that the Australian quota would be increased. Finally, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) had received all the submissions regarding its review of the Southern Bluefin Tuna industry, Mr Jeffriess said.
And he said the industry held out hope that authorities would take into account concerns such as adapting the rules to allow companies to release of excess fish, the industry's opposition to the authority's interest on placing its own quota on the industry and the authority's demand for extra observers at sea.