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Australia's emerging aquaculture industry has received
Commonwealth Budget funding of $2.5 million in 2003-04
to help implement the recently agreed Action Agenda
for the Australian Aquaculture Industry, the
Federal Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and
Conservation, Senator Ian Macdonald, said today.
"Aquaculture in this
country has enormous long-term potential, and a
strong, evolving industry which will help fill the gap
between wild catch production and increased consumer
demand expected over the next five years," Senator
Macdonald said.
"Aquaculture also has
the potential to create significant new job
opportunities adding to the million jobs the Howard
Government has already delivered. Most of these jobs
will be in remote and rural Australia and will lead to
improved regional infrastructure and provide farming
and Indigenous communities with access to alternative
income streams.
"Implementation of the
Action Agenda will include holding a national
conference of stakeholders, organised by the
Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry - Australia (AFFA), to examine the
opportunities for further industry expansion.
"At the same time, the
Indigenous Aquaculture Unit, jointly funded by AFFA
and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Commission, will be working with State agencies to
promote aquaculture ventures in Indigenous
communities. Additionally the Action Agenda will
examine ways of distinguishing our nation's
aquaculture products here and overseas by capitalising
on Australia's 'clean and green' image."
Senator Macdonald said
he was confident that the Action Agenda will make a
rapid and positive contribution to this growth primary
industry, particularly in regional and coastal
Australia.
"The Action Agenda
contains 10 strategic initiatives which are already
underway. I see the initiative of streamlining State
and Commonwealth aquaculture and environmental
regulations to reduce the barriers to entry into the
industry and promote increased investment in
aquaculture throughout Australia as a very positive
step in the right direction, and it is happening very
quickly," he said.
"The other important
initiatives contained in the action agenda encompass
aspects that are very important to all Australians and
include growing the industry within an ecologically
sustainable framework, protecting the industry, and
therefore the broader marine environment from aquatic
diseases and pests, and tackling the research and
innovation needs that a country with high input costs
like Australia has to do to stay at the top of the
game." |
