Australia Must Increase Aquaculture

Why Australia Must Increase Aquaculture: Securing a Healthy, Resilient, and Sustainable Food Future

As global and Australian demand for seafood accelerates, the oceans face mounting pressures from overfishing, habitat loss, and climate change. The challenge is clear: how can Australia supply high-quality protein to a growing population, safeguard marine ecosystems, and ensure economic resilience? The answer lies in scaling up sustainable aquaculture—responsible ocean farming that complements wild-catch fisheries and leverages Australia’s unique natural advantages.

The Global Need for Ocean Farming

A century ago, wild fisheries seemed limitless, yet today many have plateaued or declined under overexploitation and ecological stress. Stories like the Newfoundland cod collapse—deemed “the biggest layoff in Canadian history”—remain cautionary tales of what happens when extraction outpaces stewardship [CTV News, 2012] [The National, 1992] [Economic Impacts]. Even Australia’s once-vast wild catch is now strictly capped to maintain ecological balance.

Meanwhile, seafood demand grows: Aussies are eating more seafood per capita than ever before, and global population and income growth means the world needs 22% more seafood by 2025 just to maintain today’s consumption. Wild fisheries alone cannot meet this demand—globally, aquaculture now supplies over half of all seafood consumed, more than beef or pork [Freakonomics]. In Australia, aquaculture produces 58% of sector value and is projected to reach $2.21 billion by 2028-29.

Why Ocean Farming is Essential—for Health, Climate, and Economy

1. Healthy Food for a Healthy Nation

Aquaculture’s greatest promise is food security. Seafood is rich in protein, heart-healthy omega-3s, and vital nutrients [Eat Like a Fish]. Unlike red meat production, seafood farming requires less land and freshwater, with fewer greenhouse gas emissions [IMF, 2019]. As Australia’s wild fish production stabilizes, only ocean farming can increase supply, provide affordable choices, and avoid reliance on imports.

2. Environmental Benefits and Regenerative Potential

Done right, ocean farming repairs rather than harms. Iconic shellfish and seaweed farms, such as those pioneered by Bren Smith’s Thimble Island Ocean Farm, clean the water, create habitat, and lock away carbon [Eat Like a Fish] [GreenWave]. Oysters filter out pollutants, while seaweed acts as a “carbon sink,” with some species soaking up five times more CO2 than terrestrial forests [The National, 2021] [WEF, 2020]. Australian pilot projects, including kelp and oyster farms, prove regenerative aquaculture can improve biodiversity and support marine restoration [CSIRO Report] [National Geographic, 2020] [Yale E360, 2017].

3. Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience

Ocean farming is vital as climate stress worsens. Seaweed farming offers food, animal feed, and even future biofuel, while being remarkably resilient to warming and acidification. Regeneratively farmed shellfish and seaweed buffer ocean acidification and protect vulnerable habitats—offering a lifeline as marine systems change [National Geographic, 2020] [GreenWave] [WEF, 2020].

4. Jobs, Innovation, and Regional Opportunity

Aquaculture is now Australia’s fastest-growing primary industry, supporting robust regional economies and Indigenous ventures. From salmon in Tasmania to barramundi in the tropics, and abalone and prawns nationwide, the sector delivers skilled jobs, processing, and export income. Fisheries already contribute $3.5 billion to GDP, with aquaculture’s share expected to expand as global and local markets favor premium, sustainable seafood.

The Barriers: What Holds Us Back?

Despite promise, scaling up aquaculture faces real-world barriers:

  • Complex and Fragmented Regulations: Australia’s aquaculture policy is a patchwork, varying between states and subject to overlapping approvals—a “major barrier” to industry confidence and investment [Freakonomics].
  • Biosecurity and Disease Risks: Disease outbreaks remain a serious threat to stocks and livelihood requiring strong investment in testing, monitoring, and genetic resilience [Eat Like a Fish].
  • Public Perception and Social Licence: Misinformation, ‘not-in-my-backyard’ (NIMBY) and even ‘Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything’ (BANANA) opposition can delay or block new aquaculture developments, even when backed by science and best practice [Freakonomics].
  • High Costs and Infrastructure Challenges: Setting up marine farms, especially in remote coastal areas, requires significant upfront capital, skilled workers, and reliable logistics.
  • Environmental Risk of Poor Management: If poorly regulated, ocean farming can cause local nutrient and chemical pollution, escapes of non-native species, and displacement of habitats [National Consumers League, 2014; Oceana, 2013]. Best practice, robust monitoring, and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture are required to mitigate these risks.

Strategies for a Sustainable Aquaculture Future

1. Policy Reform and Streamlined Regulation
  • Australia needs a clear, harmonized national aquaculture policy with science-based environmental safeguards and unified approvals [Parliamentary Inquiry, 2017].
  • Accelerate permitting for low-risk, regenerative ventures; embrace adaptive management that evolves with new science and technology.
2. Investment in Technology, R&D, and Biosecurity
  • Support innovation in recirculating aquaculture systems, offshore/hybrid models, and data analytics for disease prediction and water quality management.
  • Expand government and industry funding for genetic improvement and biosecurity, including selective breeding for resilience and better feed conversion.
3. Community Engagement and Education
  • Foster transparent, early dialogue with local communities, Traditional Owners, and marine users. Australia’s history shows projects with strong local input gain social licence and lasting support.
  • Invest in public education that debunks myths and highlights the environmental and nutritional value of farmed seafood.
4. Environmental Stewardship and Regeneration
  • Scale up restorative aquaculture: aim for more shellfish and seaweed operations that actively improve water quality, buffer climate impacts, and create habitat [Eat Like a Fish] [GreenWave].
  • Robust independent monitoring and standards are non-negotiable for consumer and community trust.
5. Workforce, Infrastructure, and Market Development
  • Upgrade training and career pathways tailored to regional aquaculture, tech innovation, and Indigenous enterprise.
  • Foster domestic demand for local, high-quality farmed seafood and expand export competitiveness with premium branding, full traceability, and transparent labelling (AS5300) [Oceana, 2013].

Learning from Global Leaders

Australia is not alone—other nations are racing ahead. France’s famed mussel and oyster farms, US and Nordic salmon, and China’s seaweed and tilapia sectors all show how diverse, science-based aquaculture can transform food systems, economies, and environments[France Today, 2016; Connecticuthistory.org; GreenWave; Freakonomics]. Bren Smith’s “Eat Like a Fish” chronicles the power of regenerative ocean farming worldwide; global initiatives now target marine permaculture, seaweed restoration, and kelp forest recovery [Bren Smith, Eat Like a Fish; The National, 2021; National Geographic, 2020; Yale E360, 2017; WEF, 2020].

Conclusion: From Catch to Culture

Increasing Australian aquaculture is not an either/or with wild catch—it’s about building a diverse, adaptive, and resilient food future. With strong science, clear regulation, community partnership, and a willingness to learn from global experience, Australia can grow and harvest more seafood, protect marine environments, and create jobs and health for generations.

Embracing aquaculture means not just feeding ourselves, but leading innovation, healing oceans, and offering hope at the intersection of health, climate, and economic resilience. The future of farming truly belongs to the ocean.

Key References

  • [Freakonomics Podcast: “Is the Future of Farming in the Ocean?”]
  • [Eat Like a Fish, by Bren Smith]
  • [Australia’s Aquaculture industry, DAFF][16][1][3]
  • [GreenWave] [Eat Like a Fish] [The National, 2021]
  • International Monetary Fund, “The Economics of Climate” (2019)
  • [France Today, 2016] [Oceana, 2013] [National Geographic, 2020] [Yale E360, 2017]

All References

  1. https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/fisheries/aquaculture/aquaculture-industry-in-australia

  2. https://www.frdc.com.au/aquaculture-leads-way-global-seafood-consumption

  3. https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/fisheries/fisheries-economics/fisheries-forecasts

  4. https://www.ibisworld.com/australia/market-size/aquaculture/4225/

  5. https://www.imarcgroup.com/australia-fisheries-aquaculture-market

  6. https://www.cardiosmart.org/news/2018/6/omega-3-fatty-acids-in-seafood-help-prevent-heart-disease

  7. https://blueeconomycrc.com.au/regenerative-farming-nsw-south-coast/

  8. https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/facp/aus

  9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0964569123001680

  10. https://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/197137/sub002-fisheries-aquaculture.pdf

  11. https://research.csiro.au/extensiveprawnfarming/wp-content/uploads/sites/420/2021/07/Northern-Australia-aquaculture-situational-analysis.pdf

  12. https://blueeconomycrc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/BECRC_Ambition-Report_Aquaculture_A4_e151122.pdf

  13. https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Former_Committees/Standing_Committee_on_Agriculture_and_Water_Resources/Australianaquaculture/Report/section?id=committees%2Freportrep%2F024859%2F78715

  14. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/dpi/fishing/aquaculture/resources/strategies/aquaculture-strategies

  15. https://www.imarcgroup.com/australia-aquaculture-market

  16. https://www.frdc.com.au/aquaculture

  17. https://www.deloitte.com/au/en/Industries/consumer-products/perspectives/the-growth-of-aqua-culture-fishy-business.html

Is the Future of Farming in the Ocean? - Freakonomics

Sources:

  • Bren Smith, owner of Thimble Island Ocean Farm, co-founder of the GreenWave non-profit, and author of Eat Like a Fish: My Adventures Farming the Ocean to Fight Climate Change.Resource
  • “‘Our Last Great Natural Renewable Resource’: Could Seaweed Save the World?” by Adriaane Pielou (The National, 2021).
  • “California’s Critical Kelp Forests Are Disappearing in a Warming World. Can They Be Saved?” by Todd Woody (National Geographic, 2020).
  • “Oystering in Connecticut, from Colonial Times to the 21st Century,” by Doe Boyle (Connecticut History, 2020).
  • “The Oceans Are Absorbing More Carbon Than Previously Thought,” by Jamie Shutler and Andy Watson (World Economic Forum, 2020).
  • “The Economics of Climate,” by the International Monetary Fund (2019).
  • Eat Like a Fish, by Bren Smith (2019).
  • “As Oceans Warm, the World’s Kelp Forests Begin to Disappear,” by Alastair Bland (Yale Environment 360, 2017).
  • “Mussels From the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel,” by Marilyn Brouwer (France Today, 2016).
  • “More Than Half of the U.S. Lies Underwater?” (60 Minutes, 2015).
  • “Fish Farms: Good, Bad, or Downright Ugly?” by the National Consumers League (2014).
  • “The Long Journey of ‘Local’ Seafood to Your Plate,” by Paul Greenberg (Los Angeles Times, 2014).
  • “Oceana Study Reveals Seafood Fraud Nationwide,” by Oceana (2013).
  • “Giant Kelp Forests Granted Endangered Status,” (ABC News, 2012).
  • “20 Years Later, Cod Recovery Off Newfoundland Finally Evident,” by The Canadian Press (CTV News, 2012).
  • “Economic Impacts of the Cod Moratorium,” by Jenny Higgins (Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage, 2008).
  • “Climate, Fishery and Society interactions: Observations from the North Atlantic,” by Lawrence C. Hamilton (University of New Hampshire Scholars’ Repository, 2007).
  • “Cod Moratorium Deemed ‘The Biggest Layoff in Canadian History,’” by Tonda MacCharles (The National, 1992).
  • “Sidewinder,” by Howard A. Wilcox (Invention & Technology, 1989).
  • “Researchers Fishing for Energy Sources Think Sea Kelp Can Help,” by Sara Terry (The Christian Science Monitor, 1980).
  • “Fair Haven: An Historical and Ecological Field Study,” by Steve Kass (Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute Curricular Resources, 1979).
  • “Energy From the Sea: Part III: Marine Farms and Salt Batteries,” by Arthur Fisher (Popular Science, 1975).