Abalone

The culture of greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata) has been developing in South Australia since the early 1990’s and is now recognised as a significant contributor to the State’s aquaculture industry. The stimulus for continued growth of the industry is the highly lucrative Asian shellfish market.

Commercial abalone farms currently operate near Port Lincoln and Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula and on Kangaroo Island. Several pilot programs are also currently being undertaken to utilise other waters of the State to culture abalone, with significant interest in marine growout sites. In addition, one mobile abalone farming system is currently licensed to operate in South Australian waters.

South Australia is considered an ideal location for continued development in farming abalone, as it offers suitable protected areas with accessible pristine water and well-established abalone industry association.

Production

The Economic Impact report 2002/03 (.PDF 242KB) shows that South Australia’s abalone aquaculture industry has steadily increased its production levels since 1997/98, now producing around 59 tonnes of abalone annually, valued at approximately $4.6 million. Industry estimates that South Australia will be producing over 200 tonne of abalone valued at over $8M by 2003/04.

Continued growth in the abalone aquaculture industry in South Australia will have many flow-on benefits to the State’s economy, particularly in the areas of transport, trade manufacturing and processing.

Markets

In South Australia, abalone aquaculture efforts are concentrated on greenlip abalone, to cater for the Asian shellfish market, with the Chinese market favouring greenlip abalone whilst the Japanese market prefers blacklip.

The majority of the State’s cultured abalone is currently being harvested at the end of its third year, at a size of approximately 70mm (or 50g in shell wet weight). The product is marketed as “cocktail abalone,” a strategy that has proved successful on Asian markets for a number of other shellfish species.   At present, all products are canned with initiatives being investigated to market abalone live, vacuum packed and dried which will offer greater market opportunities.

For more information on market opportunities for abalone, download the following reports: Aquaculture Industry Market Assessment 2002 (.PDF 3.4MB) and South Australian Aquaculture Market Analysis 2002 (.PDF 3.5MB).

Industry Development

The South Australian Abalone Growers Association Inc. (SAAGA) is a well-established industry body providing growers and potential growers with culture information (best practice). SAAGA promotes and participates in research programs to establish a strengthened economic position for its members.

For technical information on greenlip abalone covering attributes for culture; hatchery production/seed supply; hatching and larval, juvenile rearing; growout; nutrition and feeding; water quality and environmental factors; economics of production and the latest research and development, contact Rural Solutions SA using the following email address: jeffrey.mathew@saugov.sa.gov.au. 

The Future

Abalone culture has the potential to be one of the largest growth industries in the South Australian seafood sector if production forecasts are achieved.  The suitability of South Australia’s pristine waters, coupled with opportunities for marine based grow out, mobile systems and product development, provide an optimistic outlook for South Australia’s farmed abalone sector.

Contact Details

For further information on the abalone industry in South Australia, please contact:

SA Abalone Growers Association
Mr Shane McLinden
PO Box 925
Fremantle  WA  6959
Phone: 08 9336 6831
Fax: 08 9336 6378