The Queensland Government announced an additional investment of $7.5 million into the State’s aquaculture industry.
Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Minister Mark Furner made the announcement while he was at the Ornatas Toomulla Beach Aquaculture Facility.
“This $7.5 million Palaszczuk Government investment will mean more industry development and more guidance for our aquaculture businesses,” Minister Furner said.
Minister Furner stated that in the previous four years, the State Government declared over 9,000 hectares of Aquaculture Development Areas over eight land parcels.
“We want Queensland to be the aquaculture capital of the world, and our investment will help us to further partner with industry and grow the already world-class reputation of Queensland seafood,” Minister Furner added.
The funding will comprise $3.8 million for research, development and extension operations, $1.5 million for industry development, a $1.1 million program to strengthen regulation and technical assistance, and $1 million to construct an aquaculture incubator.
The announcement came as the latest Ross Lobegeiger Report demonstrates that the Palaszczuk Government’s strong support for aquaculture is paying dividends for North Queensland, with the number of jobs in the thriving industry in Townsville doubling.
“The Palaszczuk Government has attracted this major investment by Ornatas to Townsville, and it’s fantastic to be here at their facility to see the great work they are doing and the jobs they’re creating,” Member for Mundingburra Les Walker said.
According to the report, the number of full-time equivalent aquaculture jobs in the Townsville region increased to 218 in 2021-22, up from 109 in 2020-21.
The State Government said it had overseen a Queensland aquaculture revolution that increased the industry’s worth by more than $100 million in the three years from 2018-19.
The industry reached a new high of $224.7 million in 2021-22, surpassing the previous high of $193.5 million in 2020-21.
Meanwhile, aquaculture employed the full-time equivalent of 889 Queenslanders in 2021-22, up from 786 in the previous fiscal year.
“It’s great to see local aquaculture booming off the back of Palaszczuk Government actions like solid investment, strong biosecurity protections and a focus on sustainable production,” Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper said.
Harper stated that the Townsville aquaculture business was worth $19.4 million in the previous fiscal year and continues to employ a growing number of people.
“Ornatas is commercialising world first science and breeding technology for the production and export of premium Tropical Rock Lobsters, building a whole new industry for Australia in lobster aquaculture, starting right here in Queensland,” Ornatas CEO Scott Parkinson said.
According to Parkinson, recognising the aggressive Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and the State Government’s objectives to significantly increase aquaculture in the State, Ornatas has invested more than $30 million in regional Queensland.
“Ornatas has strong industry and research partnerships, an expanding commercial lobster hatchery, including a newly commissioned lobster nursery with the capacity to produce 100,000 lobsters for our grow-out operation. The next 18 months will see the expansion of our pilot grow-out facilities to a commercial farming scale, ready to sell into Asian markets with ever-growing demand for premium seafood from sustainable sources,” Parkinson added.
Ornatas Hatchery and Research & Development Manager Jennifer Blair stated that after only four years, Ornatas has a highly skilled and diversified team of 30 people working at Ornatas.
