The Australian Ornamental Fish Industry in 2006/07 By David O’Sullivan, Elizabeth Clark and Julian Morison Dosaqua Pty Ltd PO Box 647, Henley Beach SA 5022 08 8355-0277 [email protected] Contact: Dos O’Sullivan EconSearch Pty Ltd 214 Kensington Road Marryatville SA 5068 Tel: 08 8431 5533 Fax: 08 8431 7710 Project No. 2007/238 Page 1 of 216 The Australian Ornamental Fish Industry in 2006/07 By David O’Sullivan*1, Elizabeth Clark2 and Julian Morison2 (* Principal Investigator, 1 = Dosaqua, 2 = Econsearch) February, 2008 Dosaqua Pty Ltd PO Box 647, Henley Beach SA 5022 08 8355-0277 [email protected] Contact: Dos O’Sullivan EconSearch Pty Ltd 214 Kensington Road Marryatville SA 5068 Tel: 08 8431 5533 Fax: 08 8431 7710 © Copyright Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Dosaqua Pty Ltd and EconSearch Pty Ltd, 2007 This work is copyright. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Commonwealth), no part of this publication may be reproduced by any process, electronic or otherwise, without the specific written permission of the copyright owners. Neither may information be stored electronically in any form whatsoever without such permission. The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation plans, invests in and manages fisheries research and development throughout Australia. It is a statutory authority within the portfolio of the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, jointly funded by the Australian Government and the fishing industry. Disclaimer: This report was prepared using the best information available to Dosaqua Pty Ltd and EconSearch Pty Ltd at the time of preparation and any economic or financials figures or estimates are, at best, compilations of production levels, costs or revenue from a variety of businesses and operations. The budgets, assumptions and predictions in this report are provided on the clear understanding that any commercial action taken in reliance of the accuracy of the estimates is a decision of the user of the information and is taken on an own risk basis. Dosaqua Pty Ltd, EconSearch Pty Ltd and staff disclaim any liability for losses incurred as a result of reliance of any information contained in this report. ISBN: 978-0-646-48438-9 Page 2 of 216 The Australian Ornamental Fish Industry in 2006/07 Contents Tables............................................................................................................................. 6 Figures............................................................................................................................ 9 Acknowledgments......................................................................................................... 10 Abbreviations................................................................................................................ 11 1. Non Technical Summary ....................................................................................... 12 2. Introduction – Background and Need .................................................................... 18 2.1 Justification for the Project............................................................................. 18 2.2 Objectives of the Project................................................................................ 18 2.3 Steering Committee ....................................................................................... 19 2.4 Project Team.................................................................................................. 20 3. Method of Analysis and Definition of Terms .......................................................... 21 3.1 Survey of Ornamental Fish Industry Stakeholders ........................................ 21 3.2 Other Sources of Information......................................................................... 23 3.3 Method of Estimating the Industy Structure, Size and Value......................... 23 3.3.1 Business/sector overview.................................................................... 23 3.3.2 Purchases ........................................................................................... 24 3.3.3 Sales and product destination............................................................. 24 3.3.4 Employment ........................................................................................ 24 3.3.5 Investment in the industry ................................................................... 24 3.3.6 Operating expenditure......................................................................... 24 3.3.7 Sector summary .................................................................................. 25 3.4 Definition of Terms......................................................................................... 25 4. Introduction to the Ornamental Fish Trade ............................................................ 27 4.1 Ornamental Fish Taxonomic Groups............................................................. 27 4.2 International Marketing Channels .................................................................. 28 4.3 International Markets ..................................................................................... 30 4.3.1 Major Exporting Countries................................................................... 31 4.3.2 Major Importing Countries................................................................... 31 4.3.3 Aquaculture Versus Wild Caught ........................................................ 32 4.3.4 Relative Value of Ornamental versus Food Fish................................. 32 4.3.5 Marine Fish Expansion........................................................................ 33 4.3.6 Live Corals .......................................................................................... 34 4.3.7 Live Rock ............................................................................................ 34 4.3.8 Marine Invertebrates ........................................................................... 35 4.4 Background on the Ornamental Fish Industry in Australia............................. 35 4.5 Remainder of the Report................................................................................ 36 5. Breeders and Collectors ........................................................................................ 37 5.1 Business/Sector Overview............................................................................. 38 © FRDC/DAFF 2008 2007-238 Ornamental Fish Industry 2006-07 final V1.doc Page 3 of 216 The Australian Ornamental Fish Industry in 2006/07 5.2 Purchases...................................................................................................... 41 5.3 Sales and Product Destination ...................................................................... 42 5.4 Employment................................................................................................... 46 5.5 Investment in the Industry.............................................................................. 47 5.6 Operating Expenditure................................................................................... 49 5.7 Sector Summary ............................................................................................ 51 6. Wholesale and Import Sector ................................................................................ 54 6.1 Business/Sector Overview............................................................................. 55 6.2 Purchases...................................................................................................... 57 6.3 Sales and Product Destination ...................................................................... 60 6.4 Employment................................................................................................... 63 6.5 Investment in the Industry.............................................................................. 64 6.6 Operating Expenditure................................................................................... 64 6.7 Wholesale Sector Summary .......................................................................... 65 7. Retail Sector .......................................................................................................... 67 7.1 Business/Sector Overview............................................................................. 68 7.2 Purchases...................................................................................................... 70 7.3 Sales and Product Destination ...................................................................... 75 7.4 Employment................................................................................................... 79 7.5 Investment in the Industry.............................................................................. 80 7.6 Operating Expenditure................................................................................... 80 7.7 Retail Sector Summary.................................................................................. 81 8. Hobbyists and Hobby Organisations ..................................................................... 83 8.1 Overview........................................................................................................ 83 8.2 Purchases and Product Sources ................................................................... 84 8.3 Hobbyist Types .............................................................................................