Abalone & Aquaculture Industry Revitalising WA Tourist Towns

Abalone and other Aquaculture Industry Revitalising WA Tourist Towns with ‘Gold Rush Food’

Abalone and Other Aquaculture Industries Revitalising WA Tourist TownsWestern Australia’s growing aquaculture industry is revitalising small tourism towns on the state’s south coast by providing an alternative to seasonal work.

Key points:

• Year-round employment now offered by aquaculture in many WA towns is trumping seasonal and tourism-related industries
• The State Government is looking to the sector to help fulfil its promise of 30,000 new regional jobs by 2023-24
• One abalone firm is now the largest employer in Augusta
• Within a decade, aquaculture has become the biggest employer in the seaside communities of Bremer Bay and Augusta.

Their story reflects the broader aspirations of the industry and the State Government, which is looking to the sector to help fulfil its promise of 30,000 new regional jobs by 2023-24.

Government stimulus has provided the foundation for the industry’s growth, but further private investment is needed to help other coastal communities share the benefits.