Fishing & Aquaculture

Fishing

The district is known for the commercial fishing of a number of local fish species such as the much renowned King George Whiting, Snapper, Garfish, Prawns and Crayfish.

The King George Whiting Sillaginodes punctata is one of SA's most important food fishes. The commercial fishery is located from St Vincent Gulf to Ceduna. The fishery is regulated by limited entry licensing as well as gear restrictions, area closures and a minimum size limit.

The recreational fishery is regulated through size limits, bag and boat limits. The legal minimum length of King George whiting is set so that most fish will have the chance to reach their most productive size.

For further information or the fishing industry see the PIRSA Fisheries website.

Aquaculture

The aquaculture industry on the Eyre Peninsula has grown dramatically in recent years in the farming of a range of species, and the Far West Coast has been no exception.

Oyster farming began in 1985 in Denial Bay and 1988 in Smoky Bay. Now Denial and Smoky Bay are the second and third largest producing areas in the state respectively. There is significant potential for the further expansion of the aquaculture industry in the area. It is expected that, in the near future, there will be a demand for the diversification of the aquaculture industry in the Smoky Bay, Ceduna and the nearby offshore island region. A range of other species such as scallops, finfish and abalone are already being considered by interested investors.

For more information on the aquaculture industry see the PIRSA Aquaculture website, or the SA Oyster Growers Association (SAOGA) which has represented oyster growers across the State since 1987.