Introduction

The main species farmed in Australia, primarily in Queensland, is the world's most commonly farmed prawn, the black tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon), banana (Penaeus merguiensis), brown tiger (Penaeus esculentus), and kuruma prawns (Penaeus japonicus) prawns are also farmed in Queensland.

The value of the Queensland prawn industry (including black tiger, banana and kuruma prawns) was $46.3 million in 2005–06. In addition to this, hatcheries sold post larvae to a value of $1.6 million. The number of producing farms declined from 31 farms in 2004–05 to 29 farms in 2005–06.

Kuruma prawn production has declined slowly over the last three seasons and has almost ceased in Queensland with only two farms producing limited quantities.

In the production statistics in Queensland's Aquaculture Production Survey report, black tiger, banana and brown tiger prawns are combined into a single production category, 'marine prawns'.

However, due to the kuruma prawn's special markets and characteristics, the report presents statistics for kuruma prawns separately.

The black tiger prawn is also the main prawn species being farmed in New South Wales and the Northern Territory and is being developed for commercial production in Western Australia.

According to the New South Wales Aquaculture Production Report, in 2000-01 some banana prawns (10 per cent of farmed prawn production by value) and brown tiger prawns (0.2 per cent) were produced by farms, but 2001-02 production consisted entirely of black tiger prawns (NSW Fisheries 2002a, 2003).

( REF. Australian Aquaculture. Industry profiles for selected species)

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