Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-x24gv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-03T13:10:28.547Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Socio-economic determinants for industry development: the case of Australia’s Sydney rock oyster industry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2015

Peggy Schrobback ,
Louisa Coglan  and
Sean Pascoe
Peggy Schrobback*
Affiliation:
School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
Louisa Coglan
Affiliation:
School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
Sean Pascoe
Affiliation:
CSIRO, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, EcoSciences Precinct, PO Box 2583, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
*
a Corresponding author: p.schrobback@gmail.com
Get access

Abstract

Socio-economic characteristics such as age, gender, educational attainment, employment status, and income contain vital information about how an industry may respond to changing circumstances, and hence are of importance to decision makers. While some socio-economic studies exist, relatively little attention has been given to fishery and aquaculture industries in regards to their socio-economic profiles and their role in the development prospects of these industries. In this study, by way of example, we focus on Australia’s Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) (SRO) industry. The aim of this study was identify the socio-economic profile of the SRO industry and to illustrate the value of such information for an industry management assessment. The SRO industry has experienced a major decrease in production volume since the late 1970 and continues to be affected by prevailing diseases and increasing market competition from Australia’s Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) industry. It is likely that socio-economic aspects have influenced this development within the SRO industry. The socio-economic profile was developed using data from a SRO industry farm survey which was undertaken in 2012. Findings suggested that this industry is characterised by a mature aged oyster farmer population and a part-time oyster farming approach. These characteristics may affect the farmers’ ability to drive innovation and growth. The results also suggested that there may be potential industry entry barriers present in the SRO industry which may prevent younger people taking up oyster farming. Given the results, the study concluded that the current socio-economic profile of the industry has likely contributed to the present economic status quo of the industry.

Keywords

Socio-economic profiledemographicsindustry developmentaquacultureSydney rock oyster industrySaccostrea glomerata
Type
Research Article
Information
Aquatic Living Resources , Volume 27 , Issue 3-4 , July 2014 , pp. 167 - 175
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD 2015

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

ABS, 2012a. Australian social trends: Australian farming and farmers. Canberra, Australian Bureau of Statistics.
ABS, 2012b. Education and work. Canberra, Australian Bureau of Statistics.
ABS, 2013a. 2011 Census QuickStat: All usual residents. Canberra, Australian Bureau of Statistics.
ABS, 2013b. Household income and income distribution, Australia, 2011–2012 Canberra, Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Australian Taxation Office, 2013, Tax Withheld Calculator – Individual non-business. Canberra, Commonwealth of Australia.
Cary J., Webb T., Barr N., 2002. Understanding landholder’s capacity to change to sustainable practices: Insights about practice adoption and social capacity for change, Canberra: Bureau of Rural Sciences.
Girard, S.,Pérez, Agúndez J.A., 2014. The effects of the oyster mortality crisis on the economics of the shellfish farming sector: Preliminary review and prospects from a case study in Marennes-Oleron Bay (France). Mar. Policy 48, 142–151. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jobber, D.,O’Reilly, D., 1996. Industrial mail surveys: techniques for inducing response. Market. Intell. Plann. 14, 29–34. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leith P.B., Haward M., 2010. Climate change adaptation in the Australian edible oyster industry: An analysis of policy and practice, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania.
Nossal, K.,Sheng, Y., 2010. Productivity growth: Trends, drivers and opportunities for broadacre and dairy industries. Australian Commodities 17, 216–230. Google Scholar
NSW DPI, 2003. Aquaculture production report 2001–2002. In: Macdonald I. (Ed.). Port Stephens, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.
NSW DPI, 2013. Aquaculture production report 2011–2012. In: Livingstone S. (Ed.). Port Stephens, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.
Pascoe S., Cannard T., Jebreen E., Dichmont C., Schirmer J., 2014. Satisfaction with fishing and the desire to leave. Ambio 1–11.
Productivity Commission, 2005. Trends in Australian agriculture, Canberra, Australian Government Productivity Commission.
Schrobback, P.,Pascoe, S.,Coglan, L., 2014. History, status and future of Australia’s native Sydney rock oyster industry. Aquat. Living Resour. 27, 153–165. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tzanatos, E.,Dimitriou, E.,Papaharisis, L.,Roussi, A.,Somarakis, S.,Koutsikopoulos, C., 2006. Principal socio-economic characteristics of the Greek small-scale coastal fishermen. Ocean Coast. Manage. 49, 511–527. CrossRefGoogle Scholar