Biggest harvest to date for tuna industry

AUSTRALIA - This year's tuna harvest is the biggest to date, with the last Port Lincoln company finishing its harvest yesterday.

Tuna Boat Owners Association chair Brian Jeffriess said while the final figures had not yet been calculated, it was the highest tonnage ever produced.

"My "guesstimate" would be about 9000 tonnes," he said.

Last year's harvest was 8300 tonnes. Mr Jeffriess attributed the good season to good grow-out conditions, with the warmer summer weather lasting longer than usual.

He said the fish also grew out for longer, going the full term to about four or five months instead of two or three months.

The quality was also good this year. "Everyone is pleased," Mr Jeffriess said.

Future harvests would be further improved by research currently under way.

Source: PortLincoln