Australia to Resume Live Lobster Trade with China
We welcome the agreement of a timetable to resume trade of live Australian lobster back into the mainland China market.
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to ministers and officials in Australia and China for their unwavering efforts to resolve this issue. Today’s decision is a major win for some of the Australian seafood industry, for the hardworking fishers, the coastal communities that they support, and for Chinese consumers and we are proud that our high-quality, safe, and sustainable lobsters will soon be back on Chinese tables.
Industry extends appreciation to our import partners who, like Australian fishers and exporters, endured hardship over the last few years in the absence of open trade. We look forward to re-engaging with these valued counterparts to ensure a prosperous, win-win future for Australia – China live lobster trade.
We appreciate that officials are still working on Tropical Rock Lobster as it remains on the protected species list. We note that TRL fisheries in the Torres Strait and Queensland have some of the highest sustainability credentials in the world.
In 2022, the Australian seafood industry developed its first “whole of industry” export plan, setting a target to grow the value of Australian seafood exports to 2 billion AUD by 2030. The news of live trade resuming with China provides hope for achieving this goal and will aid in creating new jobs across regional, remote, and coastal Australia.
We would like to give special thanks to Prime Minister Albanese and Minister Farrell for their historic visits to Shanghai and Beijing that laid the groundwork for diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties that will provide many benefits to our two great countries.
Media Contact
Sarah Bakic
Seafood Industry Australia
Communications Manager
