Recent environmental changes have modified the summer distribution of southern bluefin tuna (SBT, Thunnus maccoyii) in South Australia. This has affected the timing and location of fishing activity and contributed to adverse economic impacts, at the same time as international competition is lowering value of the catch. The SBT fishery is managed under a strict quota, so catching more fish is not an option to reduce fixed costs; instead fish must be caught more efficiently in a changing environment.

This project will assess the technical and economic feasibility of developing value added SBT products. It will support a collaborative approach to the marketing and sale of value added SBT products in retail markets and food service outlets outside of Japan. And lastly it will identify product formats, consumer preferences, yields and costs for value added SBT products to ensure the SBT industry in South Australia remains viable and profitable into the future.