Yellowtail

Kingfish, Yellowtail Kingfish, Goldstriped Amberjack, Japanese Amberjack

Hamachi, Buri, Kampachi, Hiramasa

The commercial culture of yellowtail, also known as hamachi, amberjack,kampachi, hiramasa, and yellowtail kingfish, occurs in Japan, Korea, Australia, & New Zealan, all of which rely on open net culture. Experimental culture also occurs in other locations, including Latin America and the Mediterranean. In the wild, yellowtail species are carnivorous pelagic fishes that feed on small fish, squid, and crustaceans. While there is some targeted catch of wild yellowtail, yellowtail culture accounts for approximately 75% of the overall yellowtail production.

Juvenile yellowtail are for the most part, hatchery reared versus sourced from wild stocks. The ratio of wild fish input to farmed fish output is above 2:1 for these operations, warranting a high conservation concern.

All Australian operations use open net systems and experience regular escape incidents from yellowtail farms, creating the potential for ecosystem impacts. Fish within the farms are typically sourced locally and thus escaped fish are genetically similar to wild stocks, resulting in a relatively low level of threat and an overall moderate conservation concern.

There is empirical evidence that these open net pen systems are amplifying parasites within the farms. There is also evidence that amplified parasite levels on yellowtail farms can retransmit diseases to wild yellowtail outside the farms. These parasites have serious biological consequences (including high levels of mortality) for both farmed and wild yellowtail. In Australia this factor is a high conservation concern.

There is limited sedimentation associated with yellowtail farms in this region. Impacts on infauna (organisms living in the seafloor) however, are not available. Operations are located in habitat considered to be moderately sensitive, fish stocking densities are moderate, and farms are more widely dispersed than in Japan. Although regional effects are not evident, caution is warranted due to the estimated high levels of dissolved nitrogen flowing from pens. This factor is a moderate conservation concern.

The South Australian government is primarily responsible for aquacultural management in Australia, where it enforces a comprehensive, environmentally responsible management regime. In addition, precautionary studies have been undertaken to help guide the industry, meriting a ranking of “highly effective”.

No.