In the eastern wheatbelt and Great Southern regions of WA, yabbies are currently harvested commercially from existing inland farm dams by trapping. This level of farming has been very successful, although it is low yielding and dependent upon a very large number of small dams for the annual State production. It is profitable for farmers because of low capital and operating costs. However, exporters who buy yabbies from farmers or harvesters add markedly to the value of the yabbies by costly processing to supply a premium, live product to gourmet markets. The yabby industry has been one of the first aquaculture industries in WA to develop their own Code of Practice. This code educates farmers, maintains product quality and facilitates the expansion of this promising new rural industry. While farming yabbies in more intensive purpose-built ponds has yet to be proven commercially viable anywhere in Australia, with all-male stock and improved feeding practices, it may yet prove to be successful. Current research is based largely on evaluating all male hybrids, improving feeding strategies, understanding natural food sources in dams and assessing harvesting practices in relation to genetic structure of yabby populations in dams. |