This enables the Australian horticulture industry to provide counter seasonal supply to markets in the Northern Hemisphere. The commercial fishing and seafood industry is one of Australia's most valuable primary industries. The Fisheries, Research and Development Corporation of Australia identifies Australia's major exports markets as Japan, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, China, the United States and Singapore. Australia's seafood industry is represented by rock lobster, pearls, oysters, scallops, abalone, prawns, tuna and other fish. Rock lobster is the most valuable Australian seafood commodity.
Most rock lobster is exported to Asia.
Other important seafood exports include prawns, abalone, tuna and other fish. Nearly 60 per cent of Australia's prawn exports went to premium Japanese markets in 1997-98. Export products include live, frozen meat, canned and vacuum packed. Smaller sized tuna are now being caught in the wild. They are grown out to the larger weights and premium condition required for the demanding sashimi trade and air freighted to the Japanese market.