1. To identify the causes of the seasonal variability in reproductive performance in wild caught and captive broodstock

2. To develop methods for assessing the nutritional condition of broodstock and monitor seasonal variation in prawns' diet and nutritional condition

3. To assess whether conditioning broodstock prawns in ponds prior to inducing spawning may be used to provide good quality spawners regardless of season or source of supply

4. Develop and evaluate formulations for a cost effective artificial diet for pre-spawning conditioning of broodstock prawns