This project relates to Challenge 3 - Increased demand and profitability. The priority it relates to is "Develop capacity to produce more fish for consumption or for fishing experiences."

Growing demand for finfish cannot be met by Australian commercial fishing sources, (particularly with cancellation of commercial licenses in WA). Aquaculture can potentially meet this growing demand. However, there is a reducing number of marine aquaculture sites in Australia due to the increased attention to the environmental impact of traditional sea cage aquaculture.

This project is focused on creating an environmentally sensitive marine aquaculture production system, to increase aquaculture production, offsetting the reduction of commercial fishing licenses and help address the increasing prices of finfish in WA.

The FRDC will be aware of the SIFTS project in Northam which had combined funding from FRDC and The Wheatbelt Development Authority. It was concluded that the SIFTS has application in sensitive marine environments.

Therefore, McRobert have funded the R&D to date ($550,000) modifying the SIFTS for a sheltered marine environment. This R&D has resulted in a prototype in Fremantle Harbour. To date, only small quantities of fish have been trialed as the system still needs to have a number of components completed before it can be put into full utilisation.

McRobert wish to progress quickly with these modifications so that we can trial several species, and analyse data before the lease on the site expires.

Benefits from this project include:
- More coastal locations will be acceptable for aquaculture of marine finfish using a SIFTS system, making aquaculture viable.
- Increased aquaculture production in Australia and less reliance on imports.
- Excess capacity in the exisiting value adding infrastructure can be utilised rather than abandoned.
- Sludge dewatering and economic disposal will also have potential benefits for existing and future recirculation systems.