PROJECT NUMBER
•
2001-231
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
TAGS
34,561 results
Australian fisheries statistics
Project number:
2001-227
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$117,919.00
Principal Investigator:
Graham Love
Organisation:
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) ABARES
Project start/end date:
22 Jul 2001
-
30 Oct 2004
Contact:
FRDC
The development of statistics on Australian fisheries production and gross value of production (GVP) is required to meet a wide range of demands.
First: The data are extensively used by the fishing industry and by providers of services to the fishing industry in making investment decisions and in longer term planning of marketing strategies. The importance of the information provided by this project was highlighted at the 1997 FRDC Australian Fisheries Economics Statistics Workshop and the Seafood Directions Conference in 1999. Also the information is used extensively in FRDC's publication "From Antarctica to the tropics: a snapshot of the Australian fishing industry".
Second: The existence of these data in a readily accessible form provides the basis for a range of other activities, including the setting of research priorities by fisheries managers, industry and research organisations and the selection of a research portfolio by funding agencies. The Commonwealth government through ABARE, contributes to a number of international databases including databases managed by FAO and OECD. Information at the international level can be important in relation to international negotiations on issues such as transboundary fisheries, in analysing trade opportunities and threats and is essential for participating in fora such as APEC and WTO.
Third: The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for determining research and development levies for Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and for determining industry contributions to research. Because the estimates form the basis for research levies for each fishery, it is important for the system to be independent from those involved in the management and marketing processes to ensure the neutrality and integrity of the estimates.
Fourth: There are significant economies in centralising the collection, collation and dissemination of the gross value of production data. In the absence of this project the workload of a range of organsations involved with fisheries management would be substantially increased.
1. To maintain and improve the data base of production, gross value of production and trade statistics for the Australian fishing industry, including aquaculture.
2. To provide these data in an accessible form.
Final report
Author:
Graham Love
Development of sponge (Spongia Spp.) farming as a viable commercial enterprise for remote Aboriginal communities
Project number:
2001-225
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$15,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Graeme Dobson
Organisation:
Charles Darwin University (CDU)
Project start/end date:
21 Jul 2001
-
30 Nov 2003
Contact:
FRDC
There is an urgent need for employment and income generating projects within remote communities of northern Australia.
Despite there being several excellent sites for aquaculture near indigenous communities, there is currently no significant indigenous involvement in aquaculture in Northern Australia. This is partially the result of cultural norms in communities not being compatible with the intensive and high technology farming systems now in common use. There is a need to develop small-scale projects with a level of technology that will allow the participation of indigenous groups.
Such projects will form the basis for a diversified aquaculture industry in the NT which will be inclusive of both indigenous and non-indigenous groups in remote areas. Such projects have the capacity to generate income from a comparatively low investment and collectively form a significant export for the NT.
The proposed project will:
*meet a well-defined need and contribute to the public good.
*Form the basis for the development of a viable, community based aquaculture industry that will enhance the aquaculture industry of the NT and provide employment and income to remote communities.
*Provide a basis for future research into the establishment of appropriate sponge farming systems in the NT.
*Involve members of indigenous communities in the identification of options and related research
- direct involvement of community members will be a primary method of extension
1. Determine commercially viable sponge species in Northern Territory waters.
2. Identify markets for bath/cosmetic sponges.
3. Complete an economic evaluation of potential sponge farming systems in the NT.
Final report
ISBN:
1-876248-85-8
Author:
Graeme Dobson
Final Report
•
2003-12-11
•
1.86 MB
2001-225-DLD.pdf
Sponges have been employed for thousands of years for a wide variety of purposes, most commonly for basic hygiene (bath/toilet sponges), padding (historically under armour and saddles) and in certain manufacturing processes. World production from the wild harvest has, however, declined significantly this century due to over fishing, pollution and disease in the traditional fisheries (Mediterranean and Caribbean). Concurrently with this decline the demand for natural sponges for domestic (many people prefer to use a natural product), industrial and medical purposes has risen.
Three commercially viable species of sponge have been identified in this report from Northern Territory waters. All three are found adjacent to indigenous homelands in Arnhem Land and are known to some of the inhabitants of the area. With the backing of Homeland Associations, several Traditional Owners have expressed a strong desire to pursue sponge farming as soon as practicable. The adoption of sponge farming would directly benefit the homelands by providing ‘real’ employment, financial return for effort and a reduction in dependence on government funding. Sponge farming also has very good potential to provide a valuable new export product for Northern Australia.
Sponge farming is environmentally friendly. Apart from the initial collection of parent stock, there is no appreciable impact on the environment from sponge farming. Once the farm is established all stock replacement is produced on the farm and there is no need for further wild collection. Sponges are non-polluting—they are nett users, rather than producers, of nutrients and also feed on bacteria from the water column. Sponges process hundreds of litres of water per hour and remove up 95% of nutrients and bacteria—this has created interest in using sponges to reduce the effluent being discharged into the sea by both humans and aquaculture farms.
Farmed sponges are propagated asexually. A mature sponge is cut into pieces approximately 2–3 cm square on each side, the pieces threaded onto a piece of thin rope, wire or bamboo and hung in the water to grow. Once the sponge is placed in the water it needs no further direct care until it is harvested. Sponges are self-cleaning and have few predators (except turtles in some places). Growth rates of sponges placed in the right environment are good, in Townsville the sponges grow to market size in 18 months – 2 years.
Identified markets for ‘bath’ and ‘cosmetic’ sponges are extremely buoyant. Over-fishing and disease have caused a severe downturn in production of sponges from traditional sponge fishing regions (the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas). This has left gaps in the market which have not been filled and are open to new producers. Sponges produced from pristine waters, such as those off North Australia, are likely to have a general marketing advantage over those from ‘polluted’ areas. In addition, sponges that can be labeled as being produced from aquaculture that is carried out by indigenous homeland communities will have a strong advantage in extensive niche markets, especially the tourist market.
Economically sponge farming appears to be well suited to remote areas. Sponge farms are inexpensive to set up ($13,500 including purchasing a suitable dinghy and motor) and operate ($3,000 per year). Experience in Micronesia shows that establishing and maintaining a farm of 30,000 sponges requires approximately 20–30 man hours per week. A farmer can expect a minimum return from a farm this size of $45,000 per year after four years. Niche markets available in Australia could mean that this return is at least double for Australian indigenous producers.
Aquaculture Diet Development Subprogram: development of marine fish larval diets to replace Artemia
Project number:
2001-220
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$523,903.00
Principal Investigator:
Sagiv A. Kolkovski
Organisation:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Project start/end date:
8 Jul 2001
-
31 May 2005
Contact:
FRDC
The major problem area in the cultivation of marine fish is the culture of the early life stages and control of larval nutrition is a key element. The use of live food for hatchery culture of marine fish larvae is currently considered obligatory for successful culture. However, their use is costly, especially during recent years where global harvests of Artemia cysts have decreased sharply leading to a global shortage. To produce 10,000 snapper or barramundi juveniles (50 days old) past metamorphosis, 1.5 kg of Artemia cysts is needed. The production cost of Artemia nauplii is 10 cents / juvenile (Frankish, pers. Comm.), which includes Artemia cysts, enrichments, labor and running costs (e.g. heaters, air etc.). Currently, 1 kg of Artemia cysts cost $AU-400-500; however, it is now almost impossible to obtain them in Australia. Replacing even 50% of imported Artemia cysts may result in substantial cost savings leading to more efficient hatchery production and facilitating industry expansion.
The FRDC R&D plan for hatchery feeds (the outcome from the FRDC hatchery feeds workshop, Cairns, Qld.) put a high priority on R&D projects to find local solutions to overcome the ‘Artemia crisis’ and reduce dependence on imported Artemia cysts. More specifically, it emphasised three particular research needs: (1) to assess the potential of Australian Artemia strains; (2) to determine the effectiveness of currently available artificial diets for finfish larvae; and (3) to develop ‘local’ artificial diets and protocols for weaning and co-feeding of live and dry diets. The R&D priorities (FRDC plan) for Artemia and artificial diets are attached as Appendix 1.
1. To develop a standard testing system for evaluating live and artificial feeds for finfish larvae
2. To test currently available artificial (commercial) diets
3. To formulate artificial larvae diets
4. To assess the use of ‘local’ Artemia and improve their nutritional value
5. To develop the use of co-feeding live and dry diets for partial or full replacement of Artemia nauplii
Final report
ISBN:
1 877098 68 X
Author:
Sagiv Kolkovski
Final Report
•
2006-03-15
•
12.44 MB
2001-220-DLD.pdf
This project was initiated based on recommendations and R&D priorities as identified at the First Hatchery Feeds Workshop (Cairns, QLD 1999). Several aspects were found to have high priority, such as: systems, Artemia availability and its nutritional quality, microdiets to reduce and/or replace reliance on Artemia, and feeding and weaning protocols. It was recognised that these areas were ‘bottle necks’ in the further development of marine aquaculture, especially with new species. These high priority aspects were addressed in this project, which exceeded its objectives. Its outcomes include, among others, products and systems that are already commercially available, and laying the foundation to commercialisation of at least two new products / organisms, i.e. brine shrimp Artemia culture in Australia and larvae microdiets.
The development of the larvae rearing system and the associated live food enrichment system involved innovative solutions in terms of automated systems, dosing and feed delivery systems, and filtration. These systems allow better control and save time and money. Some parts of the systems have already been adopted by industry. For example, the tank design is currently being evaluated at the M.G. Kailis, Exmouth hatchery. The innovative microdiet feeding system is currently being installed at the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute in their larvae tanks. The larvae rearing system and/or other specific systems can benefit any R&D centre involved in marine larvae rearing as well as commercial hatcheries. It is proposed that these systems will be progressed as a commercial product, depending on demand.
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: development of a disease zoning policy for marteiliosis to support sustainable production, health certification and trade in the Sydney rock oyster
Project number:
2001-214
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$281,226.02
Principal Investigator:
Rob D. Adlard
Organisation:
Queensland Museum
Project start/end date:
6 Jun 2001
-
15 Jul 2005
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
The rock oyster industry in Australia is currently valued at around $28 million annually. The current output is about half of the industry peak in the late 1970’s. For the industry to survive in the long-term requires the ability to service what may become a premium domestic market demanding a high quality product. The expansion of the industry is likely to be available only from international export, which in turn requires compliance with international regulations on oyster health with a transparent health audit trail. The rock oyster is potentially positioned for re-emerging export success, being a unique product with an extended shelf-life relative to other oyster species (e.g. the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas) and this is an opportunity that should be exploited by the industry.
The techniques of surveillance and diagnosis for molluscan pathogens required by the OIE for imported oyster products are not only stringent and accepted as the worldwide standard, but are also applicable to domestic requirements within Australia. In essence, the regulations state that appropriate diagnostic tests are applied for detecting the presence of pathogens of molluscs (microscopic identification techniques with the potential for specific molecular identification using monoclonal antibodies or DNA probes) which have been collected as part of a surveillance program within delimited coastal zones. The sample size, period and frequency are determined with reference to the cycle of infection of the particular pathogen and its prepatent period. There is an initial 2 year period of surveillance before a zone can be granted a disease-free status, with ongoing surveillance required for this status to be maintained.
The development of a zoning policy framework for marteiliosis will provide a valuable opportunity to implement and field-test Australia’s zoning policy guidelines in a practical context to assist with the development of further zoning policies for diseases of aquatic animals. Considerable interest has already been expressed in the case study by State authorities and it will be discussed at an Aquatic Animal Disease Zoning Workshop in Canberra on 23 January 2001, hosted by the National Offices of Animal and Plant Health. Furthermore, the development of the zoning policy will be of direct benefit to the oyster industry by facilitating domestic and international market access, and through identifying and protecting the remaining disease-free production areas
1. 1. The primary objective is to implement and field-test the zoning policy framework developed under Aquaplan in a practical context and to facilitate the development of further zoning policies for other significant diseases of aquatic animals. This will be conducted using marteiliosis as a case study to develop an effective zoning policy that is consistent with internationally recognised (OIE) standards. The zoning policy will aim to:* Reduce the risk of introducing this pathogen into the remaining disease-free production areas
and* Facilitate domestic and international market access for the industry.
2. 2. The sub-objectives necessary to achieve this are to:* Identify through sampling and appropriate diagnosis marteiliosis-free and marteiliosis-endemic estuaries within oyster culture areas
* Determine the specific identity of Marteilia sp. from positive samples through ultra-structural and molecular diagnostics
* Develop a rational and effective program of surveillance for marteiliosis, based on occurrence and an assessment of risk for each oyster producing estuary
* In consultation with fisheries managers and industry, develop a coastal zoning plan for marteiliosis.
Final report
ISBN:
0-9751116-3-9
Author:
Robert Adlard
Final Report
•
2006-02-01
•
975.12 KB
2001-214-DLD.pdf
The edible oyster industry in Australia is currently valued at around $62.5 million annually of which rock oyster production accounts for approx 56%. For the industry to survive in the long-term requires the ability to service what may become a premium domestic market demanding a high quality product. The expansion of the industry is likely to be available only from international export, which in turn requires compliance with international regulations on oyster health with a transparent health audit trail. The rock oyster is potentially positioned for re-emerging export success, being a unique product with an extended shelf-life relative to other oyster species (e.g. the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas) and this is an opportunity that should be exploited by the industry.
Within Australia, the Sydney Rock Oyster industry is subjected to periodic epizootics of disease induced by a range of parasitic organisms that produce significant mortality and morbidity of commercial oyster stocks. The most significant of these is the agent responsible for ‘QX disease’ (caused by the protistan parasite Marteilia sydneyi) affecting the Sydney rock oyster Saccostrea glomerata. Management of this disease has been based on quarantine of affected estuaries enforced through limitation on the movement of potentially infected stock. In this context, it was obvious that the oyster industry required a disease zoning policy based on scientifically defensible data to allow domestic best practice in oyster farming and to maximise market accessibility for the industry. This host/parasite system then formed the basis for a test of the zoning policy framework developed under the federal government’s ‘AQUAPLAN’.
A number of key issues related to zoning and surveillance for specific diseases were addressed through this project. Initially the design of field collection and the appropriate test to use for diagnosis were assessed to maximise, and allow quantification of, disease detection limits in the surveillance program.
1. The design of field sampling to identify disease infected oysters was critical in order to reach a statistically robust probability of disease detection. Global animal health standards (Office Internationale des Epizooties) recommend random sampling from a zone to detect a prevalence of 2% or greater disease in a population. This was fulfilled using a computer generated random selection of geographic co-ordinates under which individual oysters were sampled (Angus Cameron, AusVet).
2. The appropriate method for diagnosis of disease, another critical issue in disease surveillance programs, was assessed by comparing the sensitivity and specificity of: tissue imprints (cytology); or tissue sections (histology); or the presence of specific parasite DNA (by polymerase chain reaction - PCR). Our analysis showed clearly that PCR was the most sensitive diagnostic test followed by cytology then histology. PCR also detected the presence of sub-clinical infections which could not be unambiguously identified using either histology or cytology. Confirmatory diagnosis (following PCR) at sub-clinical levels was undertaken using DNA in situ hybridisation tests designed to stain the QX organism specifically in tissue section.
Combined surveillance results from 2001 (NSW estuaries only), 2002-03 (NSW and Queensland estuaries) and 2004 (Queensland estuaries only) demonstrated some significant departures from the geographic distribution expected for QX disease. In 2001 diagnosis was undertaken using cytology and no unexpected occurrences of the disease were observed, with positives recorded only from the Clarence River (1.5% of sample infected), Georges River (47% of sample infected). In 2002 the distribution of disease was significantly different to that expected. Initially using cytology for diagnosis there were no apparent unusual infections with Southern Moreton Bay (0.8% of sample infected), Richmond River (40.8% of sample infected), Clarence River (22% of sample infected) and Georges River (16% of sample infected) recording oysters positive for the disease. However, when PCR techniques were used for diagnosis in estuaries that had never recorded the presence of the disease agent it became obvious that the organism was more widespread than indicated by previous diagnostic testing or previous occurrences of disease outbreaks. In total 142 unexpected positives for Marteilia sydneyi were found in oysters scored as negative by cytological examination during surveillance in this project. Of these, 61 were identified in oysters sampled from estuaries with no prior record of Marteilia sydneyi. These represent oysters from Hastings River, Wallis Lake, Port Stephens, Bateman’s Bay, Tuross Lake, Narooma and Merimbula.
Further testing of these infections confirmed the identity of the QX organism and found it to be present in the oyster tissues at a sub-clinical level i.e. prior to reaching the oyster’s digestive gland where the parasite would normally produce spores. At this stage of development, pathology in the oyster is reduced and the condition factor of oysters is not seriously compromised.
In 2003 surveillance and diagnosis using PCR techniques showed a reduced impact of QX disease with Southern Moreton Bay (0.67% of sample infected), Brunswick River (1.3% of sample infected), Richmond River (13.3% of sample infected), Clarence River (6% of sample infected) and Georges River
(0.67% of sample infected).
(0.67% of sample infected).
This project has had a significant impact on our understanding of QX disease in rock oysters as it applies to management. Rather than the disease agent being limited geographically to those estuaries that experience periodic outbreaks, the agent has been identified in most rock oyster growing areas on the east coast of Australia. As such there is the potential for outbreaks of QX disease in all commercial growing areas (indeed such an outbreak occurred in 2004, with seasonal re-occurrence in 2005, in the Hawkesbury River) and that disease is likely to be regulated through a combination of the dynamics of the parasite lifecycle and the level of oyster fitness. Furthermore, in any aquatic system the environment will play an equally significant role in the outcomes of host/parasite interactions both through direct impact on stages (spores, infective stages) in the lifecycle of the parasite and indirectly through its impact on host fitness.
In the light of our new understanding of the distribution of the QX disease agent it could be argued that management through quarantine of identified QX-endemic estuaries is no longer appropriate. However, the biology of Marteilia sydneyi (dynamics of the life cycle of the parasite, interactions with alternate hosts) and its interaction with the host oyster’s immune system are incompletely understood and the precautionary principle should be upheld especially in the case of such a serious disease.
While estuaries which undergo periodic outbreak should remain closed to export of oysters for relaying live in water elsewhere, local management will focus on disease seasonality and stock rotation to avoid the high risk periods in mid to late summer. These periods should be identified with accuracy to maximise available growth periods in disease endemic areas of estuaries. The ongoing projects to develop QX disease resistant oysters (NSW DPI and collaboration with Macquarie University) should run parallel with a program of incremental addition to the biological knowledge of this pathogen. Specifically, an absence of our ability to maintain a laboratory based infection model hampers research on identifying those factors (pathogen-specific, oyster-specific and environment-specific) which promote disease.
Review of hatchery production technology for Sydney rock oysters
Project number:
2001-213
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$42,032.00
Principal Investigator:
John Benzie
Organisation:
UNSW Sydney
Project start/end date:
13 Oct 2001
-
31 Dec 2002
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
The breeding program for fast growth has been very successful and selection for disease resistance is showing good promise. Future progress of these breeding programs will be augmented with the development of genetic markers for disease resistance and fast growth. However, all this work is now on hold pending the results of this review.
Despite the best efforts of the staff at the Port Stephens Fisheries Centre, the hatchery production problems of the Sydney rock oyster have not been overcome over the past 10 years. This has failed despite input from marine pathologists within NSW Fisheries, other laboratories in Australia as well and overseas. (For recent review see Heasman, 2000). Therefore it is imperative that past research and hatchery practices are reviewed to determine if with revised and more disciplined approach the problems could be resolved.
The fact that a hatchery in Albany, WA has been able to successfully produce commercial quantities of the western strain of Sydney rock oysters spat suggests that problems encountered in NSW are surmountable. It is therefore proposed that hatchery production technology and the breeding program at the Port Stephens Fisheries Centre be reviewed afresh by an independent panel of experts to determine if a remedial course of action can be formulated.
Without commercial hatchery production of spat the NSW oyster industry is doomed to decline further, as the competing Pacific oyster industries interstate and New Zealand take advantage of genetic improvement and year round supply of spat.
References:
Heasman, M., 2000. Improved early survival of molluscs - Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata). Final Report to Aquaculture CRC Project A.2.1. NSW Fisheries Final Report Series (in press).
1. To critically review objectives, methodology and results to date for the Sydney rock oyster breeding program.
2. To critically review practices and procedures for Sydney rock oyster hatchery technology at the Port Stephens Fisheries Centre and problems associated with larval and post-settlement mortality.
3. Prepare a cost/benefit review of the Sydney rock oyster hatchery program.
4. Provide recommendations for either continuation or discontinuation of Sydney rock oyster hatchery R&D and breeding program.
Final report
Author:
John Benzie
Rock Lobster Enhancement and Aquaculture Subprogram: strategic planning, project management and adoption
Project number:
2001-211
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$325,405.00
Principal Investigator:
Robert van Barneveld
Organisation:
Barneveld Nutrition Pty Ltd
Project start/end date:
14 Jul 2001
-
30 May 2006
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
1. RESEARCH RELEVANCE AND ACCEPTANCE
The purpose of the RLEAS is to provide technology for use in Australian rock lobster enhancement and aquaculture systems so they can be internationally competitive while operating in harmony with the wild fisheries. Since its inception, the RLEAS has been coordinated by Dr Robert van Barneveld. The Subprogram has evolved from being actively opposed by the wild fishing sector in many states, to being an integral part in the future development of the rock lobster sector. A degree of harmony has been established between the wild fishery and the aquaculture sector, and a high degree of research coordination has been established between states and internationally with researchers in New Zealand and Japan. None of this would have been possible without an independent Subprogram Leader and a highly responsive Steering Committee that is strongly represented by industry members from across Australia.
2. RESEARCH EFFICIENCY AND OUTPUT
The presence of a coordination component within the RLEAS has resulted in savings in the operation of new and existing projects far exceeding $500,000 and it is likely that this trend will exist in the future. To this end, the RLEAS Steering Committee will continue to support a coordination project for the operation of the RLEAS. In addition, since 1998 the RLEAS has delivered outcomes from 4 core projects with outcomes pending from another four projects in June, 2000. In April 2000, the FRDC funded an additional 5 projects within the Subprogram that will run concurrently until June, 2003. It is unlikely that this level of highly focussed research and productivity would have been possible without a coordinated subprogram.
In the past, the establishment of subprograms has resulted in considerable savings in travel and operating expenditure by centralising expenditure for workshops, publications and extension within a coordination project. The new projects approved within the RLEAS in April, 2000 do not contain any travel or operating budgets for attendance at subprogram workshops, attendance of the Principal Investigators at Steering Committee meetings, or extension of research results. Hence, there is a need to ensure these projects have an ongoing capacity to maintain a degree of integration and to deliver results to end-users.
1. Development and implementation of strategic plans and the facilitation of research and extension to assist the establishment of rock lobster aquaculture and enhancement systems in Australia.
2. Coordination of a wide range of discipline-based (ie nutrition, reproduction, husbandry) research projects across a range of rock lobster species relevant to different regions of Australia.
3. Identification and procurement of funding from a variety of sources additional to FRDC to compliment or enhance existing rock lobster enhancement and aquaculture research in Australia and New Zealand.
4. Identification and procurement of funding from a variety of sources to assist the commercialisation of technologies developed within the RLEAS research program in partnership with the commercial sector and research agencies participating in the RLEAS.
5. Facilitate the delivery of outcomes from the RLEAS in the form of annual workshops, newsletters, media releases, final reports, workshop proceedings and scientific publications.
6. Provide a single point of contact for rock lobster enhancement and aquaculture research in Australia.
7. Facilitate the functions of a RLEAS Steering Committee to ensure ongoing research programs have a high degree of industry relevance and focus.
Final report
Author:
Robert van Barneveld
Aquafin CRC - increasing the profitability of snapper farming by improving hatchery practices and diets
Project number:
2001-208
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$751,817.00
Principal Investigator:
Geoff L. Allan
Organisation:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Project start/end date:
30 Jan 2002
-
1 Jul 2008
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
This project extends previous work, which has demonstrated the feasibility of snapper farming in both marine and inland saline waters. It seeks to reduce production costs by improving fingerling survival and growth and reducing input (feed) costs.
A reliable supply of cheap, high quality, healthy fingerlings is essential for development of viable snapper farming. Currently, industry estimates the cost of production of snapper at $1.00 per fingerling. To improve profitability, there is a need to reduce the cost and improve the vigour of fingerlings and to develop cost-effective high-performance diets and feeding systems for both hatchery and grow-out. This need has been recognised through the FRDC sponsored Hatchery Feeds R & D Plan (McKinnon et al., 2000: http://www.aims.gov.au/hatchery-feeds). This project will improve hatchery methods and replace live feeds, such as brine shrimp (Artemia) whose supply and quality are unreliable, with alternative live feeds or artificial feeds. The project will also develop better strategies for combining intensive and extensive rearing methods so as to optimise fingerling survival and quality. Research will have application for other species, including tuna.
Growout diets need to produce fish with desirable marketing traits, including colour. Fish are marketed as a “healthy” product, largely because fish fat has relatively high contents of the omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids. However, while replacing fish meal and fish oil in fish diets may reduce diet cost, it will also reduce these health benefits. Minimising feed wastage through ensuring optimal pellet stability and determining the best feeding frequencies and feeding rates are critical factors in reducing pollution from fish farms. To achieve these goals, diets will be developed that satisfy but not oversupply essential nutrients and that are made from high quality, highly digestible, readily obtainable ingredients. Diets will also be designed to stimulate maximum consumption and deliver optimal feed conversion efficiency. Additional research is needed to build on successful results with snapper diet development under the current FRDC ADD Subprogram snapper diet development project. The nutrition component of the current application and the exisiting FRDC snapper diet development project will be fully integrated.
Finally, the project will seek to reduce disease-induced mortality by developing treatment methods for common parasites and establishing a foundation for immunological approaches to fish skin diseases.
1. Improve production of snapper fingerlings by developing extensive, fertilised-pond rearing techniques for the advanced production of snapper juveniles.
2. Improve production of snapper fingerlings by developing larval feeding strategies to reduce the use of live feeds, in particular Artemia, by weaning larvae at an early age onto commercial and/or experimental artificial diets.
3. Improve production of snapper fingerlings by developing methods to reduce and/or treat the incidence of parasite infestation.
4. Improve the skin colour of farmed snapper by reducing melanisation and improving skin pigmentation.
5. Determine digestibility for, and ability of fish to utilize, new ingredients with potential for use in low-polluting snapper diets.
6. Evaluate ability of snapper to utilize carbohydrate and lipid sources for energy.
7. Determine optimum protein:energy ratio for fish grown at one favourable temperature.
8. Provide recommendations for feeding strategies to minimise overfeeding and maximise fish production.
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2001-206
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
University of Tasmania (UTAS)
SPECIES
Aquafin CRC - Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Subprogram: treatment and pathophysiology of Amoebic Gill Disease
Project number:
2001-205
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$659,515.00
Principal Investigator:
Mark Powell
Organisation:
University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Project start/end date:
30 Jan 2002
-
20 Oct 2005
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
There is an urgent need to develop novel treatments which would reduce the impact of AGD on salmon industry. A detailed benefit – cost analysis for the AQUAFIN CRC AGD project was undertaken which gave a Net Present Value of the economic benefit of $21.6M, Benefit/Cost Ratio of 5.3. The current project will deliver the short-term solutions and provide information and advice to the industry on a regular basis.
The current project is part of an integrated research program, with deliverables not only aligned with the development of novel treatments, but also with effective vaccine development, management and other control methods. Developing and maintaining standarised infection is included in this subproject, and it will be crucial for vaccine testing and experimental work within the Host-pathogen interaction project and the Model development – epidemiology of AGD project. The development of a quantitative experimental challenge model is an essential prerequisite to vaccine research and novel treatment testing. Without the quantitative experimental model it is very difficult to compare effectiveness of treatments or vaccines tested in separate experiments. Additionally, the controlled lab infection will provide crude gill isolates to researchers working in other projects.
The growth of the industry and ineffectiveness of freshwater bathing has resulted in the need for the development of new treatments that will either aid in improving current freshwater bathing technology, or offer completely new avenues for the treatment of AGD in Atlantic salmon. Effective treatment of the disease can only be achieved if we understand the physiological and pathological processes at work. To this end it is imperative that we understand:
1. The effect of the parasite on the normal physiology of the salmon so resulting in mortality
2. The effect of the treatment on the parasite
3. The effects of the treatment on fish parasitised to different degrees (I.e., potential toxicity side effects of treatments)
Successful treatments will be rapidly adopted by the industry given the problems with freshwater bathing technology. Advances in the development of either additives to the current freshwater baths or freshwater bath replacement by a less time-consuming chemical treatment will ensure that treatment and control of AGD as a constraint to Atlantic salmon production in Tasmania is eliminated.
1. Establish an on-going laboratory source of AGD affected fish.
2. Establish and validate controlled infection/challenge system.
3. To understand how AGD affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems of Atlantic salmon.
4. To determine how environmental parameters interact with AGD pathophysiology. In particular the interaction of temperature, oxygen, salinity, and carbon dioxide.
5. To develop and test new chemical or pharmaceutical treatments for the control of AGD.
6. To optimise the efficacy of current treatments by minimising the physiological impact on the fish.
Final report
Author:
Mark Powell
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