Project number:
2017-020
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$19,867.77
Principal Investigator:
Andrew J. Forrest
Organisation:
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries EcoScience Precinct
Project start/end date:
2 Jul 2017
-
30 Oct 2018
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
Industry stakeholders have a need to prevent fish infected with these parasites, being further traded through the value chain. However, identifying an appropriate level of technology will be the challenge to stakeholders. Such technology will need to be cost effective, non-destructive, rapid and relatively simple to use.
Stakeholders also need to identify the parasites concerned for both species, and identify technology capable of screening out such infected fish is required in the processing environment. The work proposed here will identify the parasite concerned for both species, identify appropriate technology applicable is a regional processing environment, and trial such technology at the place of processing in NSW.
1. Determine the efficacy of ultra sound imaging to detect muscle parasites in Yellowtail kingfish and Mahi mahi (proof of concept).
2. Conduct field trials of the US technology on site in a commercial fish processing facility to determine suitability to that environment and determine the threshold of detection of each parasite
3. Identify species of muscle parasite affecting Yellowtail Kingfish and Mahi Mahi from northern NSW waters.
4. Establish rate of incidence of identified muscle parasites in Yellowtail Kingfish and Mahi Mahi.
Final report
ISBN:
NA
Author:
Andrew Forrest
Final Report
•
2019-11-01
•
761.73 KB
2017-020-DLD.pdf
Yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) and Mahi mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) are actively targeted by fishers in the warmer waters of northern NSW. Both species are becoming increasingly important to local fishers with escalating demand due to increased consumer awareness of the premium eating quality both species. YTK specifically is receiving a significant increase in consumer awareness and market penetration; primarily as a sushi and sashimi product. Consumers of such products rightly have very high expectations of the sensory qualities for such products.
Incidents of muscle parasite infections that cause muscle softening in both species have been reported with increasing frequency in recent years. These parasites cause fishers to lose money in the short term by way of buyer reimbursement. However both species are now experiencing a loss of buyer confidence which has also reduced the market price to wholesalers. These issues of product confidence are now threatening the viability and thus the continuation of this fishery.
Incidents of muscle parasite infections that cause muscle softening in both species have been reported with increasing frequency in recent years. These parasites cause fishers to lose money in the short term by way of buyer reimbursement. However both species are now experiencing a loss of buyer confidence which has also reduced the market price to wholesalers. These issues of product confidence are now threatening the viability and thus the continuation of this fishery.
This project sought to investigate the use of non-invasive screening technology for the purpose of identifying infected fish in a commercial fish processing environment. However, dude to a lack of available parasitised fish the project was terminated at the first milestone. This report constitutes a summary of the research that has occurred to date
