Strategic Plan Summary

• Role
• Research Strategy
• Research Outputs

Role

The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) is a rural research and development corporation within the portfolio of the Commonwealth Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Formed as a statutory corporation on 2 July 1991 under the provisions of the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989 (PIERD Act), it is a national organisation responsible to its stakeholders for:

• Planning, funding and managing research and development programs; and
• Facilitation the dissemination, adoption and commercialisation of the results of research and development.

Visit the FRDC website for more information.

On occasion, the FRDC recognises that a planned research and development outcome could be achieved more successfully if a number of related projects were managed more intensively by employing higher levels of coordination, integration and communication than for individual projects. In that event the FRDC, either on its own initiative or at the request of a stakeholder group, establishes a managed subprogram.

Visit Subprograms within the FRDC website for more information on establishment of subprograms.

The FRDC established the Abalone Aquaculture Subprogram in July 1993 following consultation with industry and scientists. The Subprogram was established with the following objective or "mission":

What do we aim to achieve through the Abalone Aquaculture Subprogram?

Our aim is the delivery of research outcomes that facilitate the development of a viable abalone aquaculture industry in Australia. The subprogram pursues a whole of industry approach to production, processing and marketing to ensure an efficient supply chain approach that maximises the industry’s competitive advantages. The subprogram aims to assist the industry in becoming profitable and internationally competitive as measured by:

• value of the abalone aquaculture industry;
• value of farmed abalone exports;
• production from abalone aquaculture.

These outcomes are achieved through pursuing a diverse range on research and development outcomes, such as:

• cost of production;
• time of production;
• efficiency of production;
• survivorship during production;
• control and predictability of production;
• disease free status on-farm;
• quality and food safety programs;
• "clean and green" image internationally;
• market value and value-adding;
• knowledge of markets;
• national marketing and branding strategy;
• technology development and transfer;
• information and resource availability.

Research Strategy

The subprogram seeks to manage a balance portfolio of projects that encompass a broad scope of strategies. It is important to note that industry has the ultimate responsibility for establishing strategic direction. Through a consultative process, all farmers have the opportunity to voice their views on where research and development should be focused to maximise the contribution of FRDC-funded research and development towards the growth, viability and economic benefit of the abalone aquaculture industry. Consequently, priorities will fall into a range of the following strategies based on the needs of the developing industry, but not all at any given time.

1. To improve the profitability of production (increased animal growth and survivorship, reduced capital costs, reduced ongoing operational costs, reduced ground area requirements) through the following sub-strategies:

   Technology and husbandry

   1a: To increase and apply knowledge of abalone aquaculture production systems and husbandry management.

   Genetics

   1b: To increase and apply knowledge of genetics to improve the performance of farmed stock.

   Environmental requirements

   1c: To increase and apply knowledge of the environmental requirements of abalone to ensure water quality parameters are met.

   Nutrition

   1d: To increase and apply knowledge of the nutritional requirements of abalone to improve animal performance.

   Feed development

   1e: To increase and apply knowledge of manufactured feeds to improve animal performance and reduce feed costs.

    

Health

2. To increase the health status of farmed abalone stocks through the following sub-strategies:

   Pests and diseases

   2a: To increase and apply knowledge of the pests and diseases that threaten abalone aquaculture and management strategies to control them.

   Chemical use and registration

   2b: To increase and apply knowledge of the use of chemicals in abalone aquaculture and seek registration for those used by the industry.

   Health surveillance

   2c: To increase and apply knowledge of programs to survey the health status of stock on farms.

   Stress reduction

   2d: To increase and apply knowledge of stress, its effect on production performance and strategies to minimise stress during production.

    

3. To increase and apply knowledge of quality and food safety systems on farms.

    

4. To increase and apply knowledge of product and process development that will add value to abalone and abalone product.

    

5. To increase and apply knowledge of markets for farmed abalone and abalone products.

    

6. To provide knowledge of abalone farming to people involved in abalone aquaculture.

Research Outputs

What are the research outputs to date that have contributed to a successful industry?

Following is a summary of knowledge, processes and technologies that have contributed to making the abalone aquaculture industry profitable and internationally competitive.

Measure	Strategies	Target	Period	(FRDC Project no.)
Project outputs that contribute to improvement of production and production systems.	Technology and Husbandry	2 projects completed: 1 project current:	1993-96 1998-02 2000-02	(1993/224) (1998/306) (2000/204)
	Genetics	1 project completed: 3 projects current:	2000-01 2001-02 2002-05 2002-06	(2000/201) (2000/202) (2001/254) (2002/202)
	Environmental requirements	1 project completed:	1997-00	(1997/323)
	Nutrition	1 external project completed: Ph.D. published: 1 project completed:	1995-98 1998 2000-01	(2000/203)
	Feed development	4 projects completed:     Ph.D. submitted 1 project current:	1993-96 1994-97 1996-99 1996-99 2001 2002-03	(1993/224) (1994/085) (1996/385) (1996/386) (2002/200)
Project outputs that assist in ensuring a disease free status on-farm.	Pests and diseases/ Health surveillance	1 external project completed: 1 project current:	1996-01 2002-04	(2002/201)
	Chemical use and registration	1 project current:	2000-02	(200/204)
	Stress reduction	1 project current:	2002-03	(2002/200)
Project outputs that contribute to the development of food quality and safety.	Food safety and quality	1 project completed:	2000	(2000/246)
Project outputs that contribute to the development of value-added products.	Value-adding
Project outputs that contribute to improvement in marketing.	Market development	1996: Marketing workshop 2001: Marketing workshop
Project outputs and activities that contribute to improvement in information delivery and availability.	Information and resource availability	Subprogram communication and promotion activities

The following table shows key inputs, outputs and outcomes of abalone aquaculture projects from 1993 to the present. It shows key factors associated with the provision of research and development. In particular it shows time lags, and reflects a multiplicity of linkages between inputs, outputs and outcomes, in achieving some very significant outcomes. In aquaculture research and development, few inputs produce outputs immediately. Therefore, most outputs occurring during any year result from inputs of previous years. Subsequently, almost all outcomes result from many outputs produced in previous years. Actual time lags vary according to the activities involved.

		Early 1990s Present
Key issues: (1980s to present)		Inputs: 1990s to present (continuing)
1980s No industry in Australia. Pioneer farmers established the techniques of: spawning broodstock; fertilising eggs; and raising larvae to settlement. Early 1990s Numerous small-scale farms operating in isolation. Young industry recognises that if the industry is to be successful it must use cheap, manufactured diets and production systems suitable for their use. Mid 1990s Recognition of a viable industry. Burgeoning industry seeks to improve on production performance. The Tasmanian industry is set back by mudworm infestations. Late 1990s to present Well established industry whose reputation for innovation and cooperative collaboration is recognised internationally. Commercial production commences. Industry continues to seek improvements in production performance. Industry begins to address issues other than production performance, particularly market issues that contribute to its "clean and green" image.		Funding from the FRDC for seven principal projects (about $2.055 million) and elements of other research and development projects: 1992: initial review of industry needs by external assessor. *1993: determination of nutritional requirements of juvenile and adult abalone; formulation of manufactured diets; involvement of feed companies in manufacture methods; comparative on-farm trial of existing production technology. 1996: review of industry needs by external assessor. 1996: further research on nutrition and feed formation; on-farm assessment of feeding strategies; establishment of tolerance levels to environmental parameters; identification of settlement queues and optimum feeds for post-settlement juveniles; understanding of the factors contributing to mudworm infestations and strategies for their control. 1998: Review of industry research and development priorities by subprogram. 1999: Review of industry research and development priorities by subprogram. Funding from the FRDC for six principal projects (about $713,000) and elements of other research and development projects: 2000: Research begun to control broodstock conditioning on-farm; establishment of selectively bred family lines on-farm; cryopreservation of sperm to assist development of family lines; determination of feed formations specifically for blacklip abalone; assessment of antibiotic performance in abalone; establishment of quality and food safety programs on-farm. 2001: Review of industry research and development priorities by subprogram. Funding from the FRDC for four principal projects (about $998,000) and elements of other research and development projects: 2002: Continuation of selective breeding program for a further three years; development of genetic markers to fast-track the identification of superior stock within the selective breeding program; investigation into improving performance of diets during summer to alleviate stress and mortality during high temperatures; survey of Australian abalone diseases along the southern coastline to assist in developing a health surveillance program. * [In 1993 research and development was enhanced by establishment of a dedicated FRDC managed subprogram] Total investment to date by the FRDC in abalone aquaculture is $3.766 million Investment by research providers and other funding entities is $3.316 million Contribution from industry consultation and participation, feed manufacturers, including in-kind is about $1.855 million

mid 1990s		mid 1990s present
Outputs: mid 1990s to present (continuing) Knowledge Extension and communication outputs, e.g. workshops, proceedings, manuals, newsletters, scientific papers, reports, peer review, news media coverage, trade journals and magazines Increased knowledge to help resolve other challenges Focus widened beyond individual farms or states Processes Better FRDC/ research entity/ industry processes for research and development and collaboration Quicker transfer of knowledge and uptake of technology Technologies Improved production technology Unrestricted technology transfer through sale of systems Formulations and manufacture procedures for feeds for abalone		Outcomes: 1993 to present (continuing) Production and production systems Technology and Husbandry One of the earliest outcomes of the subprogram was the enormous strides that were made in developing more cost-effective land-based tanks for abalone growout. This work was undertaken by farmers themselves, with the subprogram providing the scientific methodology and rigour. The outcome of this work provided the basis for the continual development of growout tanks that has occurred since. Today there are a range of state-of—the-art growout tanks that are commercially available to new farmers. reduction in production time (to 70-80mm) from 4-5 years in 1993 to 3.5-4 years in 2002; Genetics Current projects on selective breeding of abalone on-farm, genetic markers and sperm cryopreservation will provide the industry with significant improvements in production in the future. Environmental requirements Basic husbandry techniques have been improved at commercial facilities through a better understanding of abalone environmental requirements. Their particularly high sensitivity to various wastes common in growout tanks has meant that farmers are far more aware of the importance of maintaining high water quality through good system design, strict feeding regimes and good husbandry techniques. Nutrition The continued research into the of nutrition of abalone since 1993 to the present has produced an extensive and invaluable database on the nutritional requirements of greenlip abalone (for lipids, protein and energy) and digestibility data for a range of feedstuffs suitable for abalone feeds. The recently completed project has broadened this database to include blacklip. A project funded in 2002 will seek to improve the performance of diets during high summer temperature when significant stock losses occur through gut bloat. Feed development A reliable diet source was the greatest barrier to the expansion of an abalone aquaculture in Australia in 1993. The development of a manufactured diet under the management of the subprogram broke this barrier between 1993-96 and produced a diet demonstrated to be world class. The cost of ingredient inclusion in the manufactured diet has reduced from $2.40/kg in 1993 to $1.30 in 1996 to $<1.00/kg in 2000. The cost of feed for the farmer has reduced from $5.50/kg (1993) to $3.50 (1993) to $2.95/kg (2000) representing a 55% cost reduction. Feed accounts for approximately 30% of costs, therefore this has saved farmers approximately 16.5% of total production costs. Due to improved diets and growout systems, now farmers are able to achieve annual average growth rates between 70-100 m m/day. This is a significant improvement on the average of 30-85 m m/day achieved in 1993. Health Pests and diseases The recently completed project on mudworm biology and eradication methods has provided the Tasmanian industry with invaluable data to improve farm practices to avoid infestations and treatments to control outbreaks. The current project on antibiotic use will provide useful information on the circumstances leading up to Vibrio outbreak and recommendations for better farm practices to increase resistance through improved health. In 2002 funding was approved to undertake a survey of Australian abalone diseases along the southern coastline of Australia. This will provide vet pathologists with a comprehensive histological atlas of abalone disease pathology. Chemical use and registration The current project on antibiotic use will provide invaluable data on suitability of various drugs and techniques for administering them. Data collected will also be useful when registering antibiotics. Health surveillance The survey of Australian abalone diseases described above will be used to facilitate the development of an industry-funded health surveillance program. Part of this project is to develop a health surveillance protocol to ensure national uniformity and information linkage between states. Stress reduction The current project on the effect of heat stress on the immunological resistance to bacteria will provide the industry with invaluable information on how to manage stock during periods of heat stress. In 2002 a project was funded to investigate ways to reduce gut bloat and so improve summer survival through nutritional treatments that may alleviate the effects of increased water temperature, such as extrusion of ingredients and immune enhancing additives. Food quality and safety Nine farms have a quality and food safety system in practice. Procedures are in place for other farms to adopt the system when desired. Information and resource availability Previous to the development of the subprogram, researchers and industry did not have a good working relationship or communication vehicle. The subprogram has fostered the development of a research management structure and a range of communication strategies that has meant researchers and industry work within a cooperative research structure. The subprogram has an annual project development cycle to identify research needs and objectives, and to manage projects that are focused on providing outcomes and outputs that are industry applicable. The subprogram has been very supportive of conducting research at commercial facilities. This has led to better research husbandry through industry input, more industry-orientated goal setting, better transfer of information to industry, and significant cost contributions to research by industry. New farmers and investors use the information and resources of the subprogram to develop business plans, prospectuses, reports necessary for gaining permits and licenses, etc. The subprogram has a national reputation as the focal point for abalone aquaculture knowledge.