Research

Current Projects

Project 2004/235 Technical, project management and review services.

Principal Investigator: Robert van Barneveld, Barneveld Nutrition, Qld

Project 2004/236 Evaluation of value-added grain protein products for
Atlantic salmon and black tiger prawns.

Principal Investigator: Brett Glencross, Department of Fisheries, WA.

Project 2004/237: Assessment of growth performance under limiting environmental conditions.

Principal Investigator: Chris Carter, UTAS, Tasmania

Completed Projects

2001/251: Strategic Planning, project development and facilitation of nutrition research and extension across all Australian aquaculture sectors.

Principal Investigator: Dr Robert van Barneveld

(Barneveld Nutrition Pty Ltd, 19-27 Coonan Rd, South Maclean Qld 4280 Australia)

Objectives and Planned Outcomes:

1. Establish what the fundamental non species specific nutritional constraints are to aquaculture production (eg. Diet form, nutritional requirements, feeding strategies, feed evaluation or a combination of several factors) and then establish and manage a collaborative core research program to address this.
2. Develop a risk management strategy for all aquaculture industries in relation to nutrition to assist the research priority setting process.
3. Forge an agreement between the FRDC and other relevant RDC’s and research providers for the management of research relating to aquaculture nutrition under the auspices of an aquaculture nutrition subprogram accounting for variations in priorities between agencies.
4. Define and facilitate a mechanism for lead agencies for the commercialisation of all relevant nutrition research arising from FRDC funded projects.
5. Provide a single point of contact for aquaculture nutrition research in Australia and improve the aquaculture nutrition skills base in Australia.
6. Facilitate the functions of an aquaculture nutrition ‘Expert Working group’ to ensure ongoing research programs have a high degree of industry relevance and focus.
7. Improve communication of nutrition research outcomes and current nutrition research between scientists, aquaculturists, ingredient suppliers and feed manufacturers.

ANS Strategic Directions 2002-2007

Click here to download a pdf verison of ANS Strategic Directions 2002-2007

Communications Strategy

The Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram will undertake the following communication and technology transfer activities:

1. Maintenance and annual upgrading of an Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram strategic plan on CD-ROM for distribution to research agencies, FRABs, and industry.
2. Publication of an annual operating plan for the subprogram for delivery to FRABs in December each year to assist deliberations on projects related to aquaculture nutrition..
3. Publication of an aquaculture nutrition newsletter for distribution to researchers and industry via the subprogram mailing list. This mailing list has recently been updated and now contains 125 contacts.
4. Publication of workshop proceedings from the annual aquaculture nutrition workshop for distribution to workshop participants, industry and educational institutions.
5. Coordinated delivery of progress and final reports to FRDC from core projects managed within the aquaculture nutrition subprogram.
6. Development and maintenance of an aquaculture nutrition website. The Subprogram Leader will also provide regular contributions to Aquafeed.com to promote the activities of the Subprogram.
7. Where sufficient interest exists, the subprogram will provide short courses to improve the practical nutrition knowledge base that exists in the Australian aquaculture sector.

Operating Procedures

The following core activities will be undertaken during the first year of the Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram:

Establishment of a recognised "Expert Working Group"

A core function of the Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram will be the facilitation of an Expert Working Group that will undertake the following:

• Develop a 5 year research and development plan for generic Australian aquaculture nutrition research priorities.
• When requested by FRDC, scrutinise nutrition research planned within the species based subprograms.
• Provide advice to the FRDC Board and other Australian research and development investors on aquaculture nutrition research priorities.
• Act as an identifiable point of contact as an expert working group on nutrition for all Australian stakeholders in aquaculture.
• Provide industry feedback and views.
• Review existing nutrition research based on contractual obligations when requested by FRDC.
• Ensure nutrition research outcomes are commercially focused;
• Identify those research providers and researchers best equipped to address defined research priorities;
• Commission tendered research to address defined priorities;
• Define an appropriate basis for the distribution of intellectual property on a case by case basis.
• Facilitate extension and technology transfer of nutrition research outcomes.

The Expert Working Group will meet face to face once per year in conjunction with the annual workshop. Teleconferences will be convened as required during the year. Membership of the Expert Working Group will be skills based, and will include scientists, feed manufacturers, aquaculturists, and others as appropriate. This project will support a membership of 8-10.

Strategic planning and establishment of a core project base

Based on the inputs of the Expert Working Group, consultation with the species-based subprograms and consultation with industry, a strategic plan will be developed for the Subprogram to address aquaculture nutrition research issues that are common to all species. This strategic plan will be distributed on CD-ROM.

Based on the strategic plan, the Subprogram will commission a number of core research projects as appropriate and will manage these projects on behalf of FRDC in a similar way to species-based subprograms. If a research project exists that is consistent with the strategic plan for the Subprogram, a recommendation will be made to FRDC to make it a core subprogram project. New research proposals will be developed through the use of facilitated strategic planning meetings. Using priorities published in the Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram Strategic Plan, the Subprogram Leader will convene meetings with relevant researchers and research institutions to:

1. Define the planned outcomes of the new proposal;
2. Manage an indicative budget for the research;
3. Identify which researchers/institutions are best placed to undertake the research;
4. Promote collaboration between researchers and institutions where appropriate;
5. Seek external expertise and inputs as required.
6. Ensure the new proposal meets the objectives of the subprogram and that the research remains relevant and focused.

Development of formal relationships between FRDC and other investors

The Subprogram will forge an agreement between the FRDC and other relevant RDC’s (such as ACIAR and GRDC) and research providers for the management of research relating to aquaculture nutrition under the auspices of the Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram. This process will account for variation in priorities between agencies. This mechanism will be for providing information to other RDC’s rather than making decisions on their behalf.

Identification and procurement of additional funding

Utilising the relationship between FRDC and other investors, the Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram will identify and procure additional funding for the conduct of core aquaculture nutrition projects.

Commercialisation of aquaculture diets

In the past, difficulties have been encountered commercialising outcomes from nutrition projects, and this was highlighted in the review conducted by the BECAN Consulting Group. This can be partly attributed to the fact that most of the outcomes from nutrition projects are intangible (eg. digestibility values, diet formulation). Heavy reliance was placed on the feed manufacturers to adopt these outcomes, to use the outcomes to develop commercial diets, and to produce sufficient quantities of diet for commercial-scale experiments - a process that was not always successful.

The Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram could act as the conduit between research providers and feed manufacturers to facilitate the commercialisation of technology arising from aquaculture nutrition research. This could include establishing a basic procedure for the commercialisation of nutrition research. In addition, the Subprogram could facilitate the pre-commercial production of extruded aquatic feeds in association with the newly established "Australasian Experimental Stockfeed Extrusion Centre".