Future oysters CRC-P: Species diversification to provide alternatives for commercial production
Future Oysters CRC-P: Advanced aquatic disease surveillance for known and undefined oyster pathogens
Sturgeon aquaculture in Australia: feasibility study
Growing a profitable, innovative and collaborative Australian Yellowtail Kingfish aquaculture industry: bringing 'white' fish to the market - RnD4Profit-14-01-027 - SA Component
YTK farming is identified nationally as the greatest opportunity for new aquaculture development in the next few decades through substantial increases in farmed area and product, and use of aquafeeds, resulting in growth in regional economies and employment. Within 10 years, YTK production is expected to increase by 34,000 tonnes, worth $440 million, and using 68,000 tonnes of aquafeed worth $136 million. The key challenge to achieving this growth is for industry to diversify its focus from supplying only the relatively small volume, high price sashimi market to the larger volume, lower price Australian ‘white fish’ market, while enhancing farm productivity and reducing operating costs to maintain profitability.
This project will enable industry to grow its position by developing more cost effective, sustainable feeds and feeding strategies to enhance YTK growth and health; the industry’s highest common R&D priorities as feed and feeding strategies comprise 60% of operating costs. It will also network three key Australian YTK aquaculture companies and their aligned research institutions (SA, NSW and WA). Aquafeed companies are also likely to participate. As such, this project will meet the designated ‘Rural Research & Development for Profit Programme’ objectives:
1. “Generating knowledge, technologies, products or processes that benefit primary producers",
2. “Establishing and fostering industry and research collaborations that form the basis for ongoing innovation and growth of Australian agriculture”.
The key Activities wil address the YTK industry's common R&D priorities through three components/themes:
1. Economically sustainable feeds and improved diet formulation (NUTRITION);
2. Improved FEEDING STRATEGIES to increase profit; and
3. Improving nutritional HEALTH to boost productivity.
Once the project is initiated the Steering Committee will develop an agreed approach to engage with aquafeed companies to maximise participation in and contribution to the project.
Final report
1. Project Initiation and Management
3. Improve feeding strategies to increase profit (Feeding Strategies)
4. Improve nutritional health to boost productivity (Health)
5. Extension and capability building
Socio-ecological assessment of the ecosystems, industries and communities of Spencer Gulf
This project is a case study that addresses science needs identified in the National Marine Science Plan 2015, relating to:
i) systematic collection of environmental, social and economic baseline data;
ii) establishing a monitoring program to support effective management and conservation;
iii) incorporating social, economic and cultural data into marine assessments.
This socio-ecological assessment of Spencer Gulf is needed to evaluate and support future management of the gulfs ecosystems, industries and communities.
It will: i) improve current understanding of the web of interactions that drive patterns and trends in the Gulfs key ecological, economic and social feature and ii) help ensure that ecological, economic and social benefits from future use of the Gulf’s assets are balanced and maximised.
This assessment of Spencer Gulf is needed to build on progress towards 1) ecosystem-based management of the fishing and aquaculture sectors achieved through previous FRDC projects (see references in Goyder application attached) and 2) ecosystem-based management of the gulfs ecosystems, industries and communities (especially stakeholder engagement) achieved as part of the $2.5M industry-funded SGEDI.
Funding provided by FRDC and the Goyder Institute for Water Research are needed to ensure that momentum towards ecosystem-based management achieved through SGEDI previous projects is maintained during a period where the availability of additional industry funds is limited.