The hatchery sector for SRO is still developing and any assistance with its underlying operating challenges or potential increases to its seed market significantly improve the prospects for its continued development.

Tetraploid SRO: Triploid SRO can grow up to 30% faster than normal SRO and commonly have a significantly longer marketability window. Accordingly, many framers have eagerly awaited the supply of more triploid seed. In order for this to occur new techniques that overcome the shortcomings of direct induction are required - techniques that don't involve the direct application of harmful chemicals to what will eventually be a foodstuff.

Gamete preservation: Currently techniques for strip spawning SRO gametes typically results in the destruction of valuable broodstock and the collection of many more gametes than are required immediately. The capacity to simply and cheaply store gametes for relatively short periods of time offers a number of advantages. Once the hatchery operator is satisfied with the performance of gametes (usually apparent within hours to days) gametes could be shared with other hatcheries. This is particularly valuable where brood stock are scarce because of time of year or they are from a limited population in a breeding program. If problems occur, stored gametes could be used to commence a second batch without the need to continue to hold and feed broodstock, or to recreate a particular cross (or new crosses) within a breeding program.

Maturation: SRO broodstock can take up to 10 weeks to bring into condition within a hatchery and can consume up to 80% of the algae required for a hatchery production run - this is both time consuming and expensive. Technology that accelerates reproductive condition and then stimulates spawning on demand could significantly reduce these costs.

The introduction of POMS to Tasmania has resulted in an increased requirement for POMS resistant oysters nationally. The Tasmanian industry has an urgent requirement to allow the industry to rebuild towards sustainability for those areas currently affected by the disease and for protection for those areas which are currently free from it. The South Australian industry, whist free from the disease at this point, also requires POMS resistant oysters so that it can hopefully avoid the crippling losses suffered in Tasmania by having resistant oysters stocked onto their farms prior to any potential outbreaks. New South Wales like Tasmania has areas that have been affected and areas that are free from POMS. Biosecurity restrictions as a result of POMS incursions have added an extra layer of complexity to ensuring that the benefits of the selective breeding program are achieved nationally. As a result there is a requirement for further research to adapt the breeding program to the new paradigm of POMS in Tasmania and permit the industry to recover and be protected from the threat of further expansion of POMS into new areas.