Developing jungle perch fingerling production to improve fishing opportunities
Jungle perch once occurred widely in coastal Queensland rivers, from Cape York to Northern NSW. Central and southern populations have declined or become locally extinct due to dams and weirs blocking migration pathways between saltwater (where they spawn) and freshwater habitats (where they reside as juveniles and adults). Unlike barramundi, mullet and bass; jungle perch cannot persist long-term in saltwater habitats. Barriers lead to rapid local extinction. Construction of fishways on barriers in the past 10 years has created suitable conditions for the reintroduction of jungle perch. There are limited opportunities for natural recolonisation, and remnant adult populations of local strains are too few for translocation to be a practical solution. Restocking from captive bred individuals is the only option to bring back jungle perch fisheries.
Restoring wild jungle perch fisheries is a high priority for recreational fishers in Queensland. Reintroduction of self sustaining populations in rivers in south-eastern Queensland and the Mackay-Whitsunday Region will provide angling opportunities to large populations of anglers. Development of jungle perch fingerling production will also create future opportunities to further enhance Queensland's stocked impoundments and make jungle perch accessible to even more anglers.
Recent research by DEEDI has solved much of the reproductive biology of jungle perch, which can now be spawned regularly in captivity. Jungle perch larvae are much smaller (2.3 mm) than bass and barramundi larvae and establishment of first feeding has been problematic. Strategies to promote larval feeding need to be developed. The transition from larvae to fingerlings is critical for future development of jungle perch fisheries.
Final report
This project has for the first time demonstrated the feasibility of hatchery production of jungle perch fingerlings. The research on jungle perch production has enabled a hatchery production manual with accompanying videos to be produced. This has given private commercial hatcheries the information needed to produce jungle perch fingerlings. Several hatcheries have already indicated an interest in producing jungle perch and will be assisted to do so in 2016. Currently jungle perch are not a permitted stocking species, so cannot be sold to fish stocking groups. However, hatcheries will be able to sell fingerlings to the aquarium trade or supply grow out facilities that could produce jungle perch for human consumption. Should jungle perch become a permitted species for stocking, this will provide hatcheries with a major new product option to sell to fish stocking groups. It would also benefit anglers by providing another iconic species for impoundment stocking programs. This could have flow-on benefits to regional economies through angler tourism.
Should the pilot reintroductions of jungle perch into streams result in self-sustaining jungle perch populations, then there will be three restored jungle perch populations close to major population centres. This will create a new opportunity for anglers not normally able to target jungle perch. Since the majority of anglers who target jungle perch are catch and release fishers, angling is expected to have minimal impact on recovery of the populations.
This project led to the development of a hatchery manual for jungle perch production and to a summary brochure. In late 2014 and in 2015 researchers were able to make the first ever releases of jungle perch fingerlings back into rivers and streams within their historical range.
Keywords: Jungle perch, Kuhlia rupestris, hatchery production, restoration, fish stocking, captive breeding, larval culture, recreational fishing.
Beche-de-mer knowata product development
Improving survival and quality of crabs and lobsters in transportation from first point of sale to market.
Hooking into Asian Seafood Markets
The first item on the previous Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, John Anderson’s list of priorities for R&D corporations was "Identify strategic market access and investment opportunities based on improved access to international markets and to develop strategies to take advantage of these opportunities". The recently completed HIASM project is the only FRDC project to address this priority item. The project established a working relationship with the Supermarket to Asia Council and the new proposal will competently address the need identified by the Federal Government. The proposed project also addresses the FRDC program “industry development” and its key areas of “market development”, “value adding”, "quality and information delivery". The project will forge new links with the Supermarket to Asia (STA) program and will be the key link between STA and the seafood industry on a national basis.
The number of enquiries received by the project team on a wide range of species and products highlights the need for this project. The main needs that this project will address are:
* Keeping the Asian seafood market door open at a time when industry attention is temporarily diverted to such markets as USA and Europe.
* Overcoming the lack of industry expertise in marketing and lack of awareness of quality requirements in Asian markets.
* Adding value to under utilised and under valued species.
* Providing marketing information for other seafood projects.
* Generating interest in export markets.
* Providing a national seafood industry catalyst for quality initiatives and a focus point for marketing information for Australian under-utilised species.
* Providing a link with Supermarket to Asia programs and assisting with the uptake of these programs by the seafood industry.
* Providing a link with Asian trade exhibitions in order to increase seafood industry participation in these exhibitions.
* Increasing through-chain quality improvement by increasing the number of seafood companies with SeaQual Quality Food Australia accreditation.
* National co-ordination of marketing quality Australian seafoods.
* Revising awareness of Asian markets and their product and quality requirements.
* Developing a framework for how to do business in Asia included key marketing data on the Asian markets, competitor profiles and impediments to trade in the region.
The project team of the completed HIASM project also provided contacts from their in-market research to a number of companies or individuals that are pursuing markets for Australian seafood species. The knowledge gained from the project has already encouraged marketing efforts on lesser known but sustainable seafood species and will also encourage the harvesting of species that are currently not commercially viable in Australia. The HIASM project is the only marketing project with a national steering committee as a reference group that can assist in the expansion of markets for Australian seafood species.
The “Hooking into Asian Seafood Markets” project will work with SeaQual (Australia) in developing a SeaQual accreditation standards for the Australian seafood industry. The project will provide a conduit between STA and the seafood industry with respect to the project commercial operators and will assist with increasing the awareness of STA programs.
Final report
The Hooking into Asian Seafood Markets project was established to identify and facilitate the development of markets for Australian under- utilised seafood species, and to help industry operators to better understand the key opportunities and challenges that exporters need to consider in relation to exporting under-utilised seafood species to overseas markets.
The under-utilised seafood export guide is designed to help Australian seafood operators better understand the requirements of the Asian marketplace and could be used as a handbook for undertaking export development in Asian countries. It is aimed at those fishers and processors who want to export for the first time or who are relatively inexperienced in exporting. There is however also valuable information for exporters seeking to export new products or targeting new markets.
The export guide was aimed at adding value to Australian under-utilised species by investigating the demand for them in selected Asian seafood markets and identifying characteristics of these markets. In the long term, the adoption of the opportunities identified throughout the project has real potential to develop new export markets. The challenge for exporters is to match their capability to supply under-utilised Australian seafood products with the specific requirements of the various Asian seafood markets.
Value added eel/rice products
Identification of market requirements for future development of the Australian Seafood Catering Manual
Initally 1000 copies of the Australian Seafood Catering Manual were printed as a two volume set, these sold out within the first 12 months. Subsequently QDPI funded a reprint of Volume 1 of the manual. Volume 2 is now out of print.
There is now a need for research to identify the market requirements for the future development of the Australian Seafood Catering Manual.
The ASCM is the only handbook for the seafood industry designed to be used on the job, that comprehensively collates practical seafood information on the, buying , storage, quality, cooking, species identification and characteristics of Australian seafood. Lack of such information in the market place has often led to:
- The reluctance of the food service and retail industries to use some seafood
- The under utilisation of species, as users are not informed on cooking and handling
methods of alternative species available at different times of the year.
Agribusiness Marketing Services receives many enquires from customers such as those involved in the food service and food retail sectors and from seafood exporters and overseas importers, wishing to purchase either or both Volume 1 and 2 of the Australian Seafood Catering Manual. Many customers express concern at the lack of availability of Volume 2.
Although it is believed that a need for this product exists in the market place detailed market research is required to determine how the needs of all target markets can best be met.
In addition there is a need to develop a business plan, incorporating a marketing plan, which will identify the process for preparation and promotion of anyfuture edition of the Seafood Catering Manual.
Final report
This report aims to identify the market requirements for the future development of the Australian Seafood Catering Manual. Although the manual generated extremely positive feedback from industry, only a small proportion of the potential target market was tapped.
Consumer research has been conducted by QDPI to determine how the manual could be revised to better meet the needs of the market. Interviews were conducted with current and potential users of the manual across Australia.
On the basis of the research findings it is proposed that the manual be substantially revised and updated, and published in one volume as the Australian Seafood manual. It would also be produced as a CD-ROM, primarily to satisfy the low cost requirements of the TAFE and training market.
This report has been prepared to identify procedures for producing a revised edition of the Australian Seafood Catering Manual that meets the needs of the marketplace. It is anticipated that there will be a second stage with the long term objective being to produce a revised edition of the Australian Seafood Catering Manual.
Development of post-harvest handling technologies for the under-utilised cross-jurisdictional Royal Red Prawn fishery
The Royal red prawn fishery is effort-driven with frequent lack of demand and low wholesale prices resulting in a relatively lightly fished stock. Several endorsed fishers have indicated in recent conversations, that it has not been worth while to target Royal reds since 2000. The current low market demand and hence value of Royal red prawns can be attributed to variable quality of product and poor market recognition.
Royal red prawns are reputed to have an excellent sweet flavour and acceptable texture however, being a deep-water species, quality degradation is rapid when the prawns are brought to the surface. Hence, customary post-harvest handling practices for prawns could be insufficient to retain quality of Royal reds.
The Royal red resource is clearly under-utilised currently and has potential for value-addition. To gain further benefit and revenue from harvest of this prawn species, effective on-board handling practices need to be determined that limit the rate of quality deterioration and therefore retain maximum quality of product.
This project is designed to develop handling and post-harvest practices, identify preferred product format and establish domestic and international market opportunities to benefit the NSW deep-water prawn fishery, holders of Royal red prawn quota in the SESSF, and the developmental fishery in Queensland.
Final report
The research team determined that the Royal Red Prawn has a clear point of difference to the majority of current commercial species of prawns in Australia, and this point of difference is not being adequately exploited by the current supply chain for the prawn. The research team determined that these unique and distinctive qualities would be worth investigating further towards directing this prawn to the fine dining and food service sector specifically.