4 results

Easy Open Oyster Machine Upgrade

Project number: 2018-165
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $75,000.00
Principal Investigator: Len Stephens
Organisation: Dr Len Stephens
Project start/end date: 31 Jan 2019 - 28 Feb 2020
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
Pacific Oyster

Need

Commercial in confidence. To know more about this project please contact FRDC.

Objectives

Commercial in confidence

A review of projects concerned with improved exploitation of underutilised species

Project number: 2017-185
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $36,729.16
Principal Investigator: Len Stephens
Organisation: Dr Len Stephens
Project start/end date: 21 Mar 2018 - 28 Jun 2018
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Underutilised
Supply Chain
Market Opportunities
Economic
Discard

Need

The potential use of underutilised species has been identified as a means of increasing the productivity and profitability of some fishing sectors, as such, jurisdictions continue to prioritise research that explores the viability of underutilised species as seafood and/or receives applications of this nature.

While the prospect of using fish that are readily available is attractive, there are likely to be numerous reasons why the fish are not currently exploited commercially. These reasons may be related to fishing processes, regulation, market perceptions, quality and supply chain arrangements.

Before investing additional funds in projects of this nature, FRDC requires an evaluation of past projects to determine the factors behind their success or failure. This analysis will then provide the basis for a decision matrix that can be used by project applicants and FRDC staff to design future projects.

It is not clear why there is a low market demand for seafood products derived form underutilized species. It is likely that provision of low cost, attractive seafood would create significant consumer interest, as has happened with basa. But it is unknown why the supply chain has not responded to this opportunity. More information about seafood demand is required from the seafood trading companies.

If a significant change to the emphasis of these projects is proposed by FRDC as a result of this study, a workshop will be needed to inform and consult with key stakeholders about the proposed changes.

Objectives

1. Provision of a collated summary of all underutilized species projects supported by FRDC, and an analysis of lessons learned from each project.
2. Provision of a check list of success criteria to be used as guidance for future applicants in preparing projects concerned with underutilized species and by FRDC in evaluating them.
3. Identification of commercial factors and fisheries managememt policy concepts that might influence future supply and demand of underutilized species in Australia.

Report

ISBN: 978-0-9752258-3-7
Author: Leonard Stephens
Report • 2019-03-19 • 1.93 MB
2017-185-DLD.pdf

Summary

Catching unwanted fish species is an unavoidable consequence of commercial fishing. Some of this fish is bought from fishers at very low prices and used for low value products but the bulk of it is discarded at sea.

Many improvements have been made to fishing gear to reduce fishing bycatch, however there are still large volumes of underutilised species caught. Apart from some niche products, little of this product that is landed reaches wholesale and retail food markets because there is lack of demand for it, further complicated by failures in the supply chain.  Most of the landed product is diverted to pet food, bait, and rendering for fish meal and oil. This study was commissioned by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation to investigate the factors that influence supply and demand of underutilised species. This project also sought to make recommendations on how FRDC might support future research on this subject.

The study was conducted in two parts: 

1. The first part involved a review of previous and current FRDC projects focusing on developing commercial opportunities for underutilised species. This component was undertaken to assist FRDC and researchers in the design and execution of projects aiming to improve exploitation of underutilized species.

2. The second part involved interviewing operators at all levels of the supply chain and Principal Investigators of past and current FRDC projects to better understand the potentially competing objectives of public policies aimed at minimizing fish discards and commercial drivers that limit the harvest of underutilized species.

Rural R and D for Profit: Easy-Open Oyster automation

Project number: 2015-238
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $458,814.84
Principal Investigator: Len Stephens
Organisation: Dr Len Stephens
Project start/end date: 14 Jun 2016 - 21 Jun 2018
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Market Opportunities
Labelling
Economic
Consumer
Automation
SPECIES
Pacific Oyster

Need

Almost all of the 500 oyster farms in Australia are family farm operations. The annual GVP of the industry is not growing consistently and the number of farms is declining due to the devastation caused by the disease POMS in NSW estuaries. Research by the Seafood CRC showed that only 44% of Australians ever eat oysters and less than 4% eat them regularly. The days when oysters were an expensive delicacy are gone. Oysters are now a loss leader in many seafood outlets. To combat this decline many oyster growers are forming alliances to market their oysters direct to restaurants in Australia and Asia. These offerings are based on freshness and provenance. To deliver on both these promises, the oyster must be delivered to the restaurant live and unopened. Shucking must then be undertaken by an experienced person.

The difficulty in shucking oysters experienced by many people limits the demand for oysters. Most oysters are shucked by staff employed by wholesalers and sold in the half shell. All wholesalers report difficulty in maintaining shucking staff. Also, the eating experience of half shell oysters is inferior to that of freshly shucked oysters.

The easy-open oyster concept was designed to overcome these issues and to lift consumer demand for oysters, thereby enabling the industry to grow. This project aims to deliver at least a 15% premium on the price received by farmers for provenance-guaranteed Easy-Open oysters. In the longer term the desired outcome for oyster farmers is to increase both the volume and annual GVP of oyster sales in Australia.

Objectives

1. To investigate the use of robotic and laser vision guidance technology to design an automatic system for the Easy-Open process that meets the required performance characteristics of speed, quality and cost effectiveness.
2. To manufacture and commission “Easy Open” Oyster processing machine, for evaluation by three oyster wholesalers.
3. T o have the system commercially manufactured and adopted by the industry.

Final report

Author: Len Stephens
Final Report • 2018-12-19 • 1.71 MB
2015-238 DLD.pdf

Summary

This project attempted to overcome the consumer barrier to oyster shucking by developing the idea of an Easy Open oyster suggested by Mr Robert Simmonds, owner of Oyster Bob Pty Ltd. This entailed making a slit in the edge of the oyster shell and resealing it with wax so that the oyster remained alive but could be easily opened later by easily placing a knife through the slit and cutting the muscle that holds together the two shells of the oyster. To enable production of sufficient volumes of Easy Open oysters the process had to be automated. It then had to be evaluated under commercial conditions.

This project used robotic technology plus vision and sensing systems based on three dimensional laser cameras to automate the Easy-Open process.

A prototype machine was designed and manufactured by Scott Automation and Robotics Pty Ltd and was evaluated for commercial suitability by Oyster Bob at a seafood processing factory in Adelaide.

Success criteria were established at the start of the project, as follows:

  • At least 30 dozen oysters processed per hour, with minimal rejects.
  • Processed oysters remain alive for at least eight days.
  • Wax covering is neat and does not crack or break off during transport.
  • Processed oysters can be easily opened by an unskilled person.
  • Little or no shell dust found inside the oyster after cutting.
  • Customer feedback is positive.
  • Labels can be attached to the processed oysters.

All of these criteria were ultimately met. The process of cutting and waxing oysters is now protected by Australian Innovation Patent number 2018100256, owned by FRDC.

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