Growing a profitable, innovative, collaborative Australian Yellowtail Kingfish aquaculture industry: bringing ‘white’ fish to the market. WA Component
Growing a profitable, innovative and collaborative Australian yellowtail kingfish aquaculture industry: Bringing white fish to the market - RnD4Profit-14-01-027
Seafood CRC: Sydney rock oysters: overcoming constraints to commercial scale hatchery and nursery production
A systematic program of research and development is needed to enable reliable cost-effective hatchery production of Sydney rock oyster (SRO) seed to allow demonstrated benefits of triploid oysters and advances in SRO selection for growth and disease resistance. This R&D program incorporates relevant recommendations of the recent “Review of Hatchery Production Technology and Breeding Program for Sydney Rock Oysters (“Benzie et al., FRDC 2001/213). This review acknowledged that the potential benefits of solving SRO hatchery production problems far outweigh the likely costs. The R&D program also incorporates and integrates recommendations the of the NSW Fisheries – FRDC “Sydney Rock Oyster Hatchery and Nursery Health Workshop” held on the 8 th and 9th of August 2002 at Nelson Bay. Central among these recommendations were:
1 The need for a revision of hatchery procedures and the assessment/adoption of alternate algal, larval and spat rearing technology.
2 The need to elucidate the fundamental autecological (temperature and salinity) and nutritional requirements of SRO during early ontogeny, that have not yet been addressed and will be central to the production of the species.
3 The need for systematic and appropriate sampling procedures for the diagnosis of potential disease occurrences.
Independent of the species involved, there is a need to document the processes involved in developing techniques and strategies to culture otherwise intransigent species. This research will provide a unique opportunity to document the history of problems with SRO, the consultation undertaken, the strategies developed for SRO and the techniques for their implementation. This document, the FRDC final report for this research, would provide a reference for dealing systematically with hatchery based problems and will provide an array of monitoring and assessment protocols for other molluscs.
Final report
Objectives:
As a function of the early success of this program in overcoming hatchery production problems, two additional milestones were added with the objective:
Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Subprogram: molecular genetic tools for the Tasmanian Atlantic salmon industry – development and application
Higher returns in prawn aquaculture: Pilot program to create production stocks that are all female
SCRC: Piloting Commercial Scale Supply of Mass Selected Sydney Rock Oysters
The recent Morten Rye Review of Australian Breeding Programs and their Commercialisation recognised NSW’ SRO breeding achievements as an ‘an excellent platform for full implementation of a highly effective family based, multi-trait selection program for SRO’ but recommended the following for SOCo & SRO:
• Development of a reliable hatchery technique for consistent high volume production of SRO spat, and a reliable source of supply which preferably should be a commercial hatchery: Work currently undertaken independently of SOCo
• Facilitate effective family based multi-trait selection (incorporating quantitative genetic advice)
o Prepare an operational breeding plan based on sound quantitative genetics and selection theory
o Establish effective data recording (nucleus and performance testing) and database management systems
• Establish a management team with the core responsibility to coordinate breeding program activities in close collaboration with PSFI and with technical input from a competent provider of quantitative genetic services (e.g. CSIRO).
NSW DPI is also looking to industry to progressively adopt management and self fund the current MSBP breeding program. Significant progress toward this goal has been achieved for the MSBP and the appointment of a manager and the divestment of routine operations of the program would signal industry’s acceptance of and commitment to the program and provide a strong incentive for DPI to continue to invest in pair mated program development.
For SOCo to achieve the aim set out in the review it must invest in program mechanics alongside private commercial investment in hatchery technique for SRO to address production barriers.
Final report
This project was developed to progress the long term commitment of both industry and research providers to providing lines of Sydney Rock Oyster selected for growth rate, shell shape and disease resistance, to farmers of this species. It progresses commercialisation outcomes and provides a platform for the delivery of outcomes of past and current CRC research projects.
This project aimed to:
- Develop protocols for broodstock management and perpetuation
- Develop improved communication with end users with regard to availability, properties and management of available selected stocks.
- Coordinate hatchery requirements with broodstock availability to improve supply.
- Develop human resources with shellfish specific experience
- Introduce selected broodstock into more multiplier hatcheries.
- Develop a platform to support delivery of outcomes of current research projects including the developing family breeding program.