89 results
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2000-215
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Improved performance of marron using genetic and pond management strategies

Marron (Cherax tenuimanus) are the highest valued freshwater crayfish farmed in Australia. This project addressed the need to increase the profitability of commercial marron farms by improving growth rates and pond management strategies. The project evaluated progeny produced from wild populations...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
SPECIES
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PROJECT NUMBER • 2008-762
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

SCRC: PhD : The effect of temperature on reproductive development in maiden and repeat spawning farmed Atlantic Salmon: Understanding the molecular basis for improved egg quality and survival

Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) broodstock can encounter temperatures above 20°C, which has a marked negative effect on reproductive development. Broodstock management strategies are needed in order to maintain egg quality in the face of thermal challenge either due to seasonal...
ORGANISATION:
University of the Sunshine Coast (USC)
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2016-803
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Future oysters CRC-P: New Technologies to Improve Sydney Rock Oyster Breeding and Production

Hatchery production of Sydney Rock Oysters (SROs, Saccostrea glomerata) is a costly and high risk activity for the breeding program and industry exacerbated by factors such as: reliance on hatchery conditioning, low fertilisation success using strip-spawned gametes, extended larval rearing period...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 1998-219
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Enhancement of populations of abalone in NSW using hatchery-produced seed

Several critically important steps to achieving the central long-term aim of this project namely, cost-effective enhancement of abalone fisheries using hatchery produced seed stock, were achieved. The first was year-round controlled temperature conditioning and spawning of captive broodstock. This...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)

Genetic diversity audit of farm held stocks of Greenlip and Blacklip abalone

Project number: 2016-142
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $35,204.79
Principal Investigator: Jan Strugnell
Organisation: James Cook University (JCU)
Project start/end date: 2 Apr 2017 - 30 Oct 2017
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The abalone aquaculture industry requires a genetic audit of farm held stocks of greenlip and blacklip abalone to be conducted in order to identify current levels of genetic diversity, effective population sizes, and levels of coancestry/relatedness captured within individual farms and the wider industry.

This fundamental information is needed to guide future approaches to genetic improvement of farmed abalone.

Objectives

1. Conduct a genetic audit of farm held stocks of greenlip and blacklip abalone to identify current levels of genetic diversity, effective population sizes, and levels of coancestry/relatedness captured within individual farms and the wider industry.

Final report

Author: Jan Strugnell and Catarina Silva
Final Report • 2017-10-31
2016-142-DLD.pdf

Summary

Following the AVG virus, the number of broodstock that were available to produce hybrids was drastically reduced. This project was undertaken in order to ascertain the genetic diversity present within farm held broodstock of greenlip and blacklip abalone and to determine the degree of genetic differentiation of stocks within and between farms. A genetic audit of farm held stocks enables farmers to gain an understanding of the genetic resources held across the industry.
 
This report provides a genetic audit of farm held stocks of greenlip and blacklip abalone from six Australian farms across three states. Thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used to calculate genetic diversity, genetic differentiation, effective population size and relatedness within and between farms and are reported for each species. A mate allocation plan is also presented which optimises the available genetic resources across farms in order to minimise kinship. The audit was carried out in 2016 and 2017 by Associate Professor Jan Strugnell and Dr Catarina Silva based within the Department of Marine Biology and Aquaculture at James Cook University, Australia.
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PROJECT NUMBER • 2018-125
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Evaluation of practical technologies for Perfluoroalkyl (PFA) remediation in marine fish hatcheries

Per- and poly-fluoroalkly substances (PFASs) are now emerging as pollutants with potentially catastrophic impact on aquaculture facilities. Two key research institutes, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute (PSFI) in NSW and Australian Centre for Applied Aquaculture Research (ACAAR) in Western Australia...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)

Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Tools for investigation of the nodavirus carrier state in marine, euryhaline and freshwater fish and control of NNV through integrated management

Project number: 2008-041
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $463,365.00
Principal Investigator: Richard Whittington
Organisation: University of Sydney (USYD)
Project start/end date: 31 Mar 2009 - 29 Mar 2012
Contact:
FRDC

Need

This project relates directly to the FRDC VNN Research and Development Plan, to facilitate industry profitability, sustainability, growth and development. There is an overarching need to measure and then reduce the risk to fisheries and aquaculture sectors (including natural resources) associated with transfer of nodaviruses. The aquaculture industry is proactive and responsible (eg triple bottom line reporting) and wishes to manage risks based on sound science. Industry acknowledges a residual risk that cannot be controlled: virus prevalence in the wild and natural fish movements. However, there is an immediate need for industry to conduct business in the face of unknowns with respect to true disease status. While there is a need to ensure that infected, but apparently healthy, stock are not moved to areas that are considered free of the disease/disease agent, it is of fundamental importance for the sustainability of the barramundi aquaculture industry and developing species ventures such as Australian bass that stock are translocated. Current tests for determining disease status are considered inadequate, therefore biosecurity protocols in the short-term are required to address the risk of introduction of disease with water, broodstock and fomites. As new information becomes available through R&D, these protocols will be revised and improved as needed to improve biosecurity. In the meantime, protocols are needed to manage risks with incomplete information and without overburdening industry with uneconomic or unwarranted requirements. There is need for mitigation of impacts on translocation: hatchery to nursery to grow-out; hatchery to wild (eg stocking for recreational fishing); both intra-state and interstate translocations, access to overseas markets; sourcing broodstock from the wild. Financial impacts, environmental impacts and mulitsectorial impacts at level of commercial, recreational and regulatory sectors all need to be addressed.

Objectives

1. To develop and validate a real-time PCR method for the detection and identification of betanodaviruses
2. To develop and evaluate the applicability of serological tests for detection and identification of betanodaviruses
3. To transfer developed technology to Australian diagnostic laboratories
4. To provide a basis for development of a national proficiency testing scheme for the detection and identification of betanodaviruses
5. To provide recommendations for improved biosecurity protocols in relation to nodavirus infection and fish translocation

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-74210-301-3
Author: Richard Whittington

Development of intensive commercial aquaculture production technology for Murray cod

Project number: 1999-328
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $393,730.00
Principal Investigator: Brett Ingram
Organisation: Agriculture Victoria
Project start/end date: 25 Jul 1999 - 11 Jan 2005
Contact:
FRDC

Need

1. The Murray cod is highly valued and sought after as a table fish.

2. The current market relies on a small wild commercial fishery which provides limited quantities
of fish of highly variable quality on a seasonal basis.

3. A hatchery-based industry for fingerling production is already well established in Victoria
and NSW.

4. Methods are currently being developed by both industry and government (MAFRI) to
commercially produce market-size Murray cod in tanks and ponds with both natural and artificial
diets under a range of intensive/semi-intensive and ambient/controlled environment conditions.

5. A new market-driven R&D program designed to facilitate industry development of Murray cod
aquaculture is planned, which will involve strong government support and industry support and
participation.

6. Intensive commercial production and associated value-adding and co-operative marketing will
provide more consistent quality and supply of product, with the added advantage of being able
to target niche markets.

A vertically integrated Murray cod aquaculture industry is envisaged for Australia, with some elements, already in place. Key components include a conventional three tier Production component, viz. Hatchery, Nursery, Growout, tapping into a four tier market scenario, viz. juveniles (for recreational and conservation stock enhancement and as seed for nursery and/or growout operations; the latter ultimately for human consumption), sub-adults/advanced stockers (for sale to growout operations and also small numbers selected for genetically improved/domesticated broodfish), Table/plate size fish (for human consumption; includes both domestic and export, live and gilled and gutted/fillet consumption), and broodfish (small numbers of genetically improved stock for future domesticated commercial strains of juveniles specially selected for the growout market). Some Production levels may also undertake hatchery and/or nursery operations for their own and other industry needs as a fully self-contained, fully integrated business unit. The proposed R&D project will focus on three key tasks, viz genetics improvement, diet development and fish health, all of which are relevant to varying degrees to all production levels/markets of the developing industry. A schematic summary of the above is attached for information.

Specific industry needs for Murray cod R&D for the proposed project have been identified as a two part consultation process (see also Section B5), viz:

1. A workshop on 13 August, 1998, convened by MAFRI, involving relevant scientific, extension and management personnel from MAFRI, Deakin University, Victorian Institute for Animal Science and Fisheries Victoria, and some 30 delegates from industry from both Victoria and NSW (including both practising and proposed Murray cod farmers)(see copy of Workshop agenda attached). This meeting established a network of Murray cod farmers that would be interested in collaborating on a project, together with identifying and setting broad R&D priorities for future work. The initial FRDC Murray cod funding proposal was developed largely on the basis of this proposal.

2. A detailed questionnaire was faxed to a selection of existing and/or proposed Murray cod farmers in Victoria, SA and NSW, including the preliminary R&D consortium established at the September 1998 workshop, on 11 March, 1999 (see list attached). This questionnaire summarised an annotated list of six key R&D priorities as discussed at the September workshop and invited farmers to score the priorities in order of decreasing importance/significance/need etc (see copy attached). The results of the questionnaire have been collated and summarised (see copy attached), with the outcome being that three specific R&D priorities have been clearly identified by industry (accounting for 63% of the total vote). Accordingly, the present proposal has been revised to reflect the specific needs identified by industry through this consultation process (see revised Objectives, Methods, Budget etc). A schematic summary of the developing Murray cod aquaculture industry, identifying the areas in which the proposed R&D priorities/actions are relevant is attached.

In summary, the key needs are:
1. Fish health: Minimising stress from outbreaks and therapeutic treatments to maximise not only survival but longer term growth is critical. Disease induced checks to growth at key physiological development stages has profound impacts on future production. eg. up to 30% loss of suitable seed can occur during the weaning/immediate post-weaning phase due to fish weakened by infection; survival in fry ponds can be reduced from an average of 75% to as low as 5% due to disease outbreaks etc..
2. Genetic improvement: most broodstock currently in use for seedstock production is essentially selected from wild populations and/or first generation (F1) progeny randomly selected from hatchery fish. The breeding system is defined as an "open" system in which there is no/little effort to select hatchery progeny as future broodstock based on specific characteristics suitable for specific markets. Indeed, to date considerable effort has been extended to ensure genetic integrity remains intact for enhancement of wild populations by maximising/randomising genetic resources. Selection for improved growout performance at the same time as protecting wild genetic material is the imperative.
3. Diet development: established feed regimes and associated diets currently in use are based largely on production of seed for enhancement and rely heavily on natural food production. Increased production through intensification requires higher energy, more efficient feeds and feed practices. Artificial diets currently in use for this purpose are largely adapted from existing salmonid, barramundi and silver perch diets, and are not species specific formulated. Consequent problems include sub optimal FCR's and developmental problems such as lipidosis.

Objectives

1. To develop and evaluate best practice husbandry, nutrition and fish health for commercial production of Murray cod under extensive pond-based hatchery, and intensive tank-based growout conditions.
2. To develop and implement an appropriate extension and associated market strategy to ensure effective and efficient transfer of research outcomes and associated protocols and technologies to industry.

Final report

ISBN: 0-86905-817-7
Author: Brett Ingram
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