Fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) is a genetic technique that involves fluorescently labelling chromosomes so that each can be identified individually under a high powered microscope. FISH could be an important tool for detecting the aneuploid frequency in tetraploid oyster populations. This is important because a decrease in tetraploid genetic stability could potentially reduce the efficiency of breeding programs and may have carry over impacts on the triploid commercial product.

The PhD student travelled to Canberra to work with Tariq Ezaz of the University of Canberra on troubleshooting her FISH protocol to work on Pacific Oysters. Eventually, the protocol worked, but not consistently or at a strong enough level for chromosomes to be individually identified. It was determined that, due to their small size and weak signals, fluorescently labelled microsatellites are not a reliable method for karyotyping oysters, particularly polyploids where chromosomes tend to overlap. A different probe (PNA) was also trialled. Again this was inconsistent, but the signals were stronger than the microsatellites. This probe is worth mapping and further investigation, however, time, money and sampling constraints prevented any additional study.

The salmon industry is one of Australia’s largest aquaculture industries and produced approximately 16,000 tonnes of farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in 2001/02 at an estimated farm gate value of $170 million. The industry is a major regional and youth employer and is based in Tasmania with a fledgling industry in South Australia. Fish are farmed towards the upper thermal limit and growth rates are extremely fast, with production taking around 30 months.

World production of salmon is now over one million tonnes. The Australian market for Atlantic salmon has been affected by world events including a global oversupply. As a consequence the majority of Australian salmon is sold on the domestic market, with only a small portion exported overseas. Tasmanian growers estimate that production costs over the past four years have risen by as much as 50%, exacerbated by significant increases in feed prices and poor growing conditions, caused by low rainfall and high water temperatures.

The rapid growth of the salmon industry during the latter half of the 1990’s and the poor growing conditions have resulted in a series of challenges that currently threaten the sustainability and profitability of the industry. These challenges include the cost, control and management of disease, particularly AGD, jellyfish and algal blooms in some seasons; the high cost of providing year-round supply of fish to the markets; the interaction of cage aquaculture on the environment and the cost of monitoring and compliance of managing seal predation; the increasing cost of salmon food; and global changes in sea water temperatures. The industry meets these challenges by combining together through the Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association (TSGA).  The TSGA has an MOU with FRDC that provides a greater certainty of intent in relation to the planning, funding and managing of R&D and the adoption and commercialisation of results.

In 2000 the FRDC established a managed Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Subprogram (ASAS) as a vehicle for the MOU. The objectives were to address risks, improve technology transfer and improve industry communication, all integral to Industry achieving its full potential. The ASAS has provided a high level of research service and has been able to address key production issues in support of industry’s strategic plans. The ASAS provides a service to the Atlantic Salmon Industry both in Tasmania and the other mainland states. It represents a focal point for a range of other salmonid research projects and programs in all states. Programs currently run by the FRDC outside the Aquafin CRC (e.g., Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram and Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram), Aquafin CRC, CSIRO, TAFI and DPIWE are all linked through the Subprogram.

In 2001, the leverage of industry research funding was enhanced through the CRC for Sustainable Aquaculture of Finfish (Aquafin CRC). The Aquafin CRC, will contribute an additional $17million in support of the salmon and tuna aquaculture sectors in Australia over 7 years. The FRDC is a major participant in the Aquafin CRC. Overall the ASAS has achieved a leverage of approximately 1:4 TSGA funds to externally funded research funds over the life of the Subprogram. When the in-kind component of all projects is included, the leverage is approximately 1:12 with a total of around $4 million being spent annually on research and development.

Keywords: Atlantic salmon, aquaculture, cage culture, Tasmania, Subprogram, Aquafin CRC, FRDC, R&D.

The second stage of the operation of the ESD Subprogram was successful, but compared to the focus during the first subprogram period, mostly in a consolidation manner rather than from the generation of significant new tools. This was necessary because it takes time to adopt and integrate significant changes to the methods of operation of agencies and industries. The policies must be there before any real activity can occur and we found that for the broader focused, cross fishery/cross sector applications of the framework, agencies were not in a position for much of the time to apply this.

There was also the need to get a level of harmonization of policy and processes amongst agencies - especially between fishery and environment agencies before these broader frameworks can be applied in an effective manner. Such discussions are now occurring in some jurisdictions and these regional types of frameworks are therefore becoming more relevant to their operations and it is likely that they will be used with increasing frequency over the coming few years.

The projects and processes undertaken through the ESD subprogram (and related activities) have overall, been successful. It has provided the basis to demonstrate whether management has credibility with the issues of resource sustainability, functional ecosystem relationships and habitat processes such as is needed to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth's EPBC assessment. Most jurisdictions are now using the tools and frameworks developed by the subprogram or related projects.

Keywords: Ecologically Sustainable Development, Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management, Ecosystem Approaches; Risk Assessment, fisheries management, reporting frameworks, social and economic assessments.