Seafood CRC: Australian Edible Oyster Industry Business Plan
The project aims to a) resolve a lack of direction for the oyster industry's R & D investment and b) provide direction for the industry's growth. In order to construct this it is essential to examine:
• Market development
• Production efficiencies
• Supply chain management
• Environmental sustainability
• Community perception
• Industry structure
• Human capital
• Regulatory environment
• Financial performance
The overarching objective is to facilitate industry growth, value and increase farm profitability, hence the reason for a Business Plan rather than a strategic plan.
The Consortium has purposely named the project ‘Business Plan’ as it needed a plan that;
• is more than a strategic plan confined to R & D purposes
• will contain achievable profitability and growth goals having examined industry financials and other constraints
• will propose models for conducting the future ‘business’ of the oyster industry, one of which is likely to be a new incorporated national entity
Each state has varying levels of strategic plans, some designed for policy direction, others for R&D, but none examine the industry at a national level. To assist industry set future strategies an analysis of the national industry and development of a 5 year business plan is required. The business plan will be used to guide industry advocacy, policy and R&D groups at a state and national level.
Seafood CRC: Australian Oyster Industry Supply Chain Analysis & Improvement Strategy
The oyster industry is characterised by a dependancy on a long and complex supply chain and it is one cause of poor product condition and presentation at point of retail.
1. This application results from the strategic setting directions of the CRC Oyster Consortium, as a body representing the interests of the oyster growing industry within the Seafood CRC. Whilst the consortium do not have a fully articulated strategic plan, Marketing (& Supply Chain) was identified in 2007, and confirmed in 2008, as the third highest research priority for the industry. Please refer to priority matrix completed by the Oyster Consortium in April, 2008 and attached as Appendix 1 to the CDIPM Proposal.
2. The Oyster Consortium also recognises that an examination of the structure and costs within the supply chain is vital before any market focussed projects can be designed and funded for the oyster industry. Analysing the supply chain and incorporating elements of the supply chain into market strategies was identified as a priority at a market investment meeting of the Oyster Consortium on 7 August 2008.
3. There is a need to build the capacity for supply chain analysis within the Seafood CRC. The University of Adelaide has committed the time and expertise of a new Post Doctorate fellow to assist this project at no cost to the project. This will assist the University of Adelaide to build its expertise in Australian Oyster supply chain issues with a view to assisting them with work that may arise from this project.
4. Results of supply chain performance studies support the need for this project to better understand the opportunities to create value for all participants in the supply chain.
Final report
Australian oyster growers have a greater level of understanding about how their product moves through the supply chain from when they produce to when it is purchased by consumers. This knowledge will allow growers to be better informed and so allow them to make better business decisions in how they market their oysters. Further, the information provides growers with a better understanding of the factors that influence the purchasing decisions of others in the supply chain and hopefully to dispel some of the ‘myths’ associated with the marketing of oysters. Importantly, the report provides a total of 11 prioritised recommendations for the industry to consider that in the opinion of the consultant will contribute to improved consumption and / or profit sustainability
Seafood CRC: A one day workshop to define oyster ‘condition’ and to review the techniques available for its assessment.
This project is designed to define oyster ‘condition’ and to review the techniques available for its assessment as a precursor to projects in the areas of genetics, market/supply chain and food safety.
Based on industry input, SOCo, ASI and the Oyster Consortium place oyster ‘condition’ as the highest priority for genetic research.
ASI and SOCo in conjunction with NSW DPI and the CSIRO Food Futures Flagship, intend to submit a CRC proposal entitled “Incorporation of selection for condition/survival into a breeding strategy for Sydney rock oysters and Pacific oysters.” The aspects of ‘condition’ of significance are:
a) Physiological and reproductive condition
b) Marketability
Before the detailed research proposal can be developed it is necessary to:
* determine the defining characteristics of marketability (such as meat weight, meat-shell ratio, meat colour, glycogen levels and/or lipid levels, gonadal development) and
* consider the techniques best suited to measuring the characteristics of significance.
This project will also aid other CRC projects to achieve their objectives: “Protecting the Safety and Quality of Australian Oysters using Predictive Models Integrated with ‘Intelligent’ Cold Chain Technologies” and, if the project is supported, “Quality, shelf-life and value-adding of Australian oysters.”
Oyster growers, marketers and end point users, as well as geneticists, oyster breeding groups, biologists and technologists need to be involved in discussion to focus aims of both proposed and current research.
Final report
The workshop was held under the auspices of the Select Oyster Breeding Company of New South Wales (SOCo) and Australian Seafood Industries (ASI), companies involved with selective breeding programs for Sydney rock and Pacific oysters respectively. Its aim was to clarify and consolidate the views of researchers, oyster growers and marketers as to what constitutes oyster 'condition' in preparation for a research project to investigate aspects of oyster condition associated with selective breeding programs.
Seafood CRC: Review of commercialisation approaches and options for generic aquaculture genetics databases for Australian selective breeding programs
Aquaculture selective breeding companies established to service oyster (PO and SRO) and Barramundi industries in Australia are seeking advice on effective models for commercialisation, and a number of selective breeding companies in Australia have developed or are developing genetic databases which need to be supported, in the longer term, on a commercial basis.
There are very few organisations worldwide with extensive international experience in the commercialisation of aquaculture breeding programs who might be able to advise on commercialisation options. The industry needs somebody with these skills to recommend options for restructuring and organising the selective breeding programs in Australia so that they are more commercially viable.
It is unclear whether it is feasible to develop a generic database system that could be adapted to a range of breeding programs on different species and independent advice is required to review this issue and propose mechanisms to provide these services cost effectively.
There is a need to find cost effective genetic marker service providers.
Final report
Objectives:
- To make recommendations aimed to facilitate the long term sustainability of the selective breeding programs in Australia
- To ensure that the process and progress of the review is communicated clearly and transparently to industry stakeholders
- To review options for the production of a generic selective breeding genetic database (go no-go decision subject to action plan)
Outcomes Achieved:
Options/recommendations for the commercialisation of these specific breeding programs leading to decisions on future directions and business plans for commercialisation of those programs have been presented to each of the sectors concerned. The review either directly or indirectly led to:
- New plans for the commercialisation of oyster selective breeding
- A new project to assess possibilities for the commercialisation of genetics services in Australia (led by CSIRO)
- Acceptance of a centralised selective breeding model by the barramundi industry and acceptance that alternative funding options for selective breeding need to be explored
Seafood CRC- Quality, shelf-life and value-adding of Australian oysters (operating expenses)
This project will contribute to work that will fulfil critical CRC Milestones. Furthermore, there is potential that the work
will result in a direct increase in the value of Australian oyster production by value adding existing
products.
The Australian Seafood CRC has previously identified that building capacity in the area of seafood
processing is a high priority for the CRC. This project will make use of and contribute to the collaborative
links with the UK based Grimsby Institute.
The project will develop Australian capability and capacity in value adding of products that will be
applicable to many areas of the CRC. This will be critical to the Australian seafood processing industry
being able to deliver innovative seafood products which are of high eating quality.
Seafood CRC: Oyster Consortium marketing projects investment meeting
The Oyster Consortium is in danger of making market investment decisions without agreed strategy or, stalled by indecision, making an insignificant investment to ensure a profitable marketplace on completion of the CRC.
The Consortium needs an agreed document, collating all work undertaken on consumer trends and expectations, that guides its investment within the marketing area. It also needs a strategic direction for the industry.
To begin to address this the Oyster Consortium;
1. will undertake to complete an Australian Oyster Industry Business Plan addressing the production environment, market/supply chain, industry structures before recommending an R & D plan.
2. has commissioned a desktop project that a) defines the current consumer’s expectations, b) summarises previous recommendations, and c) identifies any gaps in previous work.
3. plans to hold a follow up meeting to decide a) if/how the industry can meet those expectations through understanding product produced, b) directions it may take to meet expectations, in particular to consider contribution to relevant CRC projects ahead of Australian Oyster Industry Business Plan completion.
The “Oyster Consortium marketing projects investment meeting” is an essential step to guide the work of the Consortium’s Marketing Working Group and a vital step in achieving the following aims;
• Accepting a documented summary of consumer expectations from which to guide investment
• Forming views on industry needs and strategies that enable the industry to meet those expectations
• Preliminary input into the Business Plan and resolution on financial contribution into relevant CRC projects
Final report
This workshop focused on marketing directions for the Australian oyster industry. The oyster consortium vision was to:
"Improve the profitability of Australian oyster businesses through increasing penetration of innovative and existing oyster products into new and existing markets."
The current status of the oyster industry was discussed along with marketing goals up to 2014 and marketing strategies for the next 3-5 years. For each of the 8 marketing strategies the opportunities for marketing projects were broken down into 'discovery and development' in years 1—3 and 'Action learning and piloting' in years 4-5.
The workshop was attended by representatives from the South Australian, Tasmanian and New South Wales oyster industries and representatives from the UniSA Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Services.
People development program: 2014 FRDC Visiting Expert Award - Associate Professor Dale Leavitt
Oyster farmers are increasingly trying to diversify their crop by purchasing hatchery-sourced oyster spat, in addition to wild-caught oysters. In order to take full advantage of the increase in commercially available hatchery spat, farmers want to be able to purchase seed directly from hatcheries, in addition to purchasing seed from land-based nurseries. Currently, hatchery-produced spat is held in a land-based commercial nursery for up to 6 months until it reaches a size that can be handled (>4mm) by oyster farmers using conventional trays, baskets, and tumblers. Floating Upweller Systems (FLUPSY) are a proven technology that provide farmers overseas the infrastructure required to grow delicate nursery stage oyster seed at a significantly faster rate than sock/tray and land-based nursery methods. By enhancing the husbandry of nursery oysters, growers will cultivate a more robust crop and will reduce the cultivation time, increasing profitability. FLUPSYs can also be solar powered which is a practical, affordable and sustainable technology that would significantly benefit oyster farmers with limited land-based access that wish to diversify and grow their businesses. There is a need to bring an expert to Australia to assess the feasibility of FLUPSYs in Australia, including the application and construction of FLUPSYs in Australian systems. FLUPSY technology has been pioneered and developed extensively among oyster farms in the USA and Canada, supplying an increasingly affordable, sustainable and accessible technology for oyster businesses of varying scales. Therefore, current information about the application of FLUPSYs will be well received within the Australian oyster industry.
People development program: 2014 FRDC International Travel Award - Jill Coates
French Seashell and Marine Culture Exhibition being held in France 16 and 17 Sept is a major tradeshow of husbandry methods sponsored by SEAPA. A recent Report on the impact of recent Crassostrea gigas mortality in France and its consequences to oyster farming in Northern Ireland, Fabrice Richez, Richez Marine Consultancy, Ireland 2012, identifies a range of husbandry methods being trialled in France, and the impact of colder water temperatures on mortalities - specifically factor isolation in ponds (of great interest in SA both for starting and finishing oysters), nursery, and disease free containment areas and farming at cold sea temperatures and the development of specific practices, positioning oysters higher (has not been so effective), late seed transfer and off-shore longline culture as alternative husbandry methods to reduce mortalities. Slowing the growth of the seed in the first year is also being trialled to reduce mortality. SA and Tasmanian oyster growers are about to invest heavily in a POMS resistant breeding program. In the interim, husbandry methods which reduce mortality have much to offer. Subtidal leases also offer an option to increase production for SA growers in particular for those who wish to diversify into Ostrea angasi. Longline culture and setting techniques may offer viable growing methods for this species. The oyster fest in Galway would also be part of the trip to gain further first hand knowledge on developments in Ireland.
Seafood CRC: protecting the safety and quality of Australian oysters with integrated predictive tools
Molluscan shellfish are high-valued seafood products that require careful supply chain management to guarantee both product safety and quality. Together, storage time and temperature exert the greatest influence on microbial food safety and must be controlled during oyster production, processing, transport and storage. The microbiological safety status of oysters is initially controlled by testing, monitoring and classifying growing waters as safe for harvest. As stated above, Vibrio species are a natural component of marine and estuarine environments, unlike faecal bacteria which are typically introduced into growing waters by land run-off. Consequently, it is prudent to assume that all live shellfish may potentially contain naturally-occurring Vibrio spp. Of these, V. parahaemolyticus is the most common species which can cause human infection if present in high numbers. This risk can be controlled by proper cold chain management, but may reach unacceptable levels with the loss of temperature control. This is particularly a concern for the oyster producer who has carefully managed the growth and characteristics of the oyster to yield the highest value, and who then looses control of value and the brand due to mismanagement down-stream. Even when human illness is an isolated event, the negative consequences can easily be spread across the entire industry. Thus, a proactive strategy is required to control and predict risk, with added benefits for also maintaining product quality. This can be achieved, in part, by producing a tool (proposed Refrigeration Index) that allows companies to monitor real-time conditions of the cold chain and thus the safety and quality of a highly-valued seafood product. The likely impact will include: 1) improved product safety, 2) an optimised cold chain, 3) higher product quality, 4) greater access to export markets and 5) a more cooperative regulatory environment.
Seafood CRC: Oyster consortium - communication, extension and management of R&D results
Seafood CRC: establish the technical and market data to assess the feasibility of live bivalve mollusc (Australian oysters) access in USA - STAGE 1
This project seeks to establish the business case for opening, developing and maintaining a new market for Australian oysters in the USA. Establishing the business case requires:
1) assessment of the gaps between the Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (ASQAP)
and US National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) and what resources are required to fill those gaps and open the market
2) assessment of the market opportunities and feasibility (including benchmarking against competitors)
3) assessment of the benefit/costs associated with the on going development and maintenance of market access.
VALUE FOR MONEY
A benefit/cost analysis spreadsheet will be attached to the project proposal when it is finalised.
LEVEL OF IMPACT
Building the value of Australian oysters (increased farm gate price) has the potential to have the single
biggest level of commercial impact (profit to growers) for Australian oyster oyster growers, if the price
can be increased on average price from $4.5 per dozen to $5.50 across the whole level of production this would increase the collective oyster growers profit by $16,666,666 per annum.
Seafood CRC: a critical evaluation of supply-chain temperature profiles to optimise food safety and quality of Australian oysters
VALUE FOR MONEY
A benefit/cost analysis is attached.
LEVEL OF IMPACT
The potential impacts of the project relate to both product food safety and quality.
Food safety:
There is a need for acquiring time/temperature data for critical process steps that impact on the ability of foodborne pathogens to grow, notably Vibrio spp.. In a recent discussion paper by Codex Alimentarius (CX/FH 05/37/13), the impacts of seafood related illnesses were summarised, ‘The economic effects of illnesses reverberate throughout the seafood supply industry causing loss of consumer confidence and concomitant loss of sales. Consequently, a slowing effect for seafood sales overall occurs, which can represent a short-term serious economic loss. In general, the various reports of seafood related illnesses also appear to combine to affect the entire seafood supply in a cumulative fashion, which can lead to long term depressed sales’. The impact of this work will be a decreased risk of economic loss due to any risk of associated illness and also target further/ follow on research for the development of a predictive tool to better manage food safety risks.
Product quality:
There is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of cool chain management across major supply chains. Successful development of a temperature profile, which is underpinned by microbiological data will provide a practical assessment of the efficacy of critical cool chain processes and steps. The impact of this work will be the identification of potential interventions of critical cool chain steps that can be undertaken to achieve maximum product quality. Based on recent product losses, this project will meet an immediate industry need and also underpin supply of product of consistent quality.
Final report
The majority of Australian oyster production occurs in New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia. New South Wales industry produces both the Sydney Rock Oyster and the Pacific Oyster. The Tasmanian and South Australian industries produce the Pacific Oyster.
Temperature requirements in the Export Control (Fish & Fish Products) Orders 2005 were changed to enforce temperature requirements for export. The new requirements were lower than temperatures specified by the Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Manual and the NSW state dispensation for Sydney Rock Oysters. Growers believed that the new AQIS requirement of 5°C was too low for the storage of live product and they would struggle to produce a quality product.
A Hazard Identification, undertaken as part of SIDF 2007-406, identified that the new requirements were aimed at reducing the post-harvest growth of naturally occurring pathogenic bacteria from the Genus Vibrio. That project recommended that industry required a two-staged approach to this problem. Firstly to profile current Australian oyster supply-chains to establish what temperature regimes are being implemented.
Keywords: oysters, refrigerated transport, storage temperature
Change Management - Seafood Supply Demonstration Project
Recent work completed by SASI in conjunction with the FRDC as part of Restaurant 2006 and with support funding from the SA Government, has identified potential for positioning a “basket” of seafood into niche high end markets in Sydney.
These customers demand certainty of supply to quality specifications. If their requirements can be met substantial price premiums are on offer.
The main State-based seafood producing sectors located in regional South Australia are characterised by a large number of small operators with limited capacity to develop and implement sustained and strategic market development programs.
To develop the opportunities identified, a cultural and operational shift in approach to supplying customers in a managed way and away from the current price driven daily spot market approach, must occur.
The project is part of the SA Seafood Food Plan (2005) implementation program.
Final report
Seafood CRC: enhancement of the Pacific oyster selective breeding program
The current ASI selective breeding strategy has operated successfully since 1998 (for 6 generations). It is now apparent that there are shortcomings to this strategy and major improvement is needed if the program is to be seen as “state of the art”. This proposal addresses three major needs identified as part of FRDC project 2005/227.
Firstly, there is a need to design a program that maximises profit. Selection for traits in the current ASI breeding program cannot be based on economic criteria because the economic values of Pacific oyster traits are unknown. There is a need to know the dollar value of current traits (growth rate, shape and uniformity) as well as the value of new traits. The program is unable to objectively select multiple traits without knowledge of economic weights. This proposal will use techniques used routinely in other industries to address this problem.
Secondly, there is a need to design a program that increases the rate of genetic gain. It has been estimated (FRDC project 2005/227) that gains per unit time could be doubled through addressing issues such as selection methodology, breeding population sizes, and the breeding cycle. This proposal will find the most cost effective alternatives for the Pacific oyster industry.
Thirdly, there is a need for specification of hatchery facilities which can accommodate the inclusion of additional breeding families and a data management system which complements systems for genetic evaluation and best mate allocation.
This project involves research and development of concepts which are entirely new to breeding programs for the Pacific oyster, or any other aquaculture industry. They are concepts which are well established in some land based industries. It is essential that these concepts are developed for aquaculture so that breeding programs can provide the best possible foundation for viable aquaculture industries.
Final report
The Australian national Pacific oyster selective breeding program commenced in 1998. In 2005, after 6 generations of breeding, it was apparent that there were limitations to the breeding strategy. The first was a lack of understanding of which genetic traits to select. Whilst the program was achieving genetic improvements in growth, little was known about which traits influenced grower profitability. The second was a need to develop a breeding strategy that increased genetic gains and maintained inbreeding at safe levels. And the third was a need for systems and tools to enable the breeding strategy to be efficiently implemented. The purpose of this project was to address these limitations.
This project has resulted in significant changes to the ASI Pacific oyster breeding strategy. The breeding objective has changed and is now firmly focused on an economic outcome, which is to reduce the cost of production. The size and structure of the breeding population has changed to allow greater genetic gains on a sustainable basis. The goal is to produce 50 families per year and 42 families were produced for the 2009 year class, an increase from 24 families in the previous strategy. A new nursery system has been implemented to produce the expanded population. Data collection and storage systems have been completely revised to allow more efficient data collection, more efficient storage, and safeguards against data loss. A new genetic evaluation system has been implemented which will provide more accurate selections. And a revised commercial deployment strategy has been implemented which will increase the supply of selectively bred spat to industry.
A supply chain assessment of marine vibrios in oysters: prevalence, quantification and public health risk.
Levels and presence of pathogenic Vibrio spp. associated with oysters do not correlate with the presence of faecal indicator organisms currently used to monitor presence of enteric viruses and bacteria. Consequently, marine vibrios represent a risk to public health that has not been rigorously assessed and is currently not monitored.
Presence of marine vibrios may affect foreign market access. Japan and Denmark specify levels of V. parahaemolyticus in oysters of 100 organisms/gram. In some European countries, raw seafood is rejected if Vibrio spp. are detected. California has banned raw oysters from the Gulf of Mexico as part of a strategy to minimise V. vulnificus related illness (Food Safety Network 6/1/05 see archives.foodsafetynetwork.ca/fsnet/2005/1-2005/fsnet_jan_6.htm#story). Currently, the SA industry has little systematic data to satisfy foreign inspection requirements, despite the fact that a recent small-scale survey of SA oysters indicated levels of pathogenic vibrios exceeded 100 per gram (see Lewis etal, 2002. FRDC project 2002/409 report). Whether these levels persist to retail under current industry cool-chain practices is not known.
Analysis of numbers of marine vibrios and their potential to cause disease will allow:
1. Evaluation of risk and development of an appropriate monitoring systems (i.e. frequency, intensity of sampling, temporal variation etc.).
2. Minimisation of risk through development of recommendations for harvest and post-harvest handling processes.
3. Provision of defensible data for foreign food inspection agencies.
4. Support of programs that aim to improve consumer confidence.
Government and industry development priorities addressed include:
1. SA Fisheries and Aquaculture R&D Strategy (2002-2007). The SA Food Act (2001) will leverage the seafood industry towards higher quality control and food safety procedures. Through an enhanced capability to satisfy local and overseas market demands, a premium product may attract a higher commodity prices.
2. Food safety issues identified by this project also fall well within the current and future SAORC and the FRDC strategic and R&D plans. Specifically, SAORC has identified the need to determine optimum storage temperature regimes for post harvest oyster product that enhance food safety. Understanding the impact of storage on numbers and viability of marine vibrios associated with oysters is one aspect of this overall aim.
3. The SA Seafood Industry Development Board aims to maximize industry growth by encouraging whole-of-chain management practices to ensure ultimate market access and success.
Final report
Selection of genetic strategies in Pacific oysters to maximise commercial benefit
Water use across a catchment and effects on estuarine health and productivity
The importance of quantifying the impacts of land-based anthropogenic activities on freshwater flows and consequential effects on downstream estuarine and coastal water environments has been increasingly recognized in recent years. Nevertheless, extraction of freshwater for agriculture, town water supplies etc is increasing in many rivers across Australia. The ecological effects on estuaries and estuarine aquaculture and fishing industries of changing flow regimes is largely unknown in Tasmania, and Australia generally, and there is an urgent need to quantify the freshwater flow requirements essential to estuarine health and aquaculture production.
Similarly, there is limited information on the economic value of freshwater flows into estuaries. Consequently, there is a need to compare the economic efficiency of allocation of freshwater to land-based agricultural production with estuarine based shellfish farming and ecosystem goods and services.
These priority research needs have been identified in a number of R & D plans and strategies. The FRDC five year plan calls for a balanced mix of economic, environmental and social factors in making use of natural resources. High priority issues recognized by stakeholders in the Tasmanian Fisheries and Aquaculture 5 year draft strategic plan for the Marine Environment 2004-2009 included:
- Integrated catchment management,
- The determination of environmental flow regimes into estuaries,
- Social & economic value of the environment - assessment of sectors.
At the Marine Environment Research Advisory Group meeting in 2004 one of the top priorities for research identified for the year was ‘Catchment management and impact of land derived pollutants etc. on water quality and quantity, and environmental flows’.
Sustainable primary industries and rivers, including environmental water allocation, have been identified as priority research issues by Land & Water Auatralia. The proposed research specifically addresses the goal of the Environmental Water Allocation program to provide research that demonstrates and improves the benefits of water allocated for environmental purposes.
The Tasmanian Natural Resources Framework 2002 identified Water Management and Management of the Coastal/Marine Environment as State priority issues. Important values listed were biodiversity, aquatic ecosystem health, irrigation for agricultural, aquaculture and fisheries production, and issues included environmental flow regimes and water allocation.
Final report
This research has shown that the profitability of both agriculture on land and aquaculture in the estuary is affected by changing freshwater flows. To assess the value of water to different users across a catchment we developed a generic water accounting framework and populated it with available data from the Little Swanport catchment as an example. We also developed an estuarine ecosystem model which we used along with field observations and nutrient budgeting to assess the value of freshwater flows to oyster production in the estuary.
During this study the catchment moved into a severe drought. This necessitated some revision to our research methods and we used the drought conditions to estimate the value of water to the different users across the catchment from the loss in production during drought years compared to normal rainfall years. This provided estimates of the economic value of water at two extreme points on a continuum.
Across the catchment the loss of income from wool production, fat lamb sales and beef production when rainfall was approximately 60% of a normal year was estimated to be $3,36 million, or approximately one-third of its normal state (cash crops were not included as there were insufficient data). This value was determined from the sum of preventative expenditure, replacement costs and loss of production incurred due to the drought. In the estuary the nutrient budget and ecosystem model predicted that the drought years of 2006 and 2007 would have led to a decrease in the nutrients in the estuary, and a subsequent decline in the productivity of phytoplankton, oysters and benthic microalgae. By comparison, in the two wet years (2004 and 2005) nitrogen budgeting indicated that the increase in oyster harvest was ~43 kg N or a 12% increase relative to the drought years 2006-07. This equated to a loss of approximately $500,000 in a severe drought year.
The loss in production in the estuary during the drought was largely due to a lowering of the growth rate of the oysters, and as a consequence they took longer to reach market size and condition. On land, however, many farmers were forced to destock and only keep essential breeding animals. Crops either failed or produced less than normal and were not sown due to lack of water storage. Thus, the recovery time after the drought is likely to be greater on agricultural farms, taking several years to improve grazing land and to restock, whereas in the estuary the recovery time is in the order of months. Recovery time also depends on the stocking density before the drought and whether the farmers were stocked to full capacity for good growing conditions or whether they maintained a lower stocking level which would provide a buffer during droughts.
In relation to environmental flows to the estuary, it is important to note that maintaining the low flows is most important. Ecosystem model simulations at different levels of base flows predicted that phytoplankton biomass, and consequently oyster growth, initially increases rapidly with base flow before the rate of increase slows to a steadier rate at higher flows. Therefore, there are greater benefits to the estuary per ML of river flow at low flow than at high flows. At low river flows primary producers have more time to take up the additional nutrient inputs from the river because the time to pass through the estuary is longer. In contrast, at higher flows, there is less time for biological uptake as the flushing time is shorter, and so the benefits are smaller per ML of river flow. The results of this study therefore support the cease to take requirements for low flows in the Water Management Plan for the catchment. However, the modelling predicted that the greatest benefits from river flow are achieved over the summer months because higher water temperatures significantly enhance the growth rates of phytoplankton and oysters.
An assessment of the implications of increased water that could be allocated for stock, domestic and irrigation purposes in the Water Management Plan (2006) from 3882 to 6084 ML per year was shown by modelling to be unlikely to have a significant impact on the estuary for average and dry years, but in very dry years, as recently experienced in 2007, there was a detectable effect of the full allocation, most notably in summer. However, given the uncertainty inherent in model simulations, the result should be treated with caution. The important message is that harvesting water during a very dry year is more likely to affect the estuary, especially during summer.
Although this research has centred on the Little Swanport catchment, the techniques developed are of relevance to many catchments across southern Australia. The biogeochemical model can be applied in other estuaries where there are sufficient local data, particularly on hydrodynamics. The nutrient budget process can also be used in other estuaries with relevant local nutrient data available. The water evaluation framework developed for the catchment provides a generic template for catchments to assess the value of water to different users across a catchment. Data requirements, survey methods and types of analyses, along with likely issues and potential difficulties to water accounting are discussed.
Keywords: Water management, catchments, environmental flows, estuarine health, oyster aquaculture
Identification of natural mudworm species in South Australian Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) stocks
In South Australia and all other countries spionid polychaete (‘mudworm’) infestations are a major problem for oyster growers and have large financial impacts, it has been recorded by individual oyster growers to lose up to $50,000 in stock in one year. There are 150 licensed oyster growers in SA and if this loss caused by mudworm was calculated at 5% of the extreme cases at $2500 per licence holder the economic cost to industry would equate to $375,000 per annum. These losses may not be through mortality, but growers experiencing mudworm problems provide extra oysters when selling to their buyers to compensate for losses from mudworm infestations. In South Australia the species causing damage are not well known. It is for this reason that South Australian Oyster Research Council (SAORC) want to implement a survey to gain an understanding of mudworm species found in SA to assist industry with the management of this pest.
The industry views the need to understand and control mudworm infestations as the losses caused by these worms could potentially be reduced if known species are identified and management techniques can be put in place to reduce infestation rates. However, the farmer’s ad-hoc management approaches have failed to stop or reduce mudworm infestation rates, as farmers have reported that with even the best management practices they still experience mudworm infestations. Due to this, the South Australian Oyster Research Council has identified two experts in mudworm identification to work with SA scientists to survey mudworm species and suggest management practices to SA oyster growers to potentially reduce the problem. Mudworm surveys have been conducted in many other oyster growing areas and different species have been identified which have different life cycles, hence, different forms of management practices are required to reduce infestations.
If this project can achieve a 50% reduction in mudworm infestations or mortality after harmful species have been identified and farmers have implemented management techniques developed through the extension training workshop, the savings to growers will be approximately $187,500 dollars over the next year. The reduction in oyster growers production costs is a small component, the benefits will be seen in the future through increased consumer confidence, hence, increased sales of SA oysters.
In addition, minimising the impact of mudworm on the Pacific oyster aquaculture industry in SA will also strengthen the confidence of new growers and investors in this industry thereby encouraging its further development.
Final report
Under a joint arrangement between Seafood Services Australia (SSA) and the South Australian Oyster Research Council (SAORC), a project was developed to investigate mudworm in South Australia.
A minor mudworm survey was carried out in which between one and three dozen oysters from seven different growing areas were sampled for mudworm species, the survey involved industry members, scientists and industry experts and was implemented over a 2-day period in Adelaide. The survey only touched on the edge on the mudworm issue in South Australia, but provided a forum to train South Australian industry and scientist representatives in the sampling, preservation and the identification of mudworm.
The mudworm species identified were different from previously recorded species; which raised concerns and questions regarding the problematic species in SA. The confusion over the identification of some of the South Australian mudworm species highlighted the need for more investigative work in this area.
Height in the water column is considered the best management method for controlling mudworm infestations on the farm; this is very much supported through the extensive research conducted by Dr Handley. Dr Handley presented on mudworm ecology and management techniques at an industry workshop held in Port Lincoln to build awareness and to reiterate to industry the potential impact mudworm can have on oyster stocks, given the right environmental conditions for growth.
The results from the survey demonstrated that future work on mudworm is required. It is SAORC aim to expand on the work done to date to identify the species causing the blisters in various SA oyster growing areas and understand enough of their life cycles to recommend effective control strategies. Then management techniques suitable to the grower can be developed, ultimately giving growers the methods to farm oysters without the financial burden of mudworm infestations.
Innovative solutions for aquaculture planning and management – Project 5, Environmental audit of marine aquaculture developments in South Australia
Aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry in Australia, and as such there are substantial issues related to resource allocation and ESD. South Australia is at the forefront of this development with a range of innovative aquaculture industries, an active group in PIRSA Aquaculture addressing policy and management issues, and another in SARDI Aquatic Sciences providing the scientific and technical background information for such matters through targeted research and development (R&D). As such, South Australia provides an ideal model for other States.
While a reasonable level of environmental information exists and, through the Aquafin CRC, continues to grow for tuna farming, this is not the case for most of the other marine aquaculture industry sectors. The purpose of this application is therefore to gather and review existing environmental information, undertake an environmental risk assessment, investigate through targeted R&D the priority environmental impact issues, establish a framework of key indicators on which to base impact assessments, and develop industry sector-based environmental monitoring programs that enable impacts to be detected. Apart from tuna, we currently have very little information on the environmental impacts of finfish farming in South Australian waters, especially for the rapidly growing Yellowtail Kingfish sector. In order to obtain public support for further development of this industry, it is essential that its environmental impacts are assessed, and strategies implemented for reducing any impacts that occur. Similarly, for shellfish farming, there is still a great deal of contention about impacts on the ecosystem, particularly seagrasses, which co-occur with the largest shellfish aquaculture industry in the state – Pacific Oysters.
This project will therefore provide background information for improving and further developing the project “Innovative solutions for aquaculture planning and management – Project 2, Spatial impacts and carrying capacity: Further developing, refining and validating existing models of shellfish and finfish carrying capacity”. Both projects will provide much of the scientific and technical data for input into the project “Innovative solutions for aquaculture planning and management – Project 1, Decision support system for aquaculture development”, where “Decision support system” is defined as a computer based, integrated method for supporting management decisions. Decision support systems must incorporate rigorous and scientifically sound decision criteria and, as such they require a good understanding of the potential environmental impacts that may result from aquaculture, as well as the characteristics of existing or future farm sites and the ecosystem in which they exist.
In response to rapid growth, PIRSA Aquaculture are also developing an environmental management policy in parallel with the AFMF ESD framework (visit www.pir.sa.gov.au/sector118.shtml). Thus, information from the present project will be important for this policy.
Final report
Reduction in pacific oyster mortality by improving farming and processing technologies in South Australia
The South Australian oyster industry is recognised as a major economic contributor of seafood to the state. In the 2000/01 financial year the total value of the Pacific oyster production in SA was about 12 million dollars. The industry is expected to increase by 10% per annum over the next five years resulting in the production of Pacific oysters worth nearly 20 million dollars by 2006. However, since the mortality of oysters was first noted in SA about three years ago the industry has suffered 5 to 20% losses each year of their marketable stocks, which is equivalent to 0.726 to 2.9 million dollar losses in 2002/03 and 0.96-3.8 million dollar losses in 2006/07 if mortality is not controlled and remains at the same relative level. A less optimistic forecast is that epidemiological factors could result in a much greater and possibly catastrophic rate of increase in losses in the future.
The industry views the need to understand and control the reasons for these losses as a matter of great urgency. However, the farmer’s ad-hoc approaches have failed to identify any clear direction to address the present mortalities. Due to this, the South Australian Oyster Research Council has spent considerable time discussing the matter with various researchers and has decided to support a specific research project to systematically address the issue. This proposal outlines the approaches to be taken.
If this project can achieve a 50% reduction in mortality one year after its completion, the savings to growers will be approximately 0.455-1.9 million dollars in the first year of implementation in 2006/07. These savings are more than the total investment by FRDC to this project ($364,197) and equivalent to half of the entire project cost to all parties (1.144 million dollars).
In addition, minimising the impact of mortality on the Pacific oyster aquaculture industry in SA will also strengthen the confidence of new growers and investors in this industry thereby encouraging its further expansion.
Final report
Adoption of an environmental management systems by NSW commercial estuary fishers and oyster farmers
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: enhancing the emergency disease response capability of NSW and Qld Government agencies and industry bodies associated with oyster culture
Relatively few major disease events have occurred within the NSW aquaculture industries, and as a result there has not been an integrated multi-agency approach developed. To date, emergencies have been dealt with on an ad hoc basis and no large scale eradication programs have been undertaken with respect to aquatic animal diseases. It follows that relatively little experience in handling such emergencies currently exists within the department of NSW Fisheries. In the absence of a real-life emergency to provide “on-the-job” training, simulation exercises provide a practical alternative to expose and train staff in the management of aquatic disease emergencies.
The need can be summarised as follows:
1. Both government and industries have relatively little experience with real emergencies.
2. Currently within NSW there is no cohesive management strategy setting out the roles and responsibilities of individuals and agencies involved. NSW Fisheries and NSW Agriculture are jointly examining ways of applying the NSW disaster plan to cover aquatic emergencies.
3. The limited number of previous disease emergencies has led to some industry complacency about the risks of disease introduction and the potentially devastating effects.
4. A lack of experience amongst the agencies that have jurisdiction over the management of aquatic animals may lead to a delayed or inadequate response to a disease emergency. This delay may allow greater spread of disease, loss of Australia’s disease free trading status and potentially disastrous effects on wild fisheries and ecosystems.
The Oyster Farmers Association of NSW, NSW Farmers’ Association Oyster Section, National Aquaculture Council, Queensland Oyster Growers’ Association previously provided letters of support. Members from each of these industry groups will participate in the development of this project and the exercise itself. Safefood have expressed an interest to provide advice to appropriately address any human health issues. Selected QDPI staff will attend.
Final report
AQUAPLAN was generated as a National Strategic Plan for Aquatic Animal Health in recognition of the growing importance of protecting fisheries and aquaculture industries from disease. This project allowed NSW Fisheries to begin implementing one component of the National AQUAPLAN objectives, improving management of exotic disease outbreaks. Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia (AFFA) have assisted this process through staging disease simulation exercises in several States. This project was the first exercise of its kind to directly involve NSW Fisheries.
A fictional scenario called “Exercise Kilpatrick” was created to simulate an exotic oyster disease outbreak for the two day training exercise. The emergency response system on which the exercise was based, is compatible with that of the generic National AQUAPLAN approach and with the NSW State Disaster Plan (DISPLAN). The first day involved the formation of the State Disease Control Headquarters (SDCHQ) for training of NSW Fisheries management. The group were challenged to respond to a scenario involving the outbreak of a serious disease on a Hawkesbury River oyster farm. The second day of the exercise was a workshop, involving industry and field staff, assessing the practicalities of attempting to control/eradicate an oyster disease outbreak in an open waterway.
Nineteen NSW Fisheries staff (including senior management), three interstate government representatives, three interstate and two NSW industry representatives, and four staff from other NSW Government agencies participated in formation of the SDCHQ on day one of the exercise (“Exercise Kilpatrick”). The second day of the exercise involved nine industry representatives, eight NSW Fisheries field officers and several other NSW and interstate government representatives in a workshop assessing the practicalities of attempting to control a disease outbreak in an open waterway.
Keywords: Aquatic animal emergency disease management, aquaculture, oyster, emergency disease response.
Development of techniques for quantification of stress-induced catecholamine changes in the hemolymph of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)
One of the major problems facing the Pacific oyster industry throughout southern Australia is minimizing the impacts to the animals resulting from general farming activities such as grading and transportation and the processing before oysters are sold at the market. A few factors have been suggested to be associated with the impacts. However, these predisposing factors for the loss of stocks can not be distinguished simply because the methods, which can be used to measure the physical changes of the stressed animals, have not been available.
If the method developed by Locoste et al (2001) for determining the haemolymph catecholamine levels in oysters can be confirmed as suitable for use in the South Australian environment using the facilities at SARDI, the suspected predisposing factors – temperature, grading, transportation, disease infection, the combinations of these factors, etc, for the stock losses in Australia, can then be identified. The performance of the oysters can then be improved by adopting the best techniques and equipment currently used by the farms and processors or by developing new farming technologies which take into account the physiological requirements of the animals. The methods and equipment currently used by oyster farms and processors have been developed mainly because of their convenience to the farmers, cost effectiveness and the ecological requirement of the animals, not because they optimise the quantity of the product.
Another limitation to the oyster industry at present is a lack of stock which have been genetically selected to produce stress-resistant characteristics. This is simply because the selection criteria can not be determined. Therefore, the project could also provide opportunities for such breeding objectives to be included in the current selective breeding program.
Final report
As a result of the development of a protocol for oyster blood sample collection, preservation and transportation and subsequent catecholamine analysis during the course of this project, a test now exists which can be used to measure stress in oysters. This test will be used in the FRDC project 2003/208 ‘Reduction in Pacific oyster mortality by improving farming and processing technologies in South Australia’ to measure the stress induced by different oyster farming practices. Based on the results from these investigations recommendations will be made to industry regarding low stress practices/technologies that may help minimise death of oysters on farms due to stress related aetiology. In addition, the stress measurement tool developed in this project could be used to improve the efficiency of selective breeding programs.
Keywords: Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, farming practices, stress, catecholamines, noradrenaline, dopamine.