Abalone farming can be improved in Australia. The profit will be increased and the cost of production reduced:
· increased knowledge of the settlement process and development of a better settlement system resulting in low cost juvenile abalone is essential for both integrated abalone farms and for the supply of seed to growout farms;
· the development of a practical settlement protocol for abalone requires a greater understanding of microalgae requirements and their culture and reduces the cost for abalone at the growout stage;
· the project will be integrated into the abalone aquaculture sub-program and has extensive industry involvement in developing the practical aspects;
· the aquaculture industry in Victoria is developing into a major growth area and investment opportunity and production is intended to triple by the end of 2001;
· the success of the Australian abalone aquaculture industry is dependent on developing methods that reduce costs in labour and growout time;
· the project will deliver information that can result in technically advanced culture methods that will maintain the competitive edge over low labour cost countries.