Hatchery feeds workshop

Project number: 2000-241

Project Status:

Completed

Budget expenditure: $28,225.00

Principal Investigator: David A. McKinnon

Organisation: Australian Institute Of Marine Science (AIMS)

Project start/end date: 24 Mar 2000 - 30 Jun 2003

Contact:

FRDC

Need

There is already considerable Australian research commitment to the production of hatchery feeds and to the development of new feeds. Many research insitutions have a proven track record in development of production technology, but with the expansion of aquaculture in Australia there is a clearly defined need to improve coordination between the research organisations in the area of fish larvae feeds, and to identify opportunities and priorities for future research.

In October 99 McKinnon acted on advice from QFIRAC and FRDC, and canvassed support for a live feeds workshop. All respondents indicated support, but indicated that such a workshop should encompass all aspects of hatchery feeds research. We propose that the workshop will focus on hatchery feeds for finfish, and will aim to summarise the current status of research within Australia, identify gaps in research effort, and prioritise research needed.

Objectives

1. To assess the status of hatchery feeds including live and compounded feeds and identify research in progress

2. To assess priorities for research and development needs in the area of hatchery feeds

3. To identify constraints to the continued develoment of Australian aquaculture in the area of hatchery feeds.

4. To identify opportunities to enhance collaboration and information exchange amongst researchers and industry.

5. To develop an R&D plan for hatchery feeds.

Final report

ISBN: 0-642-32229-5

Author: David McKinnon

Final Report • 2003-01-30 • 426.87 KB

2000-241-DLD.pdf

Summary

With the expansion of aquaculture in Australia there is a need to improve coordination between and within both the R&D and industry sectors with regard to the study of hatchery feeds, and to identify opportunities and priorities for future research. The recent world shortage of the brine shrimp Artemia has precipitated a crisis situation in aquaculture hatcheries. Accordingly, in late 1999 FRDC commissioned a Hatchery Feeds R&D Plan, which was developed at a workshop held in Cairns, Queensland, on 9–10 March 2000.

The aquaculture community was widely polled to establish industry priorities for future research. A questionnaire was sent to all stakeholders, together with an invitation to attend the workshop, which was held in Cairns on 9-10 March 2000. Researchers were invited to present the results of work in progress, and industry needs were canvassed in open forums.

For convenience, the subject was divided into 5 main areas of research: microalgae, rotifers, brine shrimp, copepods and formulated diets. Status reviews were commissioned in each of these areas, and priorities in each defined in the workshop. In all areas, the need to benchmark best practice and to more efficiently transfer research results to industry were highlighted.

Keywords: Aquaculture, hatchery, hatchery feeds, rotifer, Artemia, copepod, diet.

Project products

Plan • 983.88 KB

Hatchery Feeds - Research and Development Plan 2000-2005.pdf

Summary

Nutrition during the early life stages is a major problem in intensive fish culture. Inadequate food sources, either in terms of quantity or quality, is a major cause of mortality. Live food such as zooplankton has been employed for culturing the early life stages of marine fish and is currently obligatory for successful culture past metamorphosis, when the fish are weaned onto dry formulated diets. Continuing research and development into production technology for a range of marine finfish species has consistently demonstrated the inadequacy of existing live prey organisms used for larviculture.

The Annual International Conference and Exposition of the World Aquaculture Society in Sydney in 1999 (WAS 99) provided the opportunity for representatives from all the research groups working with larval feeds and larviculture to meet. All concurred that there was a considerable Australian research commitment to the production of hatchery feeds and to the development of new feeds. However, with the expansion of aquaculture in Australia there was seen to be a need to improve coordination between the research organisations in the study of fish larvae feeds, and to identify opportunities and priorities for future research. Accordingly, FRDC subsequently requested us to prepare a strategic R&D plan to more appropriately match the needs of industry.

On 9–10 March 2000 we convened a Hatchery Feeds workshop in Cairns, with the following objectives:
1. To assess the status of hatchery feeds, including live and compounded feeds, and to identify research in progress.
2. To assess priorities for research and development needs in the area of hatchery feeds.
3. To identify constraints to the continued development of Australian aquaculture in the area of hatchery feeds.
4. To identify opportunities to enhance collaboration and information exchange amongst researchers and industry.
5. To develop a national R&D plan for hatchery feeds.

This document is the outcome of that meeting.

Proceedings • 893.33 KB

Hatchery Feeds - Proceedings of a workshop held in Cairns, 9-10 March 2000.pdf

Summary

With the expansion of aquaculture in Australia, the Fisheries Research and Development Commission (FRDC) perceived a need to improve coordination between research organisations and industry in the study of fish larvae feeds, and to identify opportunities and priorities for future research. Accordingly, FRDC subsequently requested us to prepare a strategic R&D plan to more appropriately match the needs of industry.