NEED
This project is essential for cost effective and cohesive R&D aimed at meeting the priority needs of the highly successful SBT aquaculture industry. While the industry has developed rapidly since its initiation in 1990, R&D is a pivotal requirement to underpin its development and assure the long-term sustainability of the industry. This project is focused on maintaining an offshore SBT R&D capability.
It involves providing services to support:
1) research activities undertaken on and around offshore commercial tuna farms;
2) managing and coordinating the infrastructure for small scale, experimental, high risk and/or novel research and development activities utilising live SBT; and
3) the SARDI managed onshore facilities at the Lincoln Marine Sciences Centre (LMSC) at Port Lincoln.
These services have been and continue to be required by a range of projects managed by the SBT Aquaculture Subprogram (the specific scientific methods associated with each research project are developed more fully within the relevant project).
This project will:
1) ensure high quality research services are provided in Port Lincoln to tuna researchers in a coordinated way. These services are provided for experiments on commercial tuna farms, the waters adjacent to commercial tuna farms, in the controlled environment of the Tuna Research Farm, and using the shore based facilities at the LMSC.
2) ensure that the use of the available resources is optimised and that a minimum level of duplication occurs;
3) enable the costs associated with these activities to be clearly distinguished;
4) play a key role in communication between researchers and tuna farmers, as the project staff are based in Port Lincoln, the centre of commercial activities.
This project will support scientists involved in both larger scale pilot commercial trials which are more effectively undertaken by commercial farmers with their larger pontoons, commercial stocking densities and more wave-exposed sites, as well as small scale intensive experiments which require greater scientific control and reduced risk provided by the Tuna Research Farm. This strategy has the advantage of conducting research in the most appropriate circumstances to achieve the desired outcome. The greater industry involvement in this project, through the involvement of an experienced industry R&D manager and farm operator, also has the advantage of improving the transfer of research outcomes to industry, involving industry to a greater extent in the evaluation of outcomes, enhancing industry development of innovative technologies and practices to address commercial issues, and disseminating information more representative of their commercial operations. All these aspects are important in facilitating the take up and commercialisation of the research outcomes.
Greater industry involvement in the running of the Tuna Research Farm was recommended in the recent review of the Tuna Research Farm. The Subprogram Steering Committee endorsed the participation of Mr David Ellis to provide SBT farm management and husbandry advice with his many years of commercial tuna farming experience. He will ensure industry best-practice SBT husbandry techniques are used on the Tuna Research Farm.
This project provides key technical and scientific support in Port Lincoln for all tuna research. Many of the services provided in the future will be outside the Tuna Research Farm framework. Other services provided to the SBT industry and associated research projects in previous years (ie. 2001-02) include:
1)Live tuna samples and laboratory space for sample dissection at the Lincoln Marine Science Centre have been provided to the cell–line project (2001-200).
2)Extensive assistance has been provided to a SARDI-TBOASA residue-testing R&D program with introduction to key industry members, collection and storage of samples and technical advise.
3)Advice on sediment trap design and technical and vessel support associated with the deployment and retrieval for the collection of sediment for the environmental program
4)A rapid baitfish analysis service for industry using NIR analysis and currently used by several tuna companies. This allows companies to measure the fat and protein content and get results within 48hrs of submitting samples in Port Lincoln.
e)Scientific input and an auditing role for the Stehr-Skretting pellet trial.
f)Field support and scientific advice to the Euan Harvy Stereo Camera Project (AFMA)
