The need for on-going research into aquaculture nutrition and the need for continued inputs to how this research is conducted to ensure it is completed to the highest possible standard is emphasized by the fact that Australian aquaculture industries have a heavy reliance on imported nutrition technologies, feeds and ingredients for the supply of nutrients to target species. This includes feed manufacturing technologies, ingredients such as bait fish, fish meals, crustacean meals and fish oils, and complete feeds such as those utilised by the prawn industry. Not only does this create issues in relation to imported disease risks, continuity of supply and cost, but it means that many local products are being under utilised.

There is currently renewed interest in establishing a dedicated aquaculture nutrition research program due to the increase in cost of fishmeals and oils, their increasingly limited availability and potential contamination with antibiotic residues such as chloramphenicols if the meals are derived from some aquaculture reared products. In addition, pressure from consumers to limit the use of animal proteins in diets and limit interspecies recycling has applied new pressure to feed manufacturers and increased the need to identify and utilise alternative vegetable protein sources in aquafeeds. The increased value of the Australian dollar has also increased competition from imports and the need for the Australian sector to become increasingly efficient to remain internationally competitive with nutrition playing a key role in their capacity to achieve this.