Visible-near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (VNIRS) is a rapid, objective technique that has been used within CSIRO Food Futures (FF) Flagships projects over the past few years to assess flesh quality of animals within breeding programs. More recently, our group has applied VNIRS as part of a Seafood CRC Project (“Understanding Abalone Quality”, No: 2008/701; Miriam Fluckiger, Ph.D student) and will use this in a new Seafood CRC/FRDC Project “Incorporation of selection for reproductive condition marketability and survival into a breeding strategy for Sydney rock oysters and Pacific oysters.” (Applicant: Australian Seafood Industries and NSW Select Oyster Company).

This project aimed to enhance my (Malcolm Brown) capability in VNIRS, and apply these skills to current CRC projects. Another objective was to establish scientific networks with VNIRS expertise, as potential collaborators for current or future Seafood CRC projects. To this end, a range of activities were incorporated into the travel schedule, i.e conferences, training workshops and site visits. As the benefits from these activities were to flow to other non-CRC CSIRO projects (eg. salmon selective breeding program) CSIRO contributed the major funding to this travel grant, with the CRC providing supplementary funds to help extend the range of activities.