South East Fishery Industry Development Subprogram: strategic planning, project management and adoption

Project number: 2001-238
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $110,403.00
Principal Investigator: Ian Knuckey
Organisation: Fishwell Consulting Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 24 Apr 2001 - 9 Jan 2007
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Waste
Value Add
Training
Sustainability
Supply Chain

Need

To achieve the complementary outcomes of sustainability and economic benefits to the stakeholders in the SEF, a whole of chain approach to R&D is required (which is in accordance with government direction on R&D planning). Current practice focuses on the biology and fishery management which has precluded more innovative ways of adding value. Following a workshop held in November 1999 (Canberra) a recommendation was made that FRDC develop a subprogram to support the industry development component of R&D for the SEF. This application will develop the subprogram over the next year and produce a Strategic Plan that incorporates a whole of chain approach.

Objectives

1. Coordinate the FRDC SEF Subprogram (applications, workshops, communication)
2. Conduct an annual research workshop to present research outcomes from the subprogram and to define research objectives for subsequent years.
3. Facilitate travel of industry representatives and the subprogram leader to biannual steering committee meetings.
4. Coordinate the preparation of a Subprogram newsletter, media releases, and workshop publications.
5. Integrate with other FRDC and externally funded SEF projects to ensure maximum leverage of industry funds and avoid duplication.

Final report

ISBN: 0-9756006-0-5
Author: Ian Knuckey
Final Report • 2004-10-01 • 2.96 MB
2001-238-DLD.pdf
Final Report • 2004-10-01 • 2.96 MB
2001-238-DLD.pdf

SEF Industry Development Subprogram: assessing the commercial viability of utilising fish processing wastes

Project number: 2002-405
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $55,001.00
Principal Investigator: Ian Knuckey
Organisation: ASCo
Project start/end date: 19 Oct 2002 - 30 May 2005
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Waste
Value Add
Supply Chain
Stakeholder
Marketing

Need

With most of Australia's fish stocks near or at full exploitation, it is unlikely that the industy will expand and develop through increased will capture harvest. The main option for increased profits to the seafood industry is throwing away tens of thousands of tonnes of fish waste each year, potentially worth many of millions of dollars. Why? The wastes are produced a t low levels across hundreds of different shops, processors and markets around Australia. Economies of scale prevent any one of these small waste producers (and most of the larger ones) solving the under increased scrutiny due to environmental issues and is therefore becoming an increasing cost burden for the whole industry. The solution lies in a broad-scale coordinated and collaborative, multi jurisdictional approach across the different sectors of the seafood industry supply chain. Don't laugh, by forming ASCo, industry members (catching, processing wholesalers and retailers) from three different states have already agreed in principle and have committed funds to achieving this goal. This may be considered as a high risk commitment, however, as it is not going to be an easy process. The initial stages of structuring the company, developing a business plan and conducting a feasibility analysis will require extensive stakeholder input and collaboration. We are submitting this SIDF proposal to obtain funds to match our industry commitment and help us get through this first stage.

Objectives

1. Engage with a range of seafood companies that may have an interest in ASCo's goal of adding value to the seafood supply chain through utilisaton of waste fish products.
2. Develop an agreed structure for the fish waste utilisation company that meets the needs of the entire supply chain.
3. Develop a business plan for a fish waste utilisation company that includes a feasibility/economic analysis and a marketing plan.

Final report

ISBN: 0-9756006-1-3
Author: Ian Knuckey
Final Report • 2006-02-03
2002-405-DLD.pdf

Summary

Within the Australian Seafood industry, thousands of tonnes of fish waste are produced by processors and retailers each year. Generally only the fillets are retained and the bulk (~60%) of the product is discarded, often at a cost to the processor and ending up as little more than land-fill. This practice is coming under increased scrutiny due to environmental issues and is becoming an increasing cost burden for the whole industry.  Across the seafood industry in south eastern Australia alone, there is an estimate that well over 20,000t of fish product waste is produced each year. 

Through the work of FRDC’s SEF Industry Development Subprogram to tackle this issue, a group of key stakeholders in the seafood industry formed Australian Seafood Co-products (ASCo: ACN 100 489 236). The mission of the company is to add value to the seafood supply chain through the sustainable utilisation of fish and fish co-products that are not traditionally utilised or marketed.  ASCo has 17 seafood companies as shareholders spanning the five south eastern Australian states. A shareholder’s agreement is now in place and the company directors have now been elected.  

ASCo considered a range of options for the utilisation of seafood waste.  Given the relatively wide geographical area covered by Australia's seafood industry and the large variability in the amount and composition of species involved, it was agreed that processing the waste into a valuable organic fertiliser was the most suitable option for ASCo at this point in time.  With this goal in mind ASCo went into partnership with Sieber, a New Zealand fertiliser company with proven fertiliser technology, technical backup, and partnerships with other established fertiliser companies and the agricultural industry. Sieber already had a range of fish-based fertiliser products in New Zealand with proven benefits to agricultural crops and certification for use in the rapidly growing organic (farming) market. 

Keywords: South East Fishery, value-adding, waste utilisation, fertilisers, biological farming.   

Final Report • 2006-02-03
2002-405-DLD.pdf

Summary

Within the Australian Seafood industry, thousands of tonnes of fish waste are produced by processors and retailers each year. Generally only the fillets are retained and the bulk (~60%) of the product is discarded, often at a cost to the processor and ending up as little more than land-fill. This practice is coming under increased scrutiny due to environmental issues and is becoming an increasing cost burden for the whole industry.  Across the seafood industry in south eastern Australia alone, there is an estimate that well over 20,000t of fish product waste is produced each year. 

Through the work of FRDC’s SEF Industry Development Subprogram to tackle this issue, a group of key stakeholders in the seafood industry formed Australian Seafood Co-products (ASCo: ACN 100 489 236). The mission of the company is to add value to the seafood supply chain through the sustainable utilisation of fish and fish co-products that are not traditionally utilised or marketed.  ASCo has 17 seafood companies as shareholders spanning the five south eastern Australian states. A shareholder’s agreement is now in place and the company directors have now been elected.  

ASCo considered a range of options for the utilisation of seafood waste.  Given the relatively wide geographical area covered by Australia's seafood industry and the large variability in the amount and composition of species involved, it was agreed that processing the waste into a valuable organic fertiliser was the most suitable option for ASCo at this point in time.  With this goal in mind ASCo went into partnership with Sieber, a New Zealand fertiliser company with proven fertiliser technology, technical backup, and partnerships with other established fertiliser companies and the agricultural industry. Sieber already had a range of fish-based fertiliser products in New Zealand with proven benefits to agricultural crops and certification for use in the rapidly growing organic (farming) market. 

Keywords: South East Fishery, value-adding, waste utilisation, fertilisers, biological farming.   

Workshop on stock assessment of Australia's tropical fisheries

Project number: 1991-096
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $8,359.88
Principal Investigator: Rik C. Buckworth
Organisation: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (NT)
Project start/end date: 31 Jul 1991 - 30 Jun 1993
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Value Add
Marketing
Market Opportunities
Bycatch

Objectives

1. To conduct a workshop to provide fisheries research and management personnel, working on Australia's tropical stocks, with training and experience in various stock assessment techniques.
2. To apply these techniques to problem areas in the research and management of fisheries administered by the NT, or which are important to the NT and Northern Australia.

Final report

Author: Rik Buckworth
Final Report • 2017-09-29 • 8.66 MB
1991-096-DLD.pdf
Final Report • 2017-09-29 • 8.66 MB
1991-096-DLD.pdf

Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram: evaluation of value-added grain protein products for Atlantic salmon and black tiger prawns

Project number: 2004-236
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $347,378.00
Principal Investigator: Brett Glencross
Organisation: University of Western Australia (UWA)
Project start/end date: 14 Aug 2004 - 2 Nov 2007
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Value Add
Nutrition
Aquaculture
Agriculture
SPECIES
Atlantic Salmon
Black Tiger Prawn

Need

The need to reduce reliance of aquaculture industries on fish based protein resources has long been recognized as an important issue. Notably the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation have given this issue such importance it is rated among their 9 key challenges to address in the 2000 – 2005 Research and Development Plan. Substantial work has already been undertaken to address this challenge over the past 10 years. Notably, recent developments have seen the increased adoption of some grain based alternatives being used by the aquaculture feed manufacturing industries. Lupin kernel meal use by this sector in particular is a prominent success story.

As the aquaculture feed industries begin to increase their use of alternative protein resources, such as lupin kernel meals, it becomes increasingly important to develop quality assurance (QA) assessment criteria for specific feed ingredients. The nature of these criteria will vary depending on the end use of the product. An improved understanding of the nutritional value and functional properties of the ingredients is also required to maximize the use of these ingredients by these industries and to begin the QA criteria development process.

Presently the extruded fin-fish feed sector (primarily salmonid feeds) is the largest aquaculture user of value-added grain products in Australia. However, it is apparent that further development of market confidence, through resolution of some of the nutritional value assessment and processing issues, is required for some additional aquaculture sectors (e.g. prawns) to encourage routine use of these products and work addressing these issues is planned in this proposal.

Furthermore, exploration of new product possibilities has already begun in the GRDC project with the development of a series of very promising lupin protein concentrates. However, further evaluation of the potential and constraints for the use of these new and innovative products within aquaculture feeds is needed and additional evaluation in Atlantic salmon and prawns is required.

Objectives

1. To determine the nutritional value of selected grain products, developed as part of the linked CLIMA-GRDC project, when included in feeds for Black tiger prawns and Atlantic salmon.
2. To evaluate any potential nutritional limitations of the grain products in aquaculture feeds.
3. To provide grain producers, grain processors, aquaculture feed manufacturers and the prawn and salmon aquaculture industries with information about the nutritional characteristics and quality assurance criteria of grain products so that they can be marketed and used with confidence in aquaculture feed formulations.

Final report

ISBN: 1 921258 28 4
Author: Brett Glencross
Final Report • 2017-09-29 • 10.65 MB
2004-236-DLD.pdf

Summary

This program represents a major collaborative initiative between the Grains and Fisheries Research and Development Corporations. It has engaged seven different research providers and three industrial collaborators in achieving its outcomes. Numerous findings were encountered through this program, which are collated in this report.

Key among those findings is:

  • The dehulling of lupins significantly improves their nutritional value to fish. A linear increase in digestible energy value was observed, while a curvilinear response in digestible protein value was observed. This finding shows that there is significant nutritional benefit to the fish in optimizing the dehulling efficiency of lupins, but in terms of protein value that a minor contamination with hulls is unlikely to significantly reduce the protein value.
  • Considerable variability in the digestible protein and energy value of the lupin kernel meals was observed. It was shown that this variability could be assessed as a function of grain composition.
  • Considerable variability in the composition of lupin kernel meals was observed among the 76 samples evaluated for digestibility. As protein increased in each lupin kernel meal a reciprocal decrease in NSP was observed.
Final Report • 2017-09-29 • 10.65 MB
2004-236-DLD.pdf

Summary

This program represents a major collaborative initiative between the Grains and Fisheries Research and Development Corporations. It has engaged seven different research providers and three industrial collaborators in achieving its outcomes. Numerous findings were encountered through this program, which are collated in this report.

Key among those findings is:

  • The dehulling of lupins significantly improves their nutritional value to fish. A linear increase in digestible energy value was observed, while a curvilinear response in digestible protein value was observed. This finding shows that there is significant nutritional benefit to the fish in optimizing the dehulling efficiency of lupins, but in terms of protein value that a minor contamination with hulls is unlikely to significantly reduce the protein value.
  • Considerable variability in the digestible protein and energy value of the lupin kernel meals was observed. It was shown that this variability could be assessed as a function of grain composition.
  • Considerable variability in the composition of lupin kernel meals was observed among the 76 samples evaluated for digestibility. As protein increased in each lupin kernel meal a reciprocal decrease in NSP was observed.

Related research

All research
research
Industry
Industry
Industry

Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery Industry Development Subprogram: strategic planning, project management and adoption

Project number: 2004-254
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $129,196.00
Principal Investigator: Ian Knuckey
Organisation: Fishwell Consulting Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 14 Aug 2004 - 30 Sep 2007
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Value Add
Sustainability
Supply Chain
Stakeholder
Fisheries Management

Need

Until the establishment of the SEF Industry Development Subprogram, there was a dearth of R&D projects focused on industry development for the SESSF. The Subprogram was established in 2000 and has since accessed over $700K in funding (of which almost half has been from sources external to FRDC) to increase the value of the fishery by value-adding to fish products, adopting new technologies and improving utilisation of catches. The current Subprogram project finishes in December 2003 but there are sufficient funds to extend its work until June 2004. Members of the Seafood Industry involved in the SESSF see the need for R&D into industry development projects to continue and are supporting the submission of this proposal to continue the Subprogram.

Many of the economic indicators for the commonwealth scalefish fisheries in south eastern Australia are poor. The low profitability in the fisheries is recognised by most operators in the catching sector and this has flow-on effects throughout the supply chain. Industry is now looking to investigate the impediments to economic efficiency in the fishery. To achieve the complementary outcomes of sustainability and economic benefits to the stakeholders in the SEF, a whole of chain approach to R&D is required (which is in accordance with government direction on R&D planning). Current practice focuses on the biology and fishery management which has precluded more innovative ways of adding value and meeting sustainability performance measures.

Recognising that catch levels are unlikely to increase in the future, fishers are looking for various options to improve profitability by increasing the value of their catch. This type of industry development is a primary goal of the SESSF Industry Development Subprogram.

By continuing to link groups of people in the seafood industry with expertise in the whole of supply chain, the Subprogram will continue to deliver the successful outcomes for the seafood industry involved in the SESSF. The through-chain approach being adopted by the Subprogram for industry development is continuing to attract interest from a wide range of stakeholders and will continue to be successful in accessing considerable funds that are not usually available to the seafood industry. For example, the Subprogram has recently accessed $10,000 to develop up a $500,000 through-chain market development and innovation project under the National Food Industry Strategy program. In this manner, the Subprogram easily pays for the initial investment it receives from the FRDC. Nevertheless, through the involvement of FRDC in various industry development projects under the Subprogram (eg. as an ASCo shareholder), the Subprogram intends to return dividends to the FRDC that will make the Subprogram cost neutral to the FRDC by the end of this project.

Objectives

1. Adopt a supply chain approach to R&D for the SESSF to increase the value of the fishery by value-adding to fish products, adopting new technologies and improving utilisation of catches.
2. Determine priority industry development projects for the SESSF and seek a broad range of funding sources to support this R&D.
3. Integrate with other FRDC and externally funded SEF projects to ensure maximum leverage of industry funds and avoid duplication.
4. Coordinate the FRDC SESSF Industry Development Subprogram (applications, workshops, communication) and facilitate the input from industry members throughouth the seafood supply chain

Final report

Author: Ian Knuckey
Final Report • 2017-09-29 • 319.71 KB
2004-254-DLD.pdf
Final Report • 2017-09-29 • 319.71 KB
2004-254-DLD.pdf

Developing targeted strategies for improving product quality through selected low value seafood supply chains

Project number: 2006-209
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $325,270.00
Principal Investigator: Thomas Riley
Organisation: Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc (WAFIC)
Project start/end date: 29 Sep 2006 - 1 Jan 2011
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Value Add
Stakeholder
Policy
Market Opportunities
Innovation
SPECIES
Blue Swimmer Crab
Blue Mussel
Goldband Snappers
Salmons
Mullets

Need

Surveys have identified a market absence and yet consumer demand for well-presented, well-priced, top quality fresh and frozen WA seafood products. The market value of WA seafood may be further enhanced by the development of high quality value-added convenience products. These products may be developed using innovative processing technologies that ensure that taste and texture quality equivalent to a fresh product are achieved. Documented attention to food safety and environmental issues should also be addressed as these have been identified in consumer surveys as of importance to the discerning purchaser. Such value-adding, resulting in an extended shelf-life, may also result in export opportunities not currently available to WA suppliers.

To modify current industry practices, and develop new processing protocols to meet these emerging markets, there is a need for species specific, whole of supply chain microbiological and biochemical research, aligned with product quality assessment. Low value seafood with generally short shelf-lives will be chosen as the target sectors to maximize the potential increase in profit by extending shelf-life or by developing new product lines.

There have been no investigations to identify specific spoilage organisms that are found on seafood along the WA coast. Virtually nothing is known about any of the microflora of WA marine species. In terms of finfish in other parts of Australia, cool water fish are generally spoiled by Shewanella putrefaciens and similar pseudomonads, but the situation in warm water species is less clear with Pseudomonas fragi having been reported. The occurrence of these on WA species is unknown, but without this knowledge it will not be possible to design appropriate preservation, storage and packaging strategies to deal with spoilage organisms.

Objectives

1. To complete microbiological, biochemical and temperature analyses of six seafood supply chains.
2. To determine the impact of specific spoilage organisms/products on product quality through the test supply chains.
3. To identify and validate supply chain intervention and/or value-adding protocols which improve shelf-life or enable the development of new products.

Final report

Final Report • 2012-10-14 • 22.87 MB
2006-209-DLD.pdf
Final Report • 2012-10-14 • 22.87 MB
2006-209-DLD.pdf