Hatchery production of rock lobster seedstock for aquaculture and enhancement with emphasis on ozonation of culture water to reduce disease. The strong and growing worldwide demand for a range of lobster products cannot be fulfilled by existing wild fisheries. Only the sustainable production of lobsters using hatchery seedstock will satisfy the needs of aquaculture and the possibility of enhancing and reseeding the fishery. Lobster aquaculture will provide a new high-value industry for coastal r ....Hatchery production of rock lobster seedstock for aquaculture and enhancement with emphasis on ozonation of culture water to reduce disease. The strong and growing worldwide demand for a range of lobster products cannot be fulfilled by existing wild fisheries. Only the sustainable production of lobsters using hatchery seedstock will satisfy the needs of aquaculture and the possibility of enhancing and reseeding the fishery. Lobster aquaculture will provide a new high-value industry for coastal rural Australia, especially in areas with existing fishing and aquaculture enterprises. This project will develop new technologies to address the challenging target of producing commercial quantities of juvenile lobsters for aquaculture and enhancement.Read moreRead less
Heterotrophically grown microalgae as a feed source for the Australian aquaculture industry. The Australian aquaculture industry has rapidly grown in the past decade producing premium quality, high value species, e.g. tuna and oyster. In the new millennia it is predicted that the Australia aquaculture industry will be the most profitable area within the Australian seafood industry. An integral component for the long-term sustainability of the Australian aquaculture industry is the availability o ....Heterotrophically grown microalgae as a feed source for the Australian aquaculture industry. The Australian aquaculture industry has rapidly grown in the past decade producing premium quality, high value species, e.g. tuna and oyster. In the new millennia it is predicted that the Australia aquaculture industry will be the most profitable area within the Australian seafood industry. An integral component for the long-term sustainability of the Australian aquaculture industry is the availability of top-quality microalgal concentrates, shelf-stable pastes or live feeds, which provide the nutritional requirements of aquatic species in the hatcheries. This project will develop novel microalgal production strategies that would add value to the Australian aquaculture industry.Read moreRead less
Molluscan Biomonitor for Quantification and Impact Assessment of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Marine Ecosystems. There is an urgent need to address the significant issue of contaminants with potential endocrine disrupting effects in Australian waters. Robust monitoring tools are required to establish whether estrogens are present in sewage effluents/waters in Australia and the potential impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Edible oysters are one of Australia's most valuable and fastest growing aq ....Molluscan Biomonitor for Quantification and Impact Assessment of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Marine Ecosystems. There is an urgent need to address the significant issue of contaminants with potential endocrine disrupting effects in Australian waters. Robust monitoring tools are required to establish whether estrogens are present in sewage effluents/waters in Australia and the potential impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Edible oysters are one of Australia's most valuable and fastest growing aquaculture industries. The proposed project will provide management bodies within Australian estuaries a sound scientific basis to make informed decisions to facilitate protection of both aquatic biodiversity and commercial aquaculture initiatives in response to estrogenic diffuse and point inputs.Read moreRead less
Predictive ichthyotoxicity, diagnostics and risk assessment of harmful algal blooms impacting on the Tasmanian salmonid aquaculture industry. We aim to define through a combination of laboratory culture exposure and live cage bioassay experiments the minimum cell concentrations of harmful microalgae (Karenia, Heterosigma, Noctiluca, Chaetoceros) that can cause salmonid mortalities or are a factor in compromising fish health or reducing fish farm productivity. The diagnostic pathology and fish be ....Predictive ichthyotoxicity, diagnostics and risk assessment of harmful algal blooms impacting on the Tasmanian salmonid aquaculture industry. We aim to define through a combination of laboratory culture exposure and live cage bioassay experiments the minimum cell concentrations of harmful microalgae (Karenia, Heterosigma, Noctiluca, Chaetoceros) that can cause salmonid mortalities or are a factor in compromising fish health or reducing fish farm productivity. The diagnostic pathology and fish behaviour caused by different harmful algal taxa will be carefully documented to assist fish health inspectors in the routine diagnosis of algal toxicosis ot compromised fish health. Ultimately, this information will be integrated into a risk assessment strategy for the Tasmanian salmonid industry to manage fish stocks during times of harmful algal bloom events.Read moreRead less
Bayesian methodology for analysis of genome data with focus on the livestock industry. The aim is to develop statistical methods for the design and analysis of genome data with focus on the special needs of the livestock industry. This will significantly contribute to profitability, quality, genetic improvement and genetic knowledge in a key national industry, improve Australia's international and national profile in the key research area of bioinformatics, and encourage optimisation of current ....Bayesian methodology for analysis of genome data with focus on the livestock industry. The aim is to develop statistical methods for the design and analysis of genome data with focus on the special needs of the livestock industry. This will significantly contribute to profitability, quality, genetic improvement and genetic knowledge in a key national industry, improve Australia's international and national profile in the key research area of bioinformatics, and encourage optimisation of current information. Outcomes include a toolkit of applicable statistical methods, statistically valid algorithms, marketable methods for gene discovery, technology transfer, training and publications.Read moreRead less
Optimising barramundi production through early prediction of thermal tolerance and growth. Aquaculture is Australia's fastest growing primary industry and is increasingly becoming an important employer in regional Australia. Consequently, positive growth in this sector linked to productivity gains through R&D will result in improved socioeconomic prosperity of regional communities. This project will allow barramundi farmers to identify highly productive families early on in the culture process, ....Optimising barramundi production through early prediction of thermal tolerance and growth. Aquaculture is Australia's fastest growing primary industry and is increasingly becoming an important employer in regional Australia. Consequently, positive growth in this sector linked to productivity gains through R&D will result in improved socioeconomic prosperity of regional communities. This project will allow barramundi farmers to identify highly productive families early on in the culture process, thereby improving their efficiency of farming and increasing their international competitiveness in the rapidly expanding global market. The project will also establish Australia at the forefront of biotechnological research and its applications to aquaculture.Read moreRead less
Towards selective breeding of pearl oysters - quantitative and population genetics of the silver-lipped pearl oyster Pinctada maxima. Successful selective breeding programs rely on two critical factors; i) an understanding of the genetic processes underpinning phenotypic expression of commercially important traits and ii) a reliable method to retain pedigrees so that the rate of inbreeding can be controlled. This project will utilise modern quantitative and molecular genetic approaches to genera ....Towards selective breeding of pearl oysters - quantitative and population genetics of the silver-lipped pearl oyster Pinctada maxima. Successful selective breeding programs rely on two critical factors; i) an understanding of the genetic processes underpinning phenotypic expression of commercially important traits and ii) a reliable method to retain pedigrees so that the rate of inbreeding can be controlled. This project will utilise modern quantitative and molecular genetic approaches to generate for the first time fundamental information on the role genetics has on growth and pearl quality traits in the silver-lipped pearl oyster Pinctada maxima. Outcomes from this project when integrated into a selective breeding program for this species will dramatically transform the international competitiveness of this valuable industry.Read moreRead less
Linking genes with the phenotype - creation of a genetic linkage map for the silver-lipped pearl oyster Pinctada maxima. R&D undertaken in this project will increase our fundamental understanding of the role genetics plays in production of a premium quality cultured South Sea pearl. When utilised in future selective breeding programs aimed at improving pearl quality traits the information generated will allow Australian pearling companies to be more productive and to maintain a competitive advan ....Linking genes with the phenotype - creation of a genetic linkage map for the silver-lipped pearl oyster Pinctada maxima. R&D undertaken in this project will increase our fundamental understanding of the role genetics plays in production of a premium quality cultured South Sea pearl. When utilised in future selective breeding programs aimed at improving pearl quality traits the information generated will allow Australian pearling companies to be more productive and to maintain a competitive advantage over their rivals. Many rural communities are dependent on pearling companies for their economic prosperity and community identity. Consequently, positive growth of the pearl industry as a result of the proposed R&D will greatly benefit the economic and social wealth of these rural populations.Read moreRead less
Regulation of saxitoxin production in bacteria and algae. In Australia, toxic algal blooms have had a devastating impact on marine and freshwater resources. In collaboration with a biotechnology company, this project will develop exciting new methods based on information regarding the genetics of the toxin, to monitor and potentially mitigate the effects of algal blooms on water supplies and aquaculture industries. We will use this method to determine the impact of light and salinity in regulati ....Regulation of saxitoxin production in bacteria and algae. In Australia, toxic algal blooms have had a devastating impact on marine and freshwater resources. In collaboration with a biotechnology company, this project will develop exciting new methods based on information regarding the genetics of the toxin, to monitor and potentially mitigate the effects of algal blooms on water supplies and aquaculture industries. We will use this method to determine the impact of light and salinity in regulating toxin production in cyanobacteria and algae.Read moreRead less
C-type lectins and innate immunity in barramundi. The project aims to identify mannan binding lectins (MBL), key components of innate immunity, in barramundi and to develop quantitative assays for MBL. The project further aims to investigate the role of MBL in infectious processes of Streptococcus iniae, which causes disease in barramundi and humans. Quantitative assays will be used in conjunction with more traditional assays to evaluate the effect of supplemented feeds on the innate immune syst ....C-type lectins and innate immunity in barramundi. The project aims to identify mannan binding lectins (MBL), key components of innate immunity, in barramundi and to develop quantitative assays for MBL. The project further aims to investigate the role of MBL in infectious processes of Streptococcus iniae, which causes disease in barramundi and humans. Quantitative assays will be used in conjunction with more traditional assays to evaluate the effect of supplemented feeds on the innate immune system of barramundi and their disease resistance during times of stress. This project will increase our understanding of innate immune pathways in this fish species and aid development of improved feeding strategies.Read moreRead less