Australian Fisheries And Aquaculture Statistics 2021
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$60,000.00
Summary
Statistics on Australian fisheries production and trade seeks to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries managers, policymakers and researchers. It can assist in policy decisions, industry marketing strategies and the allocation of research funding or priorities. The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for determining the research and development levies collected by government.
The neutrality and integrity of GVP estimates is therefore im ....Statistics on Australian fisheries production and trade seeks to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries managers, policymakers and researchers. It can assist in policy decisions, industry marketing strategies and the allocation of research funding or priorities. The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for determining the research and development levies collected by government.
The neutrality and integrity of GVP estimates is therefore important due to their forming the basis for research levies for each fishery. At the international level, the Department of Agriculture through the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) contributes to a number of international databases. These include databases managed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Information at the international level can assist in international negotiations on issues such as trans-boundary fisheries and analysis of trade opportunities. Objectives: 1. To maintain and improve the data base of production, gross value of production and trade statistics for the Australian fishing industry, including aquaculture. 2. To provide these data in an accessible form. Read moreRead less
Development of a new diet to improve insulin sensitivity and manage weight in healthy cats. This project will determine if a low carbohydrate, moderate fat, high protein diet improves insulin sensitivity and reduces weight gain in cats compared to a typical high-carbohydrate grocery line diet. It will identify risk factors for weight gain such as increased fasting insulin concentration and will also determine which simple assessment of insulin sensitivity best correlates with insulin sensitivity ....Development of a new diet to improve insulin sensitivity and manage weight in healthy cats. This project will determine if a low carbohydrate, moderate fat, high protein diet improves insulin sensitivity and reduces weight gain in cats compared to a typical high-carbohydrate grocery line diet. It will identify risk factors for weight gain such as increased fasting insulin concentration and will also determine which simple assessment of insulin sensitivity best correlates with insulin sensitivity measured by a gold standard. This project should lead to the formulation of a diet designed to improve insulin sensitivity and minimize weight gain in cats, and allow for earlier identification of cats at risk of obesity.Read moreRead less
Reciprocal Working Group Visit To France For Oyster Farming And Hatchery Technology Transfer
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$37,000.00
Summary
The key activities include attending the premier two day Exhibition and trade show event in Vannes on arrival in France which highlights the latest European oyster farming technologies and equipment. There are multiple oyster farm visits planned to view existing, new and emerging farming technologies in several key growing regions as well as a tour of a major European hatchery visit and equipment manufacturing factories. The benefit to industry is for the working group to gain knowledge and ....The key activities include attending the premier two day Exhibition and trade show event in Vannes on arrival in France which highlights the latest European oyster farming technologies and equipment. There are multiple oyster farm visits planned to view existing, new and emerging farming technologies in several key growing regions as well as a tour of a major European hatchery visit and equipment manufacturing factories. The benefit to industry is for the working group to gain knowledge and share experiences of new and emerging farming technologies between the French and Australian industries to improve and enhance the growing and production of oysters in our respective countries. An additional benefit of the visit is to examine the potential for new oyster farming system designs and manufacturing opportunities for Australian manufacturers of oyster growing infrastructure. Read moreRead less
Reduction Of Oyster Waste: Establishing Best Practices For Controlling Wild Spat Under Commercial Production
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
‘Overcatch’ or ‘fouling’, whereby juvenile oysters (wild spat) or other aquatic organisms attach themselves to semi-mature oysters, is the largest farming challenge for Sydney rock oyster (SRO; Saccostrea glomerata) growers in Australia and represents a major barrier to efficient and sustainable production (Wayne Hutchinson, FRDC, personal comm.; Durr & Watson, 2010). Without timely intervention, fouling often renders the oysters unmarketable, leading to substantial proportions of product being ....‘Overcatch’ or ‘fouling’, whereby juvenile oysters (wild spat) or other aquatic organisms attach themselves to semi-mature oysters, is the largest farming challenge for Sydney rock oyster (SRO; Saccostrea glomerata) growers in Australia and represents a major barrier to efficient and sustainable production (Wayne Hutchinson, FRDC, personal comm.; Durr & Watson, 2010). Without timely intervention, fouling often renders the oysters unmarketable, leading to substantial proportions of product being discarded or having growth rates considerably slowed (Watson et al. 2009; Adams et al. 2011). It is estimated that 30–50% of SRO grown in Qld and northern NSW are wasted as a result of fouling with a potential value of $13–30 million/annum (Tim Prowse, QOGA, personal comm.; FRDC, 2022); this is either because the products become unsellable or due to losses associated with current overcatch control treatments. The inability to effectively manage overcatch has contributed considerably to the decline of Qld’s oyster industry over the last century, and similarly remains a significant financial impost to NSW oyster growing operations (de Nys et al. 2002; Cox et al. 2012).
At present, oyster growers typically attempt to mitigate the impacts of overcatch using methods like air drying and heat immersion; but both are labour intensive, have no clear guidelines or benchmarked specifications to support new growers in their implementation, and can result in significant mortalities or even total crop losses if undertaken incorrectly (Fitridge et al. 2012; 2014; Mayrand et al. 2015). While two relatively new technologies exist that hold promise for successfully managing overcatch, namely the ‘cold shock’ hypersaline system and FlipFarm system (Cox et al. 2012; Jackson, 2021), these have not yet been widely trialled or adopted in Australian oyster growing regions. There is thus a pressing need to better understand the optimal parameters for effectively eliminating overcatch while retaining host oyster health in commercial production settings.
The proposed project will respond to this longstanding need by evaluating and comparing the efficacy, practicality and cost-effectiveness of these various existing and emerging overcatch control methodologies under the same commercial environment, location and stock. Trials of these four treatments (air drying, heat immersion, cold shock system, FlipFarm system) will be carried out at established oyster leases in Qld’s Moreton Bay region, which is particularly prone to the impacts of fouling and therefore offers the ideal location to determine the efficacies of different methods in controlling overcatch in on-farm settings. The location also has no pre-existing incidences of QX disease that is currently decimating many other SRO growing regions in NSW and Southern QLD. The findings from this work will provide essential outputs, including validated methods and Best Management Practices (BMPs), which will be widely disseminated to the national oyster industry through various relevant forums.
With the Qld government in particular seeking to rejuvenate its oyster industry (McDougall, 2020), and the entire Australian oyster industry looking to expand and boost production (Oysters Australia, 2020), the timing of this project is optimal. The results will not only assist new growers entering the industry, but they will also provide essential learning to established growers throughout Australia who experience significant oyster losses and labour costs associated with overcatch management. The project also aligns with the Oysters Australia Strategic Plan 2020–2025 to (i) increase the sustainable, efficient production of oysters and their management on farm; (ii) manage industry risks; and (iii) increase industry knowledge, skills and networks. It will further help to meet the objectives of the FRDC’s R&D Plan 2020–2025, particularly Outcome 1 (i.e., ‘growth for enduring prosperity’), by providing the oyster industry with genuine opportunities to reduce crop losses, increase profitability, expand production and enhance their reputation in a stewardship context. From a broader societal perspective, the project outcomes will be crucial in building a properly functioning circular economy in the oyster industry, by preventing the creation of waste in the first place. Objectives: 1. To improve knowledge and establish critical information for controlling overcatch on SRO using existing air drying and heat immersion methods in commercial production settings. 2. To provide oysters growers with validated new technologies (cold shock system, FlipFarm system, temperature / RH sensors) that offer more effective and efficient control of overcatch on SRO in commercial production settings. 3. To reduce oyster losses/deaths, as well as labour requirements, associated with controlling overcatch on SRO, when compared to current practices. 4. To develop Best Management Practices for overcatch control that can be used for demonstration and training to the wider oyster-growing community and public. Read moreRead less
Establishment of a viable sheep dairy industry in Australia. Australia imports some $10 million/year of sheep dairy products, and has a fledgling sheep milking industry. The industry needs practical management strategies to maximise returns from milk and lambs under Australian conditions. We also need to develop typical Australian sheep dairy products. This project will:
o investigate techniques to select dairy sheep from large unselected flocks
o examine management strategies to maximise ret ....Establishment of a viable sheep dairy industry in Australia. Australia imports some $10 million/year of sheep dairy products, and has a fledgling sheep milking industry. The industry needs practical management strategies to maximise returns from milk and lambs under Australian conditions. We also need to develop typical Australian sheep dairy products. This project will:
o investigate techniques to select dairy sheep from large unselected flocks
o examine management strategies to maximise returns from milk and lambs
o study udder morphology and milk ejection patterns in dairy sheep
o develop specialty sheep milk dairy products and
o determine their acceptance by consumers by conducting market surveys.
Read moreRead less
Strength in uniformity - novel clonal technologies for a more productive avocado industry. Cost and time efficient clonal propagation protocols to multiply elite avocado rootstocks for increased productivity is a major industry gap. This project will develop novel approaches coupling tissue culture with recent advances in root induction, which will profitably deliver large numbers of uniform and high yielding avocado plants to national and international growers.
Harnessing The Aquaculture Potential Of Queensland’s Native Rock Oysters
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$628,669.00
Summary
QOGA has identified core research priorities that need to be addressed to improve productivity and reverse the steady decline in production.
This project will partner with QOGA and other stakeholders to address the identified need to establish new oyster farming options, technologies, and production systems. The RD&E requires a dual focus, to both improve viability of the current SRO sector, and initiate commercialisation of new TRO varieties for expansion beyond SEQ.
Recent flood events have ....QOGA has identified core research priorities that need to be addressed to improve productivity and reverse the steady decline in production.
This project will partner with QOGA and other stakeholders to address the identified need to establish new oyster farming options, technologies, and production systems. The RD&E requires a dual focus, to both improve viability of the current SRO sector, and initiate commercialisation of new TRO varieties for expansion beyond SEQ.
Recent flood events have emphasised the urgent requirement to further improve the quality and availability of QX resistant SRO stock. It is a QOGA priority to have QX resistance validation trials conducted in Qld to determine the most viable SRO options for SEQ. Validation will be undertaken in collaboration with NSW DPI (building on FRDC 2016/802) and will link with farm-based growout trials conducted at strategic sites, assessing performance relative to location and system. Outcomes will also form a benchmark for direct comparison with newly identified lineages.
With the identification of new TRO varieties (FRDC 2018-118), QOGA advocates that both BRO and LGRO require thorough investigation and the development of targeted hatchery and growout research including farm-based production trials. This aligns with QOGA’s need to access additional culture species options with increased temperature tolerance (essential for northern expansion and climate-change security) and potential QX resistance.
A research hatchery has recently been established to address QOGA’s request for a dedicated R&D hatchery. The hatchery is already producing priority oyster strains (SRO & BRO) and is capable of undertaking this required research and meeting the industry’s immediate requirement to access spat.
To efficiently address the Qld oyster industry’s stated priority needs, this project will undertake research that combines new genomic sequencing and hatchery technologies, best practice production processes and expert local oyster farmer knowledge.
Objectives: 1. Overall:Provide an assessment of the most regionally appropriate oyster species and associated production protocols capable of improving oyster farm productivity and achieving broad industry expansion within and beyond SEQ. 2. Hatchery and nursery:Improve hatchery and nursery production capacity to support R&D activities and provide Qld farmers with additional spat while developing more efficient hatchery/ nursery processes that include advanced molecular processes for improving reproductive capacity, gonad conditioning and reliability of spawning. 3. Blacklip Rock Oysters:Provide reliable BRO spat production capacity that meets the short-term stocking and start-up needs of Qld BRO farms. Develop locally relevant production protocols and determine BRO farming suitability at specific locations along the Qld coastline, while integrating with and contributing to broader CRCNA RD&E activities. 4. Lineage G Rock Oysters:Provide reliable LGRO spat production capacity that meets the short-term stocking and start-up needs of Qld LGRO farms. Develop novel hatchery, production, and post-harvest assessment protocols for LGRO. 5. Sydney Rock Oysters:Improve understanding of SRO QX resistance through validation trials assessing the benefits of QX resistant strains under SEQ conditions. Develop information on production parameters and systems for specific SEQ farming locations to assist with development of best practice production protocols. 6. Genetics and distribution:Develop conclusive, oyster industry focussed, genetic information detailing BRO and LGRO distribution and diversity along Queensland’s east coast. This information is essential for assessing geographic aquaculture potential at both a species and population level and developing appropriately informed management and stocking policies. 7. Non-destructive sampling:Develop refined sampling and genetic identification technologies to achieve accurate, rapid, and non-destructive broodstock identification procedures. This is necessary to ensure that hatchery activities can reliably identify and produce the required species or population. Read moreRead less
Supporting Attendees At The International Tropical Rock Oyster Workshop & World Aquaculture Conference 2023
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$37,850.00
Summary
In October 2018, FRDC funded the first national workshop on tropical oyster aquaculture (Osborne, 2018). This successful event addressed a need to foster greater collaboration across the various projects and provide strategic direction to future research and development activities. Since then, significant progress has been made in tropical rock oyster RD&E, both in Australia and internationally, and work is underway across the tropics to further develop the industry (Nowland et al., 2019). To ma ....In October 2018, FRDC funded the first national workshop on tropical oyster aquaculture (Osborne, 2018). This successful event addressed a need to foster greater collaboration across the various projects and provide strategic direction to future research and development activities. Since then, significant progress has been made in tropical rock oyster RD&E, both in Australia and internationally, and work is underway across the tropics to further develop the industry (Nowland et al., 2019). To maintain momentum and continue to foster collaboration in this field, an International Tropical Rock Oyster Workshop will be hosted by NT Fisheries and The Pacific Community (SPC), supported by the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA), in the days before the World Aquaculture Conference 2023 in Darwin. The workshop will bring together a broad range of stakeholders to discuss the status and current knowledge of tropical oyster aquaculture research and development. This will provide an opportunity to share experiences and develop an international network for tropical oyster aquaculture. As well as to discuss and document current bottlenecks/issues confronting tropical oyster farming, such as; hatchery production, disease, grow-out technology and shellfish quality assurance.
This workshop is running alongside the World Aquaculture Conference 2023 in Darwin. The project team have identified key people in the region (commercial produces and Traditional Owners) that would add additional value to the workshop and the World Aquaculture Conference 2023. However, they do not have the means to fund their own attendance.
Workshop information Date: Sunday 28th & Monday 29th May 2023 Location: Convention Centre, Darwin NT, Australia Sessions will cover: Day 1 (Sunday 28th May; 8.30am – 5.00pm): - Regional updates on existing tropical oyster aquaculture; Australia (NT, Qld and WA), Fiji, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Vietnam, Cuba, Brazil, New Zealand, Indonesia and the Philippines - Evening social event (from 5.30pm): Networking drinks and nibbles at the Oyster Bar. Day 2 (Monday 29th May; 8.30am – 3.00pm): - Focus topics and breakout sessions on major issues confronting development of tropical oyster aquaculture, such as; hatchery production, food safety, disease and business development. A detailed program will be distributed in the weeks leading up to the workshop.
World Aquaculture Conference Information Date: Monday 29th May to Thursday 1 June Location: Convention Centre, Darwin NT, Australia Sessions cover diverse aquaculture topics from feed development to training and governance structures.
Objectives: 1. Share experiences and develop an international network for tropical oyster aquaculture. 2. Discuss and document current bottlenecks/issues confronting tropical oyster farming Read moreRead less
The consistent growth of the Murray cod production sector in Australia is evidence that the industry is no longer fledgling and has grown into a significant production sector. Growth figures from 2012 until now effectively doubled year on year, with the total production from 2019/2020 season estimated to be around 516 tonnes with an industry value of around $9.2 million (AUD). With this increased production and forecast to reach a $50 million dollar sector by 2030, it is imperative that feeds fo ....The consistent growth of the Murray cod production sector in Australia is evidence that the industry is no longer fledgling and has grown into a significant production sector. Growth figures from 2012 until now effectively doubled year on year, with the total production from 2019/2020 season estimated to be around 516 tonnes with an industry value of around $9.2 million (AUD). With this increased production and forecast to reach a $50 million dollar sector by 2030, it is imperative that feeds for Murray cod are tailored and bespoke to reach their full potential. The development of bespoke feeds for the sector will have the added benefit of improving the economics of operations from both a growth performance and feed efficiency perspective.
Noting that past research on Murray cod primarily by researchers at the Deakin University was very successful in demonstrating some core aspects of fish nutrition, it remains to be determined what benefits are possible on larger fish size classes which represent the bulk of feed consumed. In other well studied species such as Atlantic salmon and barramundi, gains in production efficiency can be achieved by diet design, with incremental changes improving the profitability throughout the life cycle. Although there is no co-op or association for growers, a recently commissioned report has highlighted the need for improved feeds and key R&D support for the sector is required. The proposed project aims to address some of the fundamental gaps in Murray cod nutrition on large size classes to identify where gains in production efficiency can realistically be achieved. Objectives: 1. Determine a baseline for the most optimal macronutrient levels (principally protein and lipid) for medium and large Murray cod in extruded diets. 2. Understand the nutrient profile of the feed types and how this affects the fish performance. 3. Conduct a series of laboratory analyses to determine the biometric and biochemical effect of the feed. Read moreRead less