Autumn 2009

Volume 23 No 1 – March 2009

Small salmon farm thriving Vietnam’s new barra farms Diverse income streams spell profit Intensive indoor prawn production Timing good for redclaw Making the most of crocodiles Kinkawooka’s mussel sensation Turtles suggested for export

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www.AustasiaAquaculture.com.au

Contents

15 Editor-in-chief Dr Tim Walker Regular contributors David O'Sullivan John Mosig Dave Field

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37

Subscription/editorial Austasia Aquaculture PO Box 658, Rosny, Tas. 7018 Ph: 03 6245 0064 Fax: 03 6245 0068 Email: AustasiaAquaculture@netspace.net.au Advertising Megan Farrer Design/typesetting Coalface Production Pty Ltd Prepress & Printing Geon Group

FA R M P R O F I L E S Keeping the Farm in the Family

3

Copyright © by Austasia Aquaculture.

Contents cannot be reproduced without permission. Statements made or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Turtle Press Pty Ltd (ABN 98 506 165 857).

Australis Barramundi Expands into Vietnam

8

Barramundi Gardens profits from diverse income streams

15

Austasia Aquaculture magazine (ISSN: 0818 552) is published by Turtle Press Pty Ltd (ABN 98 506 165 857) for the promotion of aquaculture in the Australasian and Asian regions – inclusive of farming in marine, freshwater, brackish and hypersaline waters. Reader's contributions are encouraged on the clear understanding they will be subject to editorial control and, if accepted, will appear in both printed and online versions.

Thai farms leads way in indoor intensive prawn production

21

Timing seems good for redclaw

24

Crocs – Hartley

28

Kinkawooka shellfish – it’s all about flavour and environment

34

Kinkawooka’s market focus pays off

37

Hawkesbury River back as top quality oyster producer

40

Offshore cage project planned for W.A.

54

Possible export market for turtles spurs interest

45

Fellowships to tackle industry skills shortage

58

Cover photo A montage of photos taken from stories contained in this issue. Captions and photo credits as per the details inside.

Vic abalone farms upgrade to best practice biosecurity procedures 48

54 NEWS

F E AT U R E The current state of Korean aquaculture and the direction of its development – part 2

60

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 1

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FA R M P R O F I L E This aerial shot of the farm clearly shows the layout of the rearing tanks, settlement ponds and wetlands, as well of the ginseng plantation (bottom left).

Keeping the Farm in the Family You don’t always have to be big to be profitable. A raft of improvements at 41° South Aquaculture continues to reward the visionary outlook, hard work and determination of the Pyka family to succeed.

Having farmed, processed and marketed boutique smoked Atlantic Salmon products since 1998 the business has now expanded into ecotourism and organically grown ginseng.

P

revious editions of AAM (17.3 ‘03 and 19.4 Aug-Sept ’05) have reported how Ziggy and Angelika Pyka – and their children Ben and Charlotte – farm Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) in an old quarry near Deloraine on Tasmania’s central north coast. The property has 400m3 under water in twenty 20,000L concrete tanks plus an additional four hectares of wetlands.

“We have enough room to fit another four farms on this site although there are no plans for a massive expansion in fish production just yet,” Ben explains. “We are busy trying to keep up with present demand before we think of anything else.”

Water is sourced from Western Creek at the base of Montana Falls. The 11-inch intake pipe – fitted with a grid to prevent any wild fish from entering the farm – is further divided into six pipes which deliver river water into six tanks. Another six tanks have their water delivered straight from the wetland while the remainder have a mixture of both sources of water. There is a backup pump for summer when water levels are down.

The farm takes about 1 megalitre of water from Western Creek during summer and 2 megalitres in winter. Bore water with a temperature of 8-12°C can also be sourced in warmer times of the year to

help cool the tanks.

According to Ben a bit of ‘tweaking’ and changes to equipment has allowed a significant increase in stocking levels to 20kg/m3. Water flow through the tanks has been increased to 35L/second and each tank has four X-shaped air stones that help maintain oxygen levels over 6 mg/L. The 1.2m high tanks have an outlet in the base producing a circular flow that deposits excess food and detritus there.

This is then removed through out-take pipes into a settlement pond where suspended solids drop out before the waste water continues through to the wetlands.

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 3

FA R M P R O F I L E

The wetlands area, once cleared by an excavator, has regenerated itself with native plants, which also provides a scenic walk for the farm’s tourists.

Pictured are the smoked baby salmon and smoked salmon rillettes that are produced by the farm. All of the graphic work for the produce and tourisms aspects of the business are designed by Angelika Pyka.

The wetland flora acts as a filter – removing the nitrogenous compounds of the waste and uneaten food – while water movement and photosynthesis add oxygen.

Ben estimates that it takes two weeks for the water to circulate through this area. “We estimate that roughly 70% to 80% of the water that we take from the river is cleaned and recirculated back into the farm in this way.”

Water from the wetlands is used for the Pyka’s organically grown ginseng. Organic certification is being looked at.

Operations The farm sources its juvenile Atlantic salmon from hatcheries around Tasmania, depending on the availability, size and 4 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

FA R M P R O F I L E

price offered. Juveniles are grown on from about 10g in size to 600-800g, which is the preferred size of the restaurants and shops that buy fish from the farm.

The salmon are fed a 6mm floating pellet made by Skretting that gives a conversion ratio of 1.2:1. They’re hand fed daily as it allows Ben to see how they are eating, a good indicator of fish health. In autumn and spring feeding is generally twice a day; in summer/winter it is eaither too hot/cold for more than a single feed. In the peak times of feeding as much as a 30kg bag of food per day is distributed.

The farm’s mission statement specifies that the fish are not treated with chemicals.

“We have found by experience that any disease problem is usually introduced onto the farm with new stock and then exacerbated by environmental factors such as overcrowding and high temperatures,” says Ben. “When this happens, the tank is isolated and treated with salt for 1 -2 hours. When the salt bath is finished, the tank is turned back on and the water flow flushes the salt into the wetland area where it is diluted.”

High temperatures have been problematic for the farm, especially after this summer of higher than average temperatures.

“This year, due to the warmer weather, we couldn’t feed the fish as normal given low oxygen levels. So now our growth rate is out by 4-5 weeks. Consequently, our output is going to be affected until there is a ‘catch-up’ in the fish size.”

These 20,000L rearing tanks are constructed of concrete which was all hand poured by the Pyka’s.

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Shade cloth has been placed over the tanks to minimise temperature rises. But Ben believes that to solve the problem “once and for all” the farm would have to be put indoors. That’s not possible at the moment.

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The farm staggers its fish growth allowing year-round harvest of fresh product. The juveniles are graded into tanks as soon as they are received to ensure that the larger fish do not inhibit the growth rate of the smaller fish. Grading occurs 3-4 times over the 16-18 month growing period and is always done when it is cool to help the fish cope with environmental stress. Prior to grading the fish are not fed for 24-12 hours. The water intake is

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 5

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Management Metrics Key Management Decisions for 41° South Aquaculture include: • Onsite processing and sales to maximise end product value.

• Management strategies for water use to ensure the farm’s environmental sustainability.

• Incorporation of tourism into salmon farm.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) include: • Culture System utilised: flow through system of 20 x 20,000L tanks • Growth rate (from stocking to market): <18 months (10g to 600-800g) • Survival rate: 85% from first stocking to sale size • Max stocking density: 20kg/m3 • Annual harvest: currently down to 5-7 tonnes due to lower water availability • Production rate: 1,250kg per 1,000m3 (of growout system volume) per year • Water use: “We are a flow through system so technically we don’t ‘use’ any of the water, we only redirect it cleaner than when it comes in.”

• Power use: 2.3kW per kg produced per year • FCR: 1.5 (number of kg of food to produce 1kg stock)

The 5 acre ginseng crop is another source of income for the farm, and, although highly labour intensive, is expected to have huge production potential.

stopped and the level of the tank is dropped while the fish are hand graded.

If the grading is for processing, only the amount that is required to fulfil the weekly order is taken. Fish are humanely killed and taken immediately to the processing facility for gilling and gutting.

“This facility, with the help of a friend, was designed to be as close to export accreditation as we could afford at the 6 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

time, so if we ever decided to export a minimal amount of work would have to be done to achieve the required standards,” explains Ben. The 160m2 processing facility has concrete flooring, is insulated with ‘cool room’ panels and houses the gutting trough, stainless steel working areas, vacuum packing equipment and storage facilities. After cleaning, the salmon are

soaked for 24 hours in a brine solution of sugar, salt, herbs and spices prior to smoking at 70-100°C for 3-5 hours.

After allowing for time to cool the product is either vacuum packed for sale or further processed into rillettes by the family. Rillettes is a ‘spread like’ product consisting of smoked salmon, yoghurt, herbs, spices and mountain pepper. The smoked fish has a shelf life of six weeks or longer if refrigerated; the rillettes have a 12 day shelf life.

The complete process from harvesting to packing can take up to two and half days and, during busy times, can require extra staff. “The processing itself can easily be a full time job for one person, especially when we are busy,” Ben says.

“This is in the warmer months when there are greater tourist numbers and people generally are eating more fish.

We have two permanent part time workers to ease the workload of the farm.”

Marketing and Tourism When the farm first started nine years ago, the Pyka’s first step was to sell their fish at local markets as well as to make ten ‘cold calls’ to introduce their product to various outlets. “Nine out of the ten people were interested,” says Ben, “And from there we have gone on to supply 15-20 outlets in Tasmania as well as 10-15 outlets on the mainland. Many of these places are owned by people who visited the farm as tourists and have decided to take the products home and distribute them through their own restaurants, cafes, delicatessens or whole food shops.

So we know that tourism and marketing have worked well together!”

Exporting the fish products, while an attractive idea, is not yet viable. “We have had some interest from a Japanese store, but, a ‘tasting sample’ for their customers would have required a full container load of product, emptying the farm completely.

“So the market is there, we just don’t have the volume to supply it,” Ben laments.

As far as local sales are concerned, word of mouth seems to be the best form of advertising. “We have found in Tasmania it takes about three years to get a good

FA R M P R O F I L E

consumer base from word of mouth. It is the hardest recognition to earn but, once you have it, it is definitely the best advertising. We have fantastic support from the local community, even by way of just dropping into the visitor centre for a cup of coffee. It all helps to bring money directly back to the farm.”

Direct farm sales for one day, managed

by Charlotte, can account for as much as a shop outlet will take in a week.

Many prior visitors reorder the product either by phone or via the farm’s website with some consumers placing around seven orders throughout the year. The orders, once received, are packaged in 5kg polystyrene boxes and mailed using Express Post ... that sees the package arrive on the next business day. The farm has also won many awards from various state shows and fine food competitions recognising the high quality of their products. “We have received gold and silver medals for all products at the WestPoint Hobart fine food awards in 2003, 2004, 2005.”

The increasing awareness of the organically grown ginseng is also a tourist attraction, as it is one of very few commercial crops produced in Australia.

Being a very young industry, Ziggy is hoping to expand the ginseng farming community in Tasmania given its prime location and climate. “Now we have dried roots for sale, ginseng chocolate, nougat, spice mix, skin rejuvenation cream as well as still having honey and slices of the ginseng which are a great point of interest to visitors.”

Accordingly, with all of the wonderful products on offer, direct-to-public sales have increased around 20% per year for the last three years. Given the farm receives between 20,000 and 30, 0000 tourists per year, that is a lot of potential sales!

All photos by 41° South Salmon.

By Louise Willis with Dos O’Sullivan.

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ietnam is becoming a leading aquac aquaculture producer generating over Au$3 billion of exports per year. A reported 902,000 hectares is used for aquaculture of which over 60% is for marine and brackish water culture, principally White Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) as well as smaller quantities of Black Tiger Shrimp (P. monodon). Basa (Pangasius spp.) production has increased enormously over the past five years, growing from 20,000 tonnes in 1999 to over a million tonnes in 2007. A mild white fish with a flaky texture, Basa is considered a sustainable replacement for declining supplies of Cod, Pollack and Sole. Originally the Basa was produced from small cages floating in rivers; however, now at least 85% is farmed in ponds.

Marine farming is also increasing with both small scale traditional wooden cages in rivers and inshore areas as well as larger heavy duty plastic or metal seacages.

A wide variety of species are being cultivated, the majority utilising hatchery bred stock.

Established in late 2004, award-winning Australis Aquaculture Ltd (ASX code: AAQ) recently reported that as of June 30th 2008 it had developed total production capacity exceeding 4,000 tonnes/yer including its own farms and contract growers. The company combined Aussie and US technologies to improve and expand one of the world’s 8 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

To leverage its first-to-market position in North America and realise its vision to bring barramundi to major markets r a re around the world, Australis Aquaculture has expanded into ar Vietnam and other parts of SE Asia. Australis is developing V both company owned production and establishing contact b production systems in cooperation with local growers. A p strong focus on product quality testing and traceability will s ensure that Australis’ BetterFish® continues to provide e premium fish to the marketplace. p

largest ind indoor recirculation aquaculture facilities for barramundi (Lates calcarifer) at Turners Falls, western Massachusetts (AAM 18.4, AAM 22.1). The company is North America’s first and only significant producer of Barramundi.

Australis supplies healthy, sustainable seafood, marketed under the banner of The Better Fish®, Better Tasting, Better For You, Better For Our Environment.

Sustainability has been a cornerstone of the company philosophy and strategy.

In November 2008 US-farmed barramundi received the highest ‘green’ ranking on the Blue Ocean Institute’s Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood; scoring a count of 3.45 out of 4! (http://www.blueocean. org/seafood/seafood-view?spc_id=161) According to Managing Director Josh Goldman, Australis has been working for several years on third party evaluations of its product’s sustainability attributes.

“The Guide is very influential and gets mentioned in a lot of consumer and trade stories on sustainable seafood. This also gives US-farmed Barramundi the ‘trifecta’ of consumer seafood guides – Monterey Bay Aquarium, Environmental Defense and now Blue Ocean Institute.”

Overcoming Challenges Share market analyst Michael Gordon reported in The Bourse Factor Research (November 2008, Website: www. boursecommunications.com.au). “The

company has faced, and successfully met, a range of technical issues with the inevitable impact of a delay in production and sales timelines. Nonetheless, the company has succeeded, arguably beyond expectations, in both creating a market for barramundi and building a recognisable brand.

“The company’s marketing strategy was initially focussed on the premium restaurant sector. With creative marketing and significant investment in its brand, the company has recently stepped out to the much larger retail market (estimated at US$60 billion p.a.).

Meeting the requirements of this sector motivated the company to diversify its supply chain and seek cost effective ways to rapidly expand capability.”

With a strong focus on branding and quality management, the company extended its Better Fish® brand by launching a retail line of packaged frozen Barramundi, Basa and other species in November 2008. “Packaged product formants enhance our ability to speak to our consumer,” says Josh.

Vietnam Expansion In June 2008, the company received an Investment Licence from the Van Phong Economic Zone in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, approving the use of sea leases totalling more than 200 hectares as well as a 6ha land site in central Vietnam, for

FA R M P R O F I L E

a twenty-five year period. The Investment Licence allowed Australis to establish a wholly owned operating subsidiary (Australis Aquaculture Vietnam Ltd, AAV) and commence development of its integrated production operations in Vietnam.

Stocking of the Vietnam production operations also immediately commenced with approximately 520,000 fingerlings being stocked into marine nursery ponds. These initial batches are expected to generate approximately 450 tonnes of saleable product within 12 months.

Since June the company has been stocking additional batches of fingerlings on a regular basis and expects to exceed two million fish in the water before the end of 2009.

According to AAV General Director Dan Fisk, the two sea pen sites in Van Phong Bay are very favourable. “The 150ha site is in deep water (18-25m), which offers an optimum combination of strong tidal flushing (due to it being open to the South China Sea) within a well protected environment (with no history of severe typhoons for more than 100 years).

“Our 50ha nursery site is 18m deep. In both sites the current averages 7cm/sec, the swell is less than 1.5m and they are protected from the larger northern and western swells. Van Phong Bay is the closest location in Vietnam to the continental shelf, so the waters are of high quality.”

A technician at Nha Trang University’s hatchery checking Barramundi fingerling growth and health. Photo by James Willis

Larval tanks at Nha Trang University’s hatchery producing Barramundi for Australis.

Photo by James Willis

Water quality in the region is quite high with no local sources of significant freshwater input (no rivers). Salinity is usually over 30ppt, water temperature remains above 28°C for 10 months, with a minimum of 26°C for the remaining two months, allowing excellent growth for most of the year. There are no reports of toxic algal blooms or other pests.

Nearby, a 40 pen Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) farm has been successfully operated by Marine Farms for several years. In addition a couple of kilometres away there are over a hundred floating bamboo cages (most less 10m3) with floating attap houses using traditional techniques to grow lobster.

These Barramundi fingerling are almost ready for stocking into saltwater ponds.

Photo by Teresa Langmead

Based on his expertise in Salmonid Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 9

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LATE BREAKING NEWS

Management metrics Key Management Decisions for Australis Aquaculture Vietnam include: • Two sea cage sites well away from freshwater input, with good water exchange.

• Staged nursery production resulting in stocking of advanced juveniles (200g+) into sea cages.

• One hatchery with excellent relationship with Nha Trang University expertise in Barramundi and health fish management, another hatchery in planning stage.

• Highly managed processing to give sculptured fillets, each individually bagged and labelled for traceability.

• Quality Control systems on third party sourced fish, including contaminant testing.

• Product range with fresh fish (live, whole round, fillets) now expanded with frozen products.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for sea pen growout system include: • Culture System utilised: 100m circumference cages with nets from Nets Tasmania • Growth rate (from stocking to market): <8 months (200g to 1,300g) (predicted) • Survival rate: >90% from first stocking of sea cages to sale size (predicted) • Av. stocking density: <12kg/m3 (predicted) • FCR: 1.3:1 (number of kg of food to produce 1kg stock) (predicted).

culture in Australia and Canada, Dan has designed a box-shaped mooring system for up to 10 cages per mooring grid. “We will install twenty cages which will initially be 100m in circumference.”

In the future these cages may be expanded to 150m circ. by adding a third pipe to provide the extra floatation required. The knitted (knotless) nets are made by Nets Tasmania and manufactured in Vietnam.

According to Dan there are limited predators in the area, mostly barracuda.

“We may need to use a double net in the

future but it made sense to first try a well designed single net and weighting system to keep the nets tight and exclude predators while optimising oxygen availability and general water quality in pen environment.”

AAV is taking full advantage of the major developments in its own feed formulation and raw ingredient sourcing undertaken for the US facility. Specialist feeds are being imported and discussions may be initiated for local manufacture of customised pellets for the ponds and sea cage.

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Australis Aquaculture enters voluntary administration Australis Aquaculture Limited has gone into voluntary administration after failing to gain access to the credit needed to repay a $2.75 million loan. Mervyn Kitay of WHK Horwath has been appointed as Voluntary Administrator.

“The Administrator is being appointed following many months of fundraising activity within an exceptionally challenging debt and equity environment,” the company advised in a statement.

“To date, the company has not been successful in raising sufficient funds to meet its objectives. The appointment of the Administrator will allow the Board of Directors and management to continue to assess funding options while maintaining continuity of its operations in order to maximize value for all stakeholders.”

Australis is planning to continue operating the business as normal until a restructure is completed. “Australis management and employees are totally focused on maintaining the continuity of our growing operations and providing uninterrupted supply and service to our customers as we restructure,” Managing Director Josh Goldman, said. “We sincerely appreciate the support and understanding of our employees and industry partners as we work our way through this transition.”

Source: http://www.ausfoodnews. com.au/2009/01/19/australisaquaculture-enters-voluntary-administration.html

FA R M P R O F I L E

The barramundi are hand fed twice daily, however in the future Dan believes they will be using centralised feed systems with underwater cameras to control feeding. “We want to start with simple techniques and will intensify as production levels increase.”

The land base (6ha) provides close access to the cages and is being constructed to provide a high degree of security.

Australis’ production strategy will make use of the company’s controlledenvironment recirculating tank technology for the most sensitive early stage nursery production. Robust, post cannibalistic juveniles (>200g) will be stocked to the marine-based net pens. (Stocking larger fish is important to dramatically reducing escape potential, a key environmental consideration for the company).

Part of the Fisheries Promotion Centre’s ponds used for the production of advanced fingerlings.

Photo by Teresa Langmead.

Aeration is an important part of water quality control in the saltwater ponds to maintain high stocking densities. Photo by Teresa Langmead.

The intention is to offer an attractive, deep-skinned fillet product.

Collaboration and Contract Production A feature of Australis’ operations in Vietnam – and elsewhere in SE Asia – has been the development and maintenance of collaborative projects with local businesses and government institutions. To support the project, the company assembled a team of highly qualified expatriates who have many years of experience in both commercial aquaculture and the operating conditions in Vietnam.

For example, a nursery has been undertaken at the Fisheries Promotion Centre located in Khanh Hoa Province.

This facility was originally established for technology transfer. Two brackishwater (10-20ppt) ponds operate under contract with AAV for production of advanced fingerlings. These ponds are fed with tidal water and there is a freshwater stream to reduce the overall salinity.

Over a 6 week period fingerlings from the hatchery are grown from 3cm to 10cm. Grading is undertaken weekly whilst the fast growing fingerlings need to be fed three times a day.

Currently, fingerlings are sourced from the Nha Trang University’s hatchery; however, planning is underway to

Feeding Barramundi in the late afternoon.

Photo by Teresa Langmead.

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 11

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Two Australis technicians with a bag of local feeds.

The company is now importing specially formulated feeds from the U.S. Photo

by Teresa Langmead.

produce a company owned hatchery and nursery. Furthermore, the company is planning on directly supplying feed to its contract farmers.

Saltwater ponds operated by Australis are being utilised to ongrow the fingerlings to 200g during the construction of the recirculating tanks.

Early problems with poor quality and undersize fingerlings have been overcome and increased aeration and water quality management have significantly improved survival, reduced cannibalism and improved growth rates.

Celebrity Aussie Chef Jason Drysdale cooking up Australis Barramundi at Balducci’s ‘Taste of Australia’ promotion.

AAQ photo.

Australis Barramundi grown in Vietnam packed ready for shipment to the US. AAQ photo.

Dan is confident that further improvements can be made. “The challenge now is to lift the expertise of the farm hands, supervisors and technicians to cope with the higher stocking densities and greater numbers of fish than are traditionally used in Vietnam. The local workers are very good at what they know; however, changing techniques for higher stocking densities and more intensive production takes some time. The specially-built hand grading table with fish transfer plumbing used now will soon be replaced by a more sophisticated (mechanised) system using fish pumps and auto graders.”

The introduction of filleted product from contract suppliers in Asia is a key element in Australis’ strategy to significantly boost supply. To support this strategy Australis has developed an integrated Contract Production System whereby the company retains control of the key points in the chain that impact the ultimate quality of the final product.

Australis has exclusive production agreements in place with four processors.

Raw product is sourced from local farms, which are supervised by Vietnam and Perth-based Quality Assurance teams. A key feature of the QA process is full product traceability from each pond through the factory and to the end consumer. Each vacuum packed fillet is individually coded for full traceability.

Financial results slowly improving In the November 2008 Bourse Factor Research, Michael Gordon reported, “The results for the September 2008 quarter

12 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

FA R M P R O F I L E

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reflect the successful implementation of new marketing and supply chain strategies which were implemented over the past year. These strategies included broadening the product range to include frozen fish and expansion of the supply chain to include contract producers in Asia and the development of its own production facility in Vietnam.

Growing algae in the Barramundi hatchery at Nha Trang University.

AAQ photo.

A crowd net is use to sample some Barramundi for weight checking in the 100m circumference seacage.

Photo by Dan Fisk.

The Australis 1 is a converted fishing boat which is used on operations around the sea cages.

Photo by Dan Fisk.

“Whilst fresh Barramundi production at Turners Falls is approaching capacity and sales value continues to rise, overall sales growth has been driven by positive acceptance of the frozen product at the retail level and the expansion of retail distribution through the US. Over 1,100 outlets were added during the quarter to the retail channel with the introduction of frozen barramundi through the Safeway chain. Frozen fish contributed 45% of sales in the September 2008 quarter, compared with a very small share in the same period in 2007. The share attributable to frozen fish will continue to rise as increased supply becomes available coupled and anticipated ongoing growth in the retail distribution channel eventuates.

“Although Australis is expected to achieve profitability in the current financial year, the Company’s investments in Vietnam will require cash as it builds it asset and operational base there. As such, sustainable positive operating cash is not expected to be achieved until FY 2009. Accordingly, the company has been seeking to boost its capital resources.

The current state of investment markets has made the task difficult. Against this background, the US$2 million capital injection from Conti Partners is a positive result.”

By Dos O’Sullivan* * Note: Dos is a Non-Executive Director of AAQ. For more information contact Dan Fisk, General Director, Australis Aquaculture Vietnam Ltd, Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Tel: (+84) 058 3510-839, Fax: (+84) 058 3510-835, M: (+84) 09 4773-2738, Email: DFisk@australis.us, Web: www.TheBetterFish.com, ASX Stock Symbol: AAQ

14 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

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Barramundi Gardens profits from diverse income streams Part of the extensive hydroponic set up at barramundi gardens.

They grow their hydroponic products from seeds. Seen here are some of the seedlings being produced in the plant nursery.

The fishout pond. How relaxing is that!!!

The overview from the fishout pond. With a backdrop of the ranges, this spectacular scene gives tourists a break away from the coastal scenery of the lowlands.

The Product. Barramundi gardens spring rolls are distributed nationally.

The hydroponics are an important part of the operation at Barramundi Gardens, and as intensive as the fish farming. Here Annemaree is moving plants from the nursery section to the growout.

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 15

FA R M P R O F I L E 1

Quality control. Betty packing greens for the local market.

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Tim at the door to the cool room holding the fish feed. Tropical temperatures and humidity can quickly destroy key ingredients, greatly reducing the efficiency of the feed.

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1. Collette (L) and Nina packing barramundi spring rolls. Obviously Barramundi Gardens is a happy place to work.

2. The freezer. Product can be held to ensure 12 month distribution capacity.

3. The heart of the nursery: the water cleaning plant.

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im and Gail Thiele came to Far North Queensland (FNQ) in early 2002, taking on Barramundi Gardens in partnership with Gail’s sister and her husband. Set in the shadow of Mt Molloy at Julatten, the farm needed “new energy” as Gail put it. The Thieles bought out their partners after 18 months and are now the sole proprietors.

restaurateurs and retail outlets. Yet more are filleted for the same local market and some sold as 400g to 500g plate size fish.

The farm also produces a nationally-distributed barramundi spring roll.

The original farm consisted of six x 0.1ha ponds with an extra pond put in as a fish out pond for the tourist industry, a mainstay of the region. The Thieles have doubled the production pondage and built a recirculating nursery system.

Additional income comes from a range of hydroponically grown vegetable lines.

The farm produces lettuce, Asian greens, spring onions and herbs with the Asian greens and spring onions used in the production of spring rolls. Gail expects that in the future they will gear more into spring roll production and whole fish sales and move away from the more labour-intensive vegetable production.

Marketing has similarly been upgraded.

Whilst chilled whole (CW) fish are still sent down to the Sydney Fish Market (SFM), others are distributed to local 16 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

Fry are on grown in the nursery system and either used in the Barramundi Gardens growout program or sold to other aquaculture farms in the district.

The farm All twelve 0.1ha ponds are netted against predation by cormorants until the fry are 400g to 500g. Even then Tim may even leave the tent like netting structure across the ponds if they aren’t in the way of pond management or aren’t needed elsewhere on the farm after the fingerings have grown beyond that size. Sea eagles too can take fish but in small amounts compared to the potential losses from cormorants that can arrive in flocks.

Two hp paddlewheel aerators maintain adequate oxygen levels in the ponds.

The engine room of the production cycle is undoubtedly the nursery. Here growth rates are maximised when the fish are growing at their fastest and

FA R M P R O F I L E

most efficient. The system was purchased from Aquasonic and designed in consultation with Tim by Lindsay Hopper, the long serving Sales Manager at the company’s Wauchope headquarters.

Lindsay says that it was important to identify the most practical and efficient system that would fit in with what Tim and Gail were looking to achieve on their farm and the infrastructure that they already had in place.

The nursery consists of 48 x 400L tanks mounted on a concrete brick platform to allow for the plumbing. It can hold 80,000 tails at any one time with a usual throughput of 250,000 tails a season.

The organics in suspension are first dealt with by the Aquasonic Rotating Drum Filter with a 74μm screen. Water then flows under gravity into the Moving Bed Biological Filter, where Kaldness media provides a high surface area for biological assimilation (an ESAM SC Blower maintains fluidization). From the biofilter, the water enters the sump, where it is subject to further filtration.

In a loop in and out of the sump, water passes through a relatively new industry filtration system called a Polygeyser Bioclarifier, then through 2 x Ozone/Oxygen Reactor where the ozone/oxygen mix is applied. This combination boosts efficiency to maintain high water quality and increase the stock biomass capability of the system.

Tim & Gail proudly stand in front of their 48 x 400L fingerling tanks.

The Polygeyser, is a new version of the traditional bead filters, with features that provide significant advantages. The Polygeyser, polishes the water down to 5 microns and, with it’s unique automatic pneumatic backwash, ensures almost zero water loss. In a labourintensive industry, maintenance is slashed.

“It literally only takes a couple of minutes a day” Lindsay says. “The specifically designed and manufactured Nitrotech media within the PG7PR Polygeyser, provides some additional 260m2 of biological surface area (over and above the Kaldnes in the moving bed), which means the biological capability of system is increased by more than 5kg of feed per day.”

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 17

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100% of the water returned to the tanks (via the energy-efficient WaterCo Turboflo Pumps) passes through 4 x 150watt Emperor Aquatic’s Ultraviolet Sterilizers (four lines splitting the flow to each of the four rows of tanks).

There is no doubt that the capital expenditure and relatively high operating cost has been justified. The water in the system ‘sparkles’ and the fish are ‘jumping out of their skin’.

Water for top up comes from a nearby creek and is recycled throughout the farm.

Some of the healthy barramundi fingerling from the Barramundi Gardens nursery

The farm has 3-phase power, sealed access to nearby service centres and, being 350m above sea level, a relatively gentle climate for the region.

Production cycle The 25mm fry are purchased from Paradise Aquafarms at Gordonvale. Tim likes to get them out in the growout ponds by the time they have reached 100mm, a stay in the nursery of between six and eight weeks.

Although fry are available all the year round, Barramundi Gardens only take them between July and April as they, and the growers they supply with fingerlings, prefer not to stock during the very depth of winter when growth rates are at their slowest.

The 1,500L transporter Tim users to collect and deliver fry and fingerlings.

Pond temperatures range from a short duration mid-winter low of 18°C (that lasts about a fortnight) up to 30°C. The elevation buffers the torrid temperatures of the coastal plains so that most of the time pond temperatures sit at a very comfortable 25°C. Gail says it takes the fish approx 12 months to lay down the first 1-1.5 kilo from the time they are stocked. But the second year sees them grow to their preferred market weight of 2.5kg to 3kg.

Water exchange is approximately 20% per week. Tim can move water quite easily as the ponds are interconnected with the header pond.

Harvesting is done by the old trusted method of netting the pond. If a total clearance is required, the ponds are lowered. If just a few fish are required to fill an order, the fish are attracted to

18 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

FA R M P R O F I L E

a corner the net shot over them.

Harvested directly into an ice slurry, the fish are rushed to the processing area.

Production before the new ponds were established was approx 20t/pa. With the introduction of netting over the ponds – makedly reducing stock losses – and the new pond area, Barramundi Gardens is looking at a production target of up to 60 tonne per year in growth.

Food conversion Food conversion can be as high as 1.2:1 using Ridleys barramundi feed. Tim feeds at the rate of up to 2% of body weight during the warmer months, depending on the water quality and climatic conditions. During the cooler months of June to September feeding rates are halved.

Being in the tropics, all feed is refrigerated during the more torrid months of the year when the humidity and temperature rapidly leaches key elements from the rations.

Feed prices are a worry. Being a long way from the two major food manufacturers – Ridley and Skretting – rising fuel and ingredient prices have seen the landed cost of feed approaching $2,000/ton.

Hydroponics The hydroponic system is an important part of the operation. Their refrigerated truck makes two deliveries of lettuce to Cairns (80 minutes away) each week in addition to the of supply local supermarkets and restaurants.

“Our slogan is ‘picked today, in your kitchen tomorrow’”, says Gail. “In many cases it’s picked this morning, in your kitchen by lunchtime. Quality and freshness is everything.

“We have a slow time in the summer when the heat and the rain makes it difficult to grow lettuce. But that coincides with Tim’s busy time in the nursery and around the ponds so it works out well.

It’s also out of the tourist season so demand is greatly reduced. When we’re slow in the winter on the fish farm, we can put more effort into the hydroponics.”

In the future they will look at incorporating aquaponics into their production

cycle by using nutrients in the fish wastewater to drive hydroponic production. More time needs to be spent on research to ensure a smooth transition from conventional fertilizers.

Marketing The Thieles spread their marketing efforts. At this stage of development they still rely on the SFM to take 80% of their fish sales. As Gail puts it: “Freight and commission has to come out of it, but they’re good payers, so if you need a cash flow it’s handy. Although you have to accept the market price on the day, we do alright over the year.”

Fish of 1-3 kilos are sent down to Sydney and local restaurateurs. The smaller of the remaining fish are filleted on the farm and used either in the barramundi rolls or sold to the local trade. There is also a small demand locally – especially in up-market tourist zones such as nearby Port Douglas – for gilled and gutted plate size fish.

Increased production capacity allows continuous harvesting to ensure a product flow spread evenly over 12 months.

The year-round market presence is so important in establishing a brand name.

A valuable part of the operation is the nursery. Fry and fingerlings are bought by the millimeter. At 1¢/mm a fry 25mm worth 25¢ becomes a 100mm fingerling worth $1 in six to eight weeks.

Some growers prefer 130mm fish, which takes another three weeks in the nursery. Even with the high capital and operating layout, the nursery system is cost effective, providing a valuable service to other growers by giving them a flying start to their production cycle.

Value adding is seen as a major part of the future. “We get a better price for our fish in the spring rolls than we do as whole fish”, Gail says. “We sell them all around Australia and it’s something we are looking at expanding.

“We work on $10/kg at the farm gate for whole fish and $24/kg for fillets. A good filleter will return 47% recovery, a poor one 43%.

Tourism in the form of a fish out pond and vegetables make up the balance of the cash streams from the farm.

Barramundi Gardens is an example of an extremely well run operation taking full advantage of all production and market opportunities. With an eye to the future it’s business plan is firmly focussed on getting the maximum out of all its activities.

By John Mosig Tim and Gail Thiele can be contacted by phone on (07) 4094 1293, or by email on barramundigardens@bigpond.com

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Call: 0409 727 853 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 19

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FA R M P R O F I L E

Close-up of the entrance door to one greenhouse – access by staff is controlled as part of the strict biosecurity procedures.

Photo by Norm Grant.

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Thai farms leads way in indoor intensive prawn production

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The Thai-based CP Group started over 80 years ago and is recognised as one of the more innovative food producers in the world. CP’s Roiphet Indoor Shrimp Project is part of the company’s push into high technology food production. Closed recirculation systems are used to produce shrimp without antibiotics or other chemicals. Production rates are reported to be over 250t/ha/yr.

O

nce again Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Ltd (CPF) is proving to be the leaders in shrimp (prawn) farming developments. Their integrated and super-intensively stocked shrimp farm is a model for ‘intelligent’ technology for intensification of aquaculture. Combining innovative probiotic farming techniques with best practice biosecurity systems the shrimp are protected within self-contained indoor

modules. The end product is contaminant free, disease free, environmentally friendly and all inputs are traceable.

Situated some 300 km east of Bangkok in Thailand’s Trat Province, the indoor farm is on 480ha of marshy agricultural lands some 27km from the nearest coastline. White Shrimp (Leptopenaeus vannamei) is the main culture species.

Currently there are four 11ha modules

1. Inside the greenhouse showing several paddlewheels and the central outlet pipe (bottom right).

Photo courtesy of CPF.

2. View across the storage reservoir to some of state-of-theart biosecure intensive shrimp modules. Photo courtesy of CPF.

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 21

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Management metrics Key Management Decisions for CP’s super-intensive farm include: • Stringent biosecurity includes staff and equipment access onto farm and between modules • Stocked with specific pathogen free shrimp PLs • No antibiotics, only probiotics and chlorine used for disease control • Certified to international standards in hygiene, sanitation, QA and other requirements.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for White Shrimp growout module include: • Culture System utilised: 11ha module of lined indoor ponds with high aeration, waste disposal and water treatment • Growth rate (from stocking to market): 125 days (0g to 17g) • Survival rate: >80% from first stocking to sale size • Av. stocking density: very high • Annual harvest: 1,200tonnes • Production rate: 109tonnes/ha/yr (growout system area)

Bags of plastic media beads used in the suspended media biofilters. Note the large air extractor fans on the front wall.

Photo by Norm Grant.

Harvest sump into which the specially designed harvesting machinery is placed. Photo by Norm Grant.

Rows of the water treatment equipment which each greenhouse has to allow a very high degree of water reuse.

Photo courtesy of CPF.

22 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

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in operation, whilst the infrastructure is available for 12 modules.

A natural canal (20m wide and 5m deep) supplies brackishwater into a reservoir before distribution to the modules.

Each of these has a water preparation pond where the water is chlorinated then dechlorinated before use. This ensures that no waterborne pathogens or competitors enter the modules.

Biosecurity protocols ensure strict controls over all access to the farm. Potassium permanganate (Condi’s Crystals) baths are used for any person, vehicle or equipment that is to be taken onto the farm. Staff access between the modules is also limited to reduce the chances of pathogen introduction.

Modular Systems All of the modules are contained in galvanised frame iron green houses with plastic coverings made from LDPE. The module layout is standardised. Each contains six units through which there is a 3-stage process with five different sized ponds. The culture cycle take a total of 125 days – 25 days in 500 m2 nursery tank , 50 days in one of the two of 1,400m2 intermediate tanks and finishing in one of two of 2,000 m2 grow out tanks. The ponds have been consistently producing 15tonnes/pond/crop at 60 pieces/kg. Each unit is capable of producing 200tonnes/yr; thus a module can produce 1,200 tonnes, an impressive 250 tonnes/ha!

Filtration, temperature maintenance (ventilation), feeding , aeration and sludge removal are all undertaken automatically to reduce the need for workers to enter the modules.

All of the ponds are lined with concrete and have a sluice for water drainage.

Water inflow is through a pipe to maintain a 1.5m water depth . The pond walls have 30cm of freeboard.

A key to the profitability of the system is the high level of water reuse; once it has been pumped all the way from the sea to the culture unit, it is important that it can be recycled again and again .

Tank water is turned over 3-4 times a day and treated by a sophisticated sys-

tem for removal of solids (uneaten feed and faeces) by bead filters and biofilter to maintain an optimal range of water quality parameters.

Waste water is held in a concrete-lined sedimentation pond so that the organic sludge and other waste material that falls out can be removed. The water then flows into two earthen ponds for ‘aging’ before gravity flow for eventual disposal some 1km downstream of the intake.

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No antibiotics need to be used due to the tight biosecurity and probiotic farming techniques. Each module is isolated and self contained, so if there is a disease outbreak in one it can be easily treated with non antibiotic treatment (eg. chlorine) to kill the pathogens.

There is a specially designed harvesting machine that takes the shrimp from the harvest sump directly to the processing plant.

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Following harvest the pond is drained, sludge is removed from the bottom and the pond cleaned and dried out before preparations begin for restocking.

In their analysis of the Roiphet Indoor System, CP reports that each module is harvested year round for a total of 230270t/ha/yr. The production is reliable, sizeable and sustainable (culture water reuse, no environmental impacts, no use of antibiotics). There is 100% biosecurity, food safety and traceability.

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When the profitability of the model is demonstrated then it is likely that the technology will be used to build selfsufficient agricultural ‘villages’ in various Asian, and maybe even Middle Eastern, countries.

By Dos O’Sullivan.

For more information contact Siriphan Tantipongpanich, CPF, Direct Line: +662-673-3424, Mobile no. +6681-847-6449, Fax: +662-673-3428, Email: siriphan@csloxinfo.com (Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Ltd, CP Tower, 313 Silom Rd, Bangkok 10500, Thailand) Thanks to Sawanit Phongprapai, Office of Agricultural Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy, Canberra, for organising the trip for Dos.

1. Routine microbiological analysis is undertaken on all shrimp batches on CPF farms. Photo courtesy of CPF. 2. Some of the technological equipment used for chemical analysis of the shrimp, feeds and other farm inputs. Photo courtesy of CPF. 3. A bird’s-eye view of CPF’s state-of-the-art biosecure intensive shrimp farming system. Photo courtesy of CPF. 4. Entrance hall to CPF’s US$4M Seafood Technical Hub for Innovation and Technology Development. Photo courtesy of CPF.

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 23

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Timing seems good for redclaw 1

Graham and Zoë Fettes have taken over an established redclaw farm at Koah on Far North Queensland’s (FNQ) Atherton Tablelands just as the industry in the region is undergoing a revitalisation and global seafood markets firming.

Their timing seems good.

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his is a very well laid out farm, consisting of 58 x 0.1ha ponds – bird netted and the fenced (to exclude water rats) –with good access and adequate shedding for grading and feed storage.

There’s 3-phase power too with air-lift aeration for the ponds driven by two 14kWt Siemens pumps.

Water usage over the season is in the vicinity of 400ML coming from several sources: a 160ML pumping right from the Closhey River, two bores drawing 200ML between them and the balance bought on the open market. Tropical Queensland benefits from the changing weather patterns and although Graham says the rain is coming in shorter more intense bursts, the main local reservoir (Tinaroo Falls Dam) is full to over flowing. He estimates the cost of 100ML to be now around $5,000.

Graham and Zoë run the farm with the assistance of daughter Aimee and her partner Luke Posma. Luke is a science graduate from James Cook University; Aimee is trained in accountancy. Between the four of them they have the skills to manage a small aquaculture business.

1. An aerial view of the Fettes’ farm 2. Luke at the main gate to the farm. Note the neat seal at the stoop to prevent predators from working their way into the pond area. This list would include snakes.

3. A dry pond showing the array of hides provided to shelter moulting crayfish.

24 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

Water temperatures on the farm range from 19-30°C with two temperature peaks – one as the sun moves south to Capricorn for the summer solstice and another on its return journey north.

Evaporation at the time is high but as this occurs during the wet season it doesn’t impact on the water levels to any great extent.

With redclaw’s optimum water temperature between 22°C and 28°C the Atherton

FA R M P R O F I L E

Tablelands is an ideal place to farm them.

Zoë says their ponds dip below 22°C for about five to six weeks and rarely went over 30°C.

The headlands are wide and the batter gentle to eliminate bank slippage.

During the cooler months the ponds are aerated in the late afternoon to mix the upper, sun-warmed layers with the colder water below.

When the Fettes took over the farm and harvested the ponds they were disappointed at the number of crayfish.

Expecting several tonnes, they found just 700kg! These were strategically stocked across the farm to kick start production for the coming season.

Two crops are produced a year. First lined with hay and fertilize to generate a plankton bloom and the freshly flooded ponds are stocked with 200 female and 100 male redclaw broodstock and the natural recruitment harvested five months later. Like all open aquaculture systems, yields vary from pond to pond, typically 250kg to 500kg per pond per crop.

Their target is to emulate the farm’s peak production year of 50 tonnes.

Elvers hanging around one of the airlift aerators on the farm.

A study carried out at Department of Primary Industry’s (DPI) Walkamin Research Station found that these initial stocking rates generated 19,000 x 1g juveniles in a 0.1ha pond. Without natural attrition and presuming an average weight of 50g this translates to 950kg per crop or 9.5t/ha. Clearly there is massive attrition during the growing period and crayfish farming is very much a numbers game.

To provide cover for moulting crayfish Graham provides hides. Apart from being a back breaking chore to handle when renovating the ponds, tyres have become an economic liability. Because of the $4 cost of recycling them the industry has swung over to more compact and more environmental friendly hides. Graham has an extrusion machine that is able to turn out an cylinder made from a meshed material that allow good water flows while at the same time providing protection for moulting redclaw.

A redclaw pond showing the hides and the airlift aerators. A 0.1ha pond will runs up to six aerators at the peak of its production cycle.

Feeding Once the initial plankton bloom has been exhausted the crayfish are fed every second day at 2% of their estimated Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 25

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The grader is another mechanization on the farm. A larger industry would have a greater critical mass and could afford to explore other ways of incorporating more labour saving mechanization.

With such a large area to cover, feeding has been mechanized.

A redclaw hotel.

Note the open nature of the hides allowing for healthy water exchange.

The crayfish hide extruder

biomass. Feed trays are used to monitor and adjust the feeding rate.

The cost of manufactured diets has soared since the world commodity boom. Twenty percent protein grain-based feeds that were $700/t are now up to $1,000/t. The feeds are locally produced and now only available from Ridleys Atherton factory.

It doesn’t matter whether they’re wheat, soybean or maize based, the price increase has been more or less the same making it harder to get a return.

Eels To supplement the income from the redclaw, the Fettes have entered a share farming agreement with a local eel grower 26 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

who traps glass long fin eels (Anguilla reinhardtii) and raises them to 1g weaned elvers. These are then farmed out to growers. The supplier – who also manages the export marketing – and the grower share the returns on a prearranged basis.

The elvers can be either sold after one year – by which time they’ve grown to 50g to 60g snigs worth $2 a tail – or they can held another year and sold as 3kg eels for $80 a tail. Naturally the risk is higher but Zoë says it’s warranted by the extra return despite the extra costs (the feed for instance is Skrettings trout grower and has to be shipped up from Hobart).

The market is in China and although Graham admits that these attractive markets will last only as long as supply is reliant on wild caught seedstock, they are quite happy to take the premium price while it lasts. New Zealand is the main competitor and is clearly unable to fill demand.

Each 0.1ha pond can carry and produce 2t and, based on the growth rates they have experienced so far, the Fettes feel they’ve made a good call with the eels.

Markets The main markets for live freshwater crayfish are in Sydney where the redclaw are sold live through the auction

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system. Although prices are healthy, transport costs, commission and market levies take a huge slice from the gross.

Sizes gradings used by the wholesale buyers are: small (30 – 50g), medium (50 – 70g), large (70 – 90g) and XL 90 – 110g. During winter, when supply is limited, smalls have fetched $17/kg and mediums $19/kg. The Fettes sell their smalls and mediums and use the larger redclaw for restocking as the price for large and XL redclaw don’t reward the bigger size.

Harvesting two crops takes advantage of both strong pre-Christmas markets and the winter demand shortfall.

The Future Graham says regulations have already set the tone for the industry and are due to play a larger role in the direction the industry takes. When the industry first got started in the mid 1980s, it wasn’t necessary to obtain an EPA discharge license for pond areas under 5ha.

Consequently the original farms were small and the main participants were families seeking to supplement their farms’ income.

However it soon became apparent that the small farms lacked the harvest to justify either the capital outlay or the significant labour required.

Another negative aspect of the small farms was in the market place. Produc-

tion was seasonal and irregular and the size ranges varied yet the markets wanted reliable supply and a consistent product. Given the patchwork nature of the industry and unco-ordinated marketing, the Fetes bemoan the product’s relegation to a ‘when available’ status.

So, although prices can be high for a novelty product, the redclaw is not a regular feature on the domestic or restaurant menu.

Now the State Government is considering imposing license fees on farms in proportion to the area farmed, further burdening development and acting as a disincentive to expansion of the industry. Sadly, this has come at a time when the industry is trialling new technology that is predicted to lift productivity.

While these innovations in genetics and husbandry methods are promising, they have to be proven, funded and adapted by the industry. Quantum leaps in government fees couldn’t have come at a worse time.

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1. Redclaw climbing up a flow trap ramp.

2. A male redclaw showing the claw stripe that has earned the crayfish its name.

Other costs are also escalating, notably fuel, wages and consumables.

Despite this, with a healthy price for eels and an increasing interest in redclaw, the Fettes appear to have chosen a good time to enter the aquaculture industry. With an established farm under them and adequate water they look set reap a just reward for their initiative and foresight.

By John Mosig Graham and Zoe Fettes can be contacted by phone on (07) 4093 7973, or by email on fernholly@yahoo.com

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3. The final reward: redclaw in the basket ready to be sent off to market.

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Call us today to discuss your grading needs on

6442 1563 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 27

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Croc profits from skin meat & tourism Hartley’s Creek Crocodile Farm helped pioneer the industry in the 1970s and moved to their new and larger premises six years ago. Situated just 30 minutes from Cairns in the Far North Queensland (FNQ) tourism region, it also houses a tourist park and education centre.

Nick Stevens, an aquaculture veteran of 20 years, is in charge of the hatchery.

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hile crocodile farming is a step away from traditional aquaculture, it adds $11.4 million to the value of the Australian industry, putting it ahead of mussels and native finfish species in value.

The estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is found across the Indo-Pacific region from Eastern India and Bangladesh, through Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and tropical Australia to Vanuatu and the Solomons. Although the most aggressive of the crocodilians it is also the lightest armoured with few osteoderms (bony plates, also called scutes) on its belly.

This makes its skin the most valuable.

28 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

The reptilian brain of the crocodile doesn’t lend itself to domesticity as say that of a cat or a dog, nor the does the naturally aggressive disposition and size make handling easy. Nick says they have worked out what the crocodile wants and tried to provide it. The only concession to natural breeding is the incubation of the eggs. Once laying is complete, the eggs are removed from the nest, hatched and the young crocs raised under controlled conditions.

Breeding The breeding season is a long one. It runs from October to April. Nick’s hunch is that a water/air temperature correlation is connected to the breeding cycle but until there’s more research done the farm relies on the falling barometer associated with the summer storms.

Maturity occurs at between 10 and 12 years of age, by which time the males are 3m and the females 2.2m. In the wild

the females choose and hold the nesting territory with a male covering as many as three to four females. Competition is fierce. The females fight over nesting sites and the males fight over females. On the farm crocodiles are paired one on one; as soon as the female commences laying the males are isolated. The minimum area allocated to breeding crocodiles is 1m x 1m per meter length of crocodile.

In the wild the female carefully choses nesting materials to ensure the nest maintains the temperature and humidity required to hatch the eggs. Much has been said of the influence of temperature on the incubation eggs in relation to the gender of the hatching crocodiles. Above 33°C the gender balance is weighted 70 – 80% females. At 32°C and below the gender balance is reversed. Nick has enormous respect for the ability of the crocodile to survive. He reckons that if a wild female had the time and the right range of vegetation to choose from construct a nest and position the eggs to ensure a 50/50 hatching: half males and half females.

That choice isn’t available on the farm and the nests aren’t always the ideal incubation units. The hatchery runs at 32°C and 98% humidity. Although dimorphism exists in crocodilian species, it doesn’t express itself before the animals

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Above from left: Advanced year three crocodiles. The largest two have reached market size.

Feeding time at Hartleys Creek.

Breeding crocs require an area a meter by a meter for every meter of length. This large male is over 4m in length

reach market size – after three years – so Nick says there’s no real advantage in having all males; it’s that 32°C is an ideal temperate for hatching.

Once the barometer drops both males and females come into season and the breeding pairs are left to their own devices; the female showing aggression is a sign the eggs have been laid. These are firm-shelled about the size and shape of a duck egg.

Then comes the tricky job of collecting the eggs. It takes up to four people to collect the eggs: a couple to collect the eggs and the others to stand guard and distract the charging female should the need arise. In extreme cases females need to be roped to get at the nest safely. A typical haul is 40-50 eggs although some larger crocs will lay 60-80.

Fertility is checked by candling the eggs.

The telltale air cap is easily spotted and after three days a white spot will appear in the eggs and expand in a band around the egg. This is sign that the embryo is developing.

Oxygen is as important as the temperature and the humidity. Twice a day the farmers open the doors to allow an air change. At this time of the year the ambient daytime air is as warm and as dense as that in the incubator.

Up to 2,000 eggs may be placed in the incubator at any one time from that season’s 45-50 breeding pairs with eggs hatching from January to May. Incubation takes 80 days at 32°C. Young crocs – which can live off the yolk sack for a month – may be left in the incubator for up to a week to make sure they are absorbing it.

Nursery stage Once the young crocs are strong enough to be handled without stressing they are moved from the incubator to the hatchling pens. This climate controlled 400m2 shed houses 22 x 12m2 tanks holding between 50 and 100 yearlings each depending on their size. The tanks are designed so that they have a haulout rim just above the water level (50cm deep). Although a constant 32°C is preferred, a temperature range of from 28°C to 33°C over short periods is tolerable. Each tank has a light for warmth and to emulate a day/night pattern.

The water, drawn from Hartley’s Creek and then heated and chlorinated (to kill bacteria and fungal spores) is changed after each feed. Surprisingly for an armour plated animal, fungus is a major threat to young crocodiles necessitating constant surveillance and hygiene management.

crocs on the farm. “If we don’t get them started well they are vulnerable to disease,” Nick says. “It’s up to us to control the environment to get them off to a good start. Once we get them up to yearlings they are just about indestructible.”

Staff move quietly around the nursery quite a bit to accustom the yearlings to humans but are careful not to alarm them.

Should one of the hatchlings squawk it sets off a distress signal to the colony and the whole nursery can erupt in panic.

1. Chicken heads weighed out ready for the afternoon feed.

2. The grinder used to mince the nursery feed.

Not the most popular job on the farm.

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2

The hatchlings are the most important Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 29

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Feeding Adult crocs are fed every three weeks in the winter and weekly during the summer with a diet of waste from red meat, chicken and fish processing.

Late season hatchlings taking a swim in the nursery. These juveniles are 3 months old.

Newly hatched juveniles are fed a mince of 70% red meat and 30% chicken at a feeding rate is 20% of body weight per week; crocs grow better on a red meat diet. At this stage feeding is four times a week and the tanks are cleaned after each one. Indeed good hygiene and is vital. For instance, the ration avoids fish as it tends to leave a film on the water that can cling to the skin, creating a site for fungal incursion.

Regular grading ensures that slow growing yearlings are moved back to a tank with similar sized animals. Nick reckons husbandry to be an an art form.

“You’ve got to have a feel for the animals.

You can have your basic routines, but then you’ve got to look at the animal’s body language: how they’re feeding, how they’re reacting to the other crocs in the tank. With these guys, if they get crook they’ve been crook for three to four weeks before you realise it. And it’s rarely one simple reason. Once you pick it up it’s a matter of getting them back on track again,” he says.

Early season hatchlings from the same breeding season. These juveniles are 6 months old.

Some of the leaders from the yearling group on the haul out ledge.

After 12 months the crocs are shifted to their next growing stage in circular climate-controlled tanks with a few centimetres of water in the bottom. They’re fed three times a week on the same diet as the hatchlings with the same rigorous hygiene protocols.

During this stage the doors are taken off the cylindrical containments during the day to acclimatise the year two old animals before they are moved to the outdoor growing pens. By this time they are 1.2m to 1.3m.

The growth of farmed animals is nearly three times faster than in the wild.

Everything is in their favour: a copious supply of food, no predators and a controlled optimum climate. Nick says a wild crocodile can take two and a half years to grow to 60cm; it takes one year on the farm. A 30 month-old farmed crocodile can measure 1.5m.

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The industry Queensland boasts six licensed crocodile farms and operates under different regulations to those in the Territory or Western Australia. Strong lobbying from local environmentalists – amongst them the self-styled Crocodile Hunter, the late Steve Irvin – has ensured crocodile farming there to be restricted to exploitation of farm bred stock.

In the other states, graziers are allowed to sell the eggs from the nests of the wild crocs to farmers. Nick says this has conservation benefits. “Because the graziers are collecting the eggs in the wild, they are monitoring and recording such things as the animals’ behaviour, numbers, diet and habitat preferences.

This isn’t happening in Queensland.

Without monitoring there’s no knowledge building up of what they’re trying to conserve.

The egg chart giving the various stages of embryo development.

“Farming is generally considered a tool for conservation. Of the 23 species of crocodilians, the 11 least endangered species are all farmed.”

Hartley’s Creek is amongst the largest growers in Queensland, holding 2,500 crocs on the farm at any one time; Nick says some of the larger farms interstate could be holding as many as 30,000.

The Queensland industry relies on tourism to a large degree.

Skin buyers determine the sizes and which of the three grades the skins fall into. Skins are measured along the belly between the back and front legs with the preferred size between 38cm and 45cm, the usual size of a 2-3 year old farmed croc.

Nick fitting the grill to the acclimatisation chamber.

Skins are the most valuable part of the crocodile, but the flesh also carries a commercial value. Worth $1.95 million in 2004/06, it made up 17% of the return from crocodile farming. Up to 98% of the animal is sold: as well as the belly skins, the meat yield is between five and seven kilos per animal, the feet and heads are sold as souvenirs and the back straps are sold for hat band and belts.

Skins are sold raw (salted) to tanneries in France, Japan and Singapore. Having just three markets to choose does leave producers a bit vulnerable but skins Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 31

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from estuarine crocodiles do receive a premium price compared to those from caymans and alligators (tropical America) and Nile crocodiles. Nick can’t tell if they’re getting a fair price or not but he says a Hermes handbag using two skins sells $15,000 – $20,000.

Year two crocs frolicking in the acclimatization chamber.

Economics Housing crocodiles in climate controlled conditions, even in the tropics, specifies huge initial outlays. The OH&S issues alone are frightening. And maintenance in the coastal tropics is high. Major operating costs are food labour and power. The breakeven point is in the vicinity of $7/cm.

Estuarine crocs, responsible for most of the crocodile attacks on people, are particularly aggressive in the breeding season. Even so, more people die from bee stings each year than from croc attacks.

Nick reckons croc attacks to be good for business, clear demonstation of what ghouls we all are!

It is a very old species having been around in its present form for 70 million years. In fact, the crocodilians can trace their ancestors back more than 200 million years. No one knows for sure what their life expectancy is but Nick feels it is at least 50 or 60 years, maybe even 100.

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Year three crocs enjoying some early spring sunshine.

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32 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

They are also very efficient and tough animals, able to slow their metabolism to cope with adverse conditions. And if they should they lose a leg, an antibiotic and a coagulant in their bloodstream allows them to just sit up on the bank until the wound heals. Some of the older crocs on the farm have worn their teeth down to the gums scrapping with their neighbours.

Crocodile farming is an growing industry and an export earner for Australia.

Hartley’s Creek has built a business around farming these iconic reptiles and one of the major tourist attractions and employers in the region.

Nick Stevens can be contacted by phone on (07) 4055 3576, or by email on sales@crocodileadventures.com

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9OUR !USTRALIAN SUPPLIER

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Kinkawooka shellfish – it’s all about flavour and environment Mussels have the lowest farm gate or ‘beach’ price per kilogram of any aquaculture produce; often this can be as low as $2/kg and mostly less than $3/kg. A company from Port Lincoln is smashing that price barrier with a range of innovative easy to use value-added products.

As pioneers of both the Spencer Gulf Southern Prawn fishery (respected globally as a shining example of sustainable fishery management) and the farming of the mighty Southern Bluefin Tuna they have built an enviable reputation as being amongst the most visionary members of the seafood community.

K

nown internationally as the centre of Southern Blue Fin Tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) farming industry, the sparking waters in and around Port Lincoln’s Boston Bay (an area 3.5 times the size of Sydney Harbour) are home to a range of other aquaculture products – Abalone (Haliotis spp.), Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas), Rock Lobsters (Jasus spp.) and now Blue Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis).

The Kinkawooka Shellfish Company is gaining a worldwide reputation for premium quality mussels. ‘Kinkawooka’ comes from the principal’s old property at Ballina on the east coast of New South Wales named after the local Aboriginals’ word for ‘clean waters’.

The company is owned and operated by father and son team of Bob and Andrew Puglisi, 5th and 6th generation fishermen, who have been at the leading edge of contemporary fisheries in Australia over the past 40 years. With a rich heritage of both fishing and cooking from their homeland in Southern Italy, the Puglisi family know that the unique waters fed by the Great Southern Ocean, and the sunny Mediterranean climate of the West Coast of South Australia could produce some of the finest shellfish in the world.

34 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

“Dad established Kinkawooka in 1976, first as a fishing company and now it is an integrated seafood growing, catching and processing company,” Andrew explains. “We brought our first mussel lease (20ha) in 2001 (operations manager Andy Dyer had been operating his mussels leases since 1996). Now we have nine leases and a total of 110ha under cultivation.

“As a high quality seafood business we pride ourselves in maintaining standards of excellence in every facet of our organisation. In addition to the Blue Mussels we also grow, harvest and process premium Pacific Oysters and Cockles (Katelysia spp) to the highest standards of environmental sustainability and culinary quality.”

As managing director Andrew has worked hard to enhance Kinkawooka

Shellfish’s reputation for producing quality shellfish leading the design, construction and commissioning of an integrated mussel farm and land based processing facility without peer in Australia. “It is Australia’s first exportaccredited factory for mussels, oysters and cockles as we want to be valueadding shellfish for the overseas as well as domestic markets.”

New Zealand Growout Technology The mussels are grown using a New Zealand style continuous longline system which has the benefit of efficient and fast harvesting of the mussels. The backbone is usually 120 m and made from 28mm polypropylene rope; for leases outside Boston Bay the thickness is increased to32mm. At full stocking pre-harvest there can be up to twenty 300L floats along the lines. The anchor warps are at an angle of 1m drop for every 3m of distance (i.e. in a 15m deep area the warp lines would be 45m long). These are shackled into 3.5 tonne concrete block anchors.

The mussel culture rope is specially made

by Quality Equipment (New Zealand) with a fibrous structure to increase the surface area on which the mussels can attach; its core is 14mm thick. These ropes are laid out through a 2m diameter hydraulic wheel with the loops being between 6 and 8m deep under the floating backbone. Sacrificial lashings or snoods are pre-made during the slow season and then used to hold the culture ropes onto the backbones.

These are cut off during harvesting.

According to Andy (Dyer) there are

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catching lines on all of their culture sites. The main spawning and settlement season is from late May until July; another smaller one is in November and December. “We have always had good settlements here, touch wood,” he says. “We use the same type of rope for catching and hold the mussels until they are between 10 and 20mm long (4-6 months after settlement).

“These mussels are then stripped off their lines and put into a declumper with lots of seawater washing in to provide some cushioning from the metal tines which break up the clumps of mussels. When ‘singulated’ they look a bit like coffee beans which are then put into a mesh screen that is rotating – again with seawater – to clean off the biofilm and other fouling.

“They are then put into 400kg bags for holding until we are ready to reseed them onto culture lines.”

For the reseeding process a mesh sock and culture rope is threaded into a PVC tub into which the singulated and cleaned mussels are pushed. The automatic seeding machine is made by Ansco (New Zealand) and results in a

long mussel sausage. The sock holds the mussels in place while their byssal threads (or beards) are made to hold them together on the rope. As the mussels grow they break through the mesh and by harvest it has dissolved away.

Year-round harvesting The seed harvesting and reseeding machine is located on the 16m ex-tuna boat “Carmel” whose crew of crew of three can process 6,000m of lines a day – including seed rope collection, stripping, singulating, cleaning and reseeding.

“Maya”; its stern wheelhouse allows plenty of room for mussel operations and a low freeboard permits mussels lines to be easily pulled out of the water.

Maya’s crew of three harvest more than 1.5 tonnes of market size mussels per hour. These mussels are between 12 and 24 months old and need to be between 70 and 90mm in length.

Maximum shelf life Mussels stripped from the longlines are singulated, cleaned, graded into three sizes and placed into 500kg insulated plastic bins with ice atop to chill them down. “We want to get the mussels chilled down within 15 minutes of harvest,” Andy explains.

During the culture cycle the mussel lines can be restripped and the mussels reseeded a second time to thin ropes or regraded due to differences in growth rates. Andy estimates 40% of their harvest stock will be resocked twice.

“Regrading and thinning usually means that the new mussel lines will have fast growing mussels. It is important to get the stocking density right and also to have all mussels on the lines at around the same size.”

“The maximum steaming time from the leases to the wharf is around an hour.

From there the bins are transported by flatbed truck to our processing plant in Proper Bay Rd (a transit time of just 5-10 minutes). At the plant the bins are put into a 5°C refrigerated room for holding until we are ready to process them.”

There is Ansco automated harvesting equipment on the 18m ex-fishing boat

Moving stock from the leases, through the plant and all the way to the cus-

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Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 35

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Management metrics Key Management Decisions for Kinkawooka Shellfish include: • Use of NZ continuous longline with automated seeding, reseeding and harvesting processes.

• Focus on maintenance of a strict cool chain from harvest to market.

• Consumer focussed research as to why mussel consumption in Australia was so low (by International standards) and rendering appropriate products from this research.

• Value-adding products – pot ready pack is simple to use and great price at $9/kg retail.

• Integrated business management with marketing and operations working together in synchronicity.

• Integrated quality assurance – both functional and sensory.

• Significant capital investment in marketing.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Blue Mussel growout system include: • Culture System utilised: NZ ‘hairy’ continuous long lines • Growth rate (from stocking to market): 12-24 months (0.5g to 90mm) • Annual harvest: 1,200 tonnes by end of 2009.

tomer whilst maintaining a set cool chain is a major part of Kinkawooka’s quality control. “We start harvesting around 3am and are back on the wharf by 8am. Processing starts around 7am and finishes by 3pm, so the maximum time the harvested mussels can be ‘sitting around’ is only 7 hours.

“Dispatch is usually within 12 hours of harvest, and the refrigerated trucks arrive in Adelaide within 24 hours of harvest. It is 48 hours max to land them in Sydney, and 36 hours to Perth or Brisbane. This means that our mussels have a shelf life of at least 7 days at our customers (the total shelf life is 10 days post harvest; the mussels live for around 7 days).”

Andy says that the ‘secret’ is to keep the shells closed right through the process.

“If they remain closed they maintain their water and last longer. Our vacuum packed bags also help to keep the shells closed. If there are no gaps in the shells, the air can’t get into the mussels and so the meats will not suffer from oxidation and don’t deteriorate.”

36 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

Processing The mussels are put through a scrubber to remove the mussel beard, other fouling or oyster spat from the mussel shells. Potable water is used and then mussels are then put into a 3-4°C chiller bath. “We have a couple of inspection points where the quality of the product is rigorously tested. A strong feature of the QA program is the sensory evaluation (taste testers trained to a set of protocols) which occurs at every point from water to plate – harvest crew, factory workers, distributors and sales staff have all been trained to appreciate the optimum Kinkawooka taste and texture.”

The mussels then pass along yet another conveyor into a linear weigh-head which places 1kg of mussels (along with 100ml of water) into a Multivac Thermoform machine and vacuum seals the bag. After vacuum packing the whole package weighs just 1,130g which are sold in 12kg master cartons or individually, retailing for $9/pack.

Andy says that Kinkawooka processes

750 tonnes of this product year round.

“The conditions may vary from site to site, but generally our testing can find mussels ready for harvest. We had a major spawn this autumn (2008) but we were still able to get some product.

You find that a 3°C rise (spring) or fall (autumn) is enough to get the mussels spawning, but usually we have different conditions in our sites to keep some mussels harvest ready.”

Kinkawooka Mussels as a ‘Brand of Choice’ Kinkawooka began selling bulk mussels in 10kg foam eskies in 2000. Through a commitment to value add and move from a commodity to a branded product the team have now established the business as a brand of choice. Their pre-packaged, cleaned, pot-ready 1kg bags of mussels are the result of extensive consumer and market research.

Celebrity chef Benjamin Christie wrote on his blog (www.benjaminchristie.com/ blog/kinkawooka-mussels-from-portlincoln) “Kinkawooka mussels can best be described as having a sweet flavour with a soft, rich texture and has a high meat to shell ratio.”

The mussels are available in two grades: • Large: 85mm + shell length with a 38%meat to shell ratio • Standard: 65-85mm shell length with a 36-40% meat to shell ratio.

On the innovative packing process, Benjamin Christie’s blog says: “This keeps the mussels live and fresh, ensuring that when chefs or home cooks open then package they are getting mussels which are still alive. Compare this to hessian bags which allow the mussels to dry out and die; the difference is amazing!”

According to Andy, Kinkawooka worked with the South Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (SASQAP) to measure product bacterial loadings and conducted lengthy internal trials before refining the process, which has been under way for 12 months.

“Components of the process have been mechanised and we are looking to automate the line further. The major advan-

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tage is that we can now extend the freshness – and therefore shelf life – of the product from seven days post-harvest to 10 days, which facilitates access to export and more remote domestic markets.”

has been very good. “There was initial resistance to the price increase – the farm-gate mussel price has stayed at $2.50 for a decade – but we have educated the market about the benefits, with positive response,” Andy says.

The improvement saw Kinkawooka’s potready mussels take out the San Remo Pasta New Product Award and the SARDI Innovation Award at the 2007 South Australian Premier’s Food Awards. The FRDC News Edition 162 reported, “The Judges applauded the company’s vertical integration of innovation “into every tier of the business, from grow-out and harvest, through to processing, product development, marketing and sales.”

Kinkawooka has transferred all of its mussel production to the new process and expects significant growth next year (2009) to 1,200 tonnes, to meet increased demand.

The feedback from chefs and consumers

While Kinkawooka began without a business plan – using a ‘suck it and see’ approach – the Puglisi’s soon discovered that a more structured planning approach was needed to keep their product in the marketplace in a cost effective and efficient manner (see accompanying story).

“Extending the shelf life of the product was something that we have spent a lot of time on, because that is vital in being able to send it into regional and remote areas,” he says. “We have tried a wide variation of packaging options and testing to get a longer shelf time, and it’s something that we will be looking at as we expand our range.”

By Dos O’Sullivan For more information contact Andrew Puglisi or Andy Dyer, 6 Proper Bay Road, Port Lincoln, SA 5606.

Tel: 08 8682-3091, Fax: 08 8682-5075, M: 0428 837-275, Email: mussels@kinkawookamussels.com.au Web: www.kinkawooka.com.au

Kinkawooka’s market focus pays off

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ohn Susman is well known for his fun and innovative marketing pf seafood having ‘earned his stripes’ successfully running The Flying Squid Brothers – an institution in the seafood markets and retail shops around Sydney – for many years. Now working with Sam Gordon (of Crystal Bay Prawn fame) and Todd Crowley (a Brisbane-based meat marketer) their business – Blue Harvest – is a seafood marketing company that provides a full service to clients, including product development, marketing and sales.

“When we first got in touch with the Kinkawooka about five years ago, it was a traditional price taker like all other mussel farmers,” John explains. “We convinced Andrew Puglisi to go with us to the 2002 Brussels Seafood Show where we showed him the huge range of prepacked mussel product that was available in Europe, the biggest market for mussels.

He quickly saw how attractive and easy to use that product was and the opportunities for developing new markets in Australia for ‘pot ready’ product.”

John says that, as a fast growing shellfish, blue mussels absorbs a lot of water into their body weight. Despite having a thin but strong shell, overcatch and other fouling organisms as well as the ‘beards’ (byssal threads used to attach to

substrates) all add to the non useable weight of harvested mussels. “Even with cleaned and debearded mussels, they start losing weight as soon as you harvest them. You can lose up to 20% in weight over the first three days and then 10% almost every day after that as they use their glycogen (body fat) reserves to stay alive (mussels out of water will die after 5-6 days even if refrigerated).

Through what John calls a ‘symbiotic’ relationship, he has worked with Kinkawooka to develop a range of products to lift the ‘beach price’. “In 2003 they started a pilot project to produce pot ready, cleaned, scrubbed and debearded mussels. In 2004 some 30% of Kinkawooka’s production was sold pot ready, and in 2005 all 100% of the harvest was value added. Now we are aiming to continue the value adding path.”

They didn’t see the value position of the product being used to buying hessian bags mussels for $2/kg; the highest prices would be around $3/kg. We were after a bit higher than that, so the trade says ‘You’ve gotta be dreaming’.

“Previously mussel producers had to add an extra 20% of their product to make up for weight losses over the first three days post harvest. We were asking the trade to buy 1kg and then sell 1kg – the trade couldn’t see the benefits of our product even though the product ticked other boxes for them, such as no waste, convenience in purchasing, storage and handling and being branded. All of this gave them an advantage over generic commodity product.

Kinkawooka have recently introduced a new range of value added, cooked in bag products. The product range includes plain and sauced (white wine and garlic, chunky tomato and basil and Asianstyle laksa) variants.

“The pot ready product had a very exciting market entry,” John says.

“We worked directly with consumers as the ‘trade’ (wholesalers) gave us ‘no love’.

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“We did some cross merchandising with two of the breweries Coopers (Adelaidebased) and Blue Tongue (Newcastlebased) in a number of pubs around the country. Our ‘Pound and Pint’ (a pound of mussels, actually 450g, and a pint of beer) promotions were backed up with posters and other point of sale materials.

“So we developed a ‘hub and spoke’ distribution strategy to avoid price erosion of the brand by supporting a select group of agency partners in specific regions.

This allows us to offer incentives to the sellers, manage distribution and avoid competition in price.

“It was the end-consumer that pulled us through. We worked with user-friendly retailers and restaurants in each city and showed them a ‘whole lot of love’. We assisted them with presentations, tastings, media, point of sale materials, the lot!

“We knew we could increase mussel consumption, and we did. Our timing was good as there was also Belgium Beer café’s opening around the place which assisted in broadening the market from the traditional Mediterraneans into the Anglo-Saxon consumers. If you look at the per capita consumption of mussels, it is only 100g per person per year! That is exciting as we can do lots to increase demand for mussels.

“We would visit the pubs, talk to the chefs and show them the commercial returns on the Kinkawooka branded product. We ensured there are no issues on quality and we back them up with a few promotional extras. For example, we are currently (November and December 2008) running a competition in 87 pubs across NSW in and the winner will get an all expenses paid trip for two to Port Lincoln to spend a few days ‘viewing’ the mussel farm with Andrew and his team.”

John says that at about the same time Phil Lamb and his team from Spring Bay Seafoods in Tasmania were also putting excellent quality mussels onto the market.

“It was us and Spring Bay that proved that high quality mussels can be sold at good margins. The style is now becoming the norm and there are 2-3 other competitors in the market.”

The brand is the quality guarantee “Our brand is our quality guarantee – every mussel in the pack must be a winner – it must be live, clean shell, no beard, with a soft and sweet meat and have a high meat to shell ratio,” John continues.

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38 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

“We have been able to correlate season and regional variations in flavour and texture of mussels from the nine different growing sites in Boston Bay. This is Marketing 101 – no point putting a brand on a product unless it stands for something.”

According to John the food service sector accounts for over 60% of sales for the pot ready packs. “The seafood industry is so often the victim of its own skulduggery, with shortcuts affecting quality and prices being driven down as a result. This product is quality guaranteed and this gives the buyers confidence. And best of all they are so simple to use - our marketing campaign promotes the three steps – open, cook, and eat!

“We are now working on a ‘meal deal’ pot ready mussel pack with sachets of sauces such as Thai curry, chilli-tomato and so on, are doing some promotions with a couple of spaghetti makers and are also looking into cooked-in-the-bag and frozen products for pizza parlours, café’s and retail outlets.

“This product would be able to be cooked in a wide range of ways – wok, pan, microwave – or simply tipped into a bain marie for buffets in broader foodservice markets.

The company is also investigating supply to major supermarket chains and expects a significant uptake when it moves into this sector mid-2009 as product becomes available. “Kinkawooka are currently ranged in 117 Woolworths stores in Metro Sydney and Canberra,” John adds. “The rollout schedule will see the ‘pot ready’ product in over 200 stores by June 2009.”

All photos supplied courtesy of John Susman.

By Dos O’Sullivan John Susman, Blue Harvest – Sydney, Tel: 02 9234-1001, Fax: 02 8569-0214, Mobile: 0414 688-855, Email: jsusman@blueharvest.com.au Web: www.blueharvest.com.au

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Main pic: Some shells of the giant Pacific Oysters found in the Hawkesbury River; these are probably only a couple of years old.

Inset below: Robbie Moxham shows one of the Broken Bay Oysters hessian bags.

Photos by Dos

Hawkesbury River back as top quality oyster producer Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the oyster industry in the Hawkesbury River has shown a remarkable recovery from the devastation of a major QX disease outbreak. Production levels are rising for both Sydney Rock and triploid Pacific Oysters, growers are working together and with governments and new investors are moving in. However, four years ago things were not so rosy.

T

he past four years have been a gut wrenching roller coaster ride for Robbie Moxham whose family has been farming oysters on the Hawkesbury River since 1928. In 2004 disaster struck with QX disease wiping out the entire crop of Sydney Rock Oysters (Saccostrea commercialis, SRO).

The QX parasite, Marteilia sydneyi, is a protozoan organism which develops in the oyster’s digestive gland leading to 40 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

oyster death within 2-3 months. There are no human issues associated with the syndrome but it does disrupt supply of high quality marketable oysters.

“We had no oysters left to sell and no other income; it was a disaster for the 20 oyster businesses here employing around 50 people,” recalls. “But in the long run the disaster has resulted in a better industry. Before we got QX, I wouldn’t have encouraged my children to get into

oyster farming. We were already suffering from the drought (lower food levels) and then the QX just about wiped everything out. It has taken us four years to get back on track.”

During that time more than 8,000 tonnes of rubbish (old oyster infrastructure and cultivation equipment) has been removed from the River. Coupled with that has been the stocking of new varieties of oysters; hatchery-reared QX resistant

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SROs and triploid (sterile) Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas, POs).

Finally new oyster farming techniques have been introduced including the total ban on the use of tar or tar-based products and the installation of culture structures made from recycled plastics.

All of this has contributed to a revitalised, healthy and profitable industry.

Clean up The huge river cleanup, perhaps one of the largest in Australia, was a cooperative plan between the NSW DPI and the oyster industry, with great support from the NSW Fisheries Minister Ian McDonald.

The idea was to provide a mechanism for the oyster growers to make some income whilst ways were sought to get the oysters back into the River.

“Ian McDonald has brought the industry back from the ashes,” says Robbie. “He’s been terrific. If it is wasn’t for him we

wouldn’t have an oyster industry in the Hawkesbury. There would just be 400hA of derelict oyster farms.”

The oyster growers’ land depots are at Mooney Mooney which is very close to the Expressway between Newcastle and Sydney. This made it easy for the unloading of rubbish. At between 4 and 5 tonnes/punt, and over 2,000 punt loads removed, Robbie estimates that well over 8,000 tonnes were removed during the cleanup program between June 2005 and June 2008.

The total cost of the cleanup was $2.7 million, including work by the oyster farmers, GST, landfill and truck transport costs. The oyster farmers were paid $150/ tonne for the rubbish collected from the River and transported to the depots.

Robbie says that the money for the oyster farmers was vital in providing income for a specialised and committed workforce that otherwise would have had to leave

From top: Piles of dead Sydney Rock Oyster shell gives some idea of the mass mortality caused by the QX disease.

Plastic AquaTrays are being used to replace the tar covered wooden trays.

Plastic covered wooden posts and recycled plastic posts are some of the innovations being used to exclude tar from the River. Photos by Dos.

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 41

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the industry and maybe even the area.

Management metrics Key Management Decisions for CE & Y Moxham Pty Ltd oysters include: • Choice of triploid Pacific Oysters due to faster growth rates over Sydney Rocks.

• Banning of tar and tar-based products in the River.

• Establishing an association of growers to collectively market product, aligning this program with the well-established Tasea business is also important.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Pacific Oysters include: • Culture System utilised: BST longlines with SEPA baskets and plastic trays • Growth rate (from stocking to market): <24 months (0.1g to 80g)

Local support for the oyster industry has increased dramatically because of the River cleanup. “We have had a lot of support and compliments. It is a real pleasure to get something like this done and stay on the River. I have been able to stay afloat and pay the wages to keep a few of my workers. Some of them have been working here for more than 30 years.”

Mass Mortalities from QX At its peak in the 1980s, the Hawkesbury oyster industry was worth over $5 million at the farm gate, plus many thousands of oysters were relayed to other rivers or estuaries for ongrowing. There were no cultured Pacifics in the River, only SROs. Suggestions are that the QX outbreak was exacerbated two factors, the drought plus the massive residential and commercial development upstream around Windsor and Richmond in the past 10 years.

This stress is thought to have lowered the oysters’ immune systems and then the QX just raced up and down the estuary wiping out all cultured and wild oysters.

The oyster growers first noticed patches of dead oysters in early 2003; by June 2004 all oyster leases were affected.

“It took a while to get a positive ID that the problem was QX, Robbie continues.

“This was achieved by Dr Rod Adlard from the Queensland Museum. Once this ID was made the River was quarantined so that no oysters or oyster farming equipment could be moved into other estuaries. But we couldn’t do anything as we had no oysters left; we needed to get in new stock but couldn’t bring in normal Sydney Rocks as they could die also.”

Some of the last wooden trays with a nice crop of triploid Pacific Oysters.

Photo by Dos

Selectively Bred Oysters The NSW DPI worked with industry on the problem and together they came up with two solutions – the first was to fasttrack their work on disease resistant oysters, the other was the stocking of triploid Pacific Oysters.

Robbie removing oyster farm rubbish from leases devastated by the QX disease.

42 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

The decision to try triploid POs was easy as they were immune to the QX parasite.

“As they can’t breed (not diploid so viable eggs and sperm can’t be formed) then overcatch of spat would not be a problem,”

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The middle barge has an excavator on it that used by Robbie to remove old culture structures and other rubbish.

Photo by Dos.

Robbie explains. “Floods and heat had already killed most of the wild PO in the river.

laboratively to produce a ‘safe’ triploid Pacific Oyster, that is one that wouldn’t breed but would also grow well.

“Also you can get thousands of seed from a hatchery and carry them moist in a small foam box for up to 24 hours. Finally tests had shown that in the warm and food rich waters of the Hawkesbury, the growth rates of the Pacific would be 50% higher than those achieved in Tasmania and 30% faster than in S.A.”

According to Robbie the triploid POs have been growing like mushrooms, whilst the QX resistant SRO are growing OK but need more selective breeding work to achieve higher growth rates.

“The biggest oyster market is Sydney. The Tassie growers took a lot of our market in 1990s and 2000s. We let them, it was our own fault, but now we wanted to work with them to get more oysters eaten.”

However, regulations needed to be changed and protocols put in place to protect the environment. A review of environment factors was undertaken by an independent consultant Paul Anik.

Researchers and industry from the USA, S.A., Tasmania and NSW worked col-

“But at least they aren’t dying from QX. We are currently just doing Pacifics but we will certainly do Sydney Rocks soon.

If we ever want to grow SRO again we need to get our cash flow and triploid POs are the only way to get this.”

New Farming Methods The Pacific Oyster seed are produced by Shellfish Culture in Tasmania and are supplied once they are large enough to sit on a 2,000 micron screen (about 3-4mm). Generally a cup of the smallest seed holds around 20,000 oysters. These are washed in freshwater to kill any

organisms translocated with them, such as the exotic Japanese starfish.

“Shellfish Culture is one of the most experienced and certainly the longest running oyster hatchery in Australia.

The seed are transferred into 1mm socks in floating 12mm Seapa baskets in our nursery leases. There are around 5,000 oysters per bag.”

Every two weeks the baskets are brought back to land base where they are washed

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to keep checking; for example over long weekends fleets of boats can anchor in harvest area. The SQAP checks for E. coli levels, as indicators of sewage contamination. You can’t stop people from building houses in the catchment, or using the River for pleasure so we need to keep a watch to ensure that only safe-to-eat oysters are harvested.

“We can grow a beautiful Pacific Oyster here. Up river the salinity is lower and there is plenty of food for the oysters. I must say that the growers in Tassie and SA have been of great help, we have been able to learn a lot from them.”

Sydney Rock Oysters are also being grown. A surveillance program for the farmers to keep an eye on any future QX outbreaks is operating.

Bins of triploid Pacific Oysters ready for grading. Photo by Dos.

before removing the oysters and grading them through 6mm mesh screen. Oysters sitting on top of 6mm mesh are put back out into 3mm mesh Seapa basket.

Smaller oysters go back into the 1mm bags. All the oysters then go back in river. This process goes on until all oysters are out of 1mm bags.

As the seed get larger the oysters are transferred into 3mm, 6mm then 12mm baskets to allow greater water flow.

Reaching 6-8mm at about 8 months they are then transferred for intertidal growout in harvest areas on 20mm plastic trays after grading through a barrel grader.

“The intertidal oysters become harder and stronger and have a better shelf life which is important when we sell them.”

The fastest growing oysters reach the market size of 100mm within 12 months; the slowest around 24 months. “It is easy to see the benefits of the Pacifics.

With the traditional methods it could take over four years to growout a Sydney Rock Oyster – sometimes up to 5.5 years – and even then they aren’t as big as the Pacifics.

“We have found though that leaving the oysters in for a second summer means they grow a lot fatter. We currently harvest from March till November when the water temperatures down. As we get more stock 44 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

in we will be able to sell year round.”

With the Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (SQAP) run by the NSW Food Authority, certifying the growing waters on their risks of contamination, Robbie and other growers can direct harvest oysters from Broken Bay (i.e. without depuration in clean UV-sterilised water for 36 hours). In fact the 12 growers have united to form the Broken Bay Oyster Association and have printed up their own sacks for transport. The oysters are graded into different sizes for market and counted into the sacks.

Robbie has five workers, down from the 12 people he employed pre-QX. However, the Pacifics grow faster increasing stock turnover, so Robbie has been able to farm oysters with a smaller footprint.

“The Sydney Rocks are slower and so need more growing areas, but there is plenty of room around now for them.”

He estimates that this year (2008/09) the industry will turnover $2million. “That’s not a bad result when you consider we have only been back farming for three years. It will be better next year; this year we were almost wiped out by rain, as the Pacifics are not as tolerant to low salinity water as the Rocks.”

“We have adopted the same sizes as those used by SA and TAS. They are put in mesh sacks, around 25 dozen for the Bistros (50-60mm). As the grade gets larger, the numbers get smaller – Buffet (60-70mm) have 25 dozen per sack, Standards (70-85) 20 dozen, Large (85-100mm) 15 dozen, Jumbo (100120mm) 10 dozen and Grande (above 120mm) up to 10 dozen. These are then transported by refrigerated (2-4°C) trucks to Sydney.”

“My view it will soon be a multi-million dollar industry with lots of opportunities.

The new investors are coming in with prices for leases low. We are also seeing long time oyster workers who are now buying their own small oyster businesses.

Promising future Robbie believes that since the clean up the water quality in the River is terrific for oyster farming. “However, we need to maintain our SQAP to continually tests the water and oyster meats. It is important

By Dos O’Sullivan.

“However, the biggest driver for all my hard work was my kids,” he concludes.

“I couldn’t take my kids up the River if I didn’t clean it up. I am proud of what we did and can see a bright future!”

For more information contact Robbie Moxham, CE & Y Moxham Pty Ltd, 119 Brooklyn Road, Brooklyn NSW 2083.

Tel: 02 9985-9106, Fax: 02 9985-9761.

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Possible export market for turtles spurs interest

Some of the turtles SEQ Fish have bred enjoying a swim.

Turtles may not seem to be a particularly exciting creature to raise. However they are highly regarded as a food item in parts of Eastern Asia and have quite a following as a pet in the international aquarium trade.

S

in commercial quantities and perfecting the juvenile rearing stages.

The operation is licensed to hold four species of freshwater turtles – the saw shelled turtle (Elseya latisternum), the eastern snake necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis), Krefft’s River Turtle (Emydura macquarii krefftii) and the eastern short neck turtle (Emydura Macquaria).

The turtles are bred naturally in a purpose-built, 0.2ha rectangular pond with a sandy bank at one end planted out with river bank grasses and with natural cover (such as hollow logs) simulating a normal river or lake bank. The area is enclosed by an iron fence sitting 700mm above the ground and 300mm into it. This is to keep out predators such as rats – both the eastern water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) and the introduced pest (Rattus rattus) – as much as to confine the turtles.

outh East Queensland Fish (SEQ) is developing techniques to breed four Australian species of these amphibious reptiles with an eye primarily on the ornamental trade. But there’s an interest too producing them, once the technology allows, for the growing live seafood market in Australia and overseas.

Managing Director, Dr. Phil Chamberlain, says that whilst SEQ has a good understanding of the incubation phase – with breeding and rearing methods used in Asia and the US being applied to Australian conditions – there’s work to be done in being able produce eggs

The turtles lay their eggs in the sand, from the water’s edge to the highest point of the bank. The sand is raked daily so should any egg laying activity occur, the nest can be located, the eggs removed and taken to the incubator room.

The incubator is a modification to those

used in the commercial crocodile industry.

Eggs are held at 95% humidity in a bed of vermiculite, a water-absorbent mineral not unlike formica. Incubation temperature is between 28°C and 32°C and takes around six weeks. Gender is predetermined and not temperature-dependant as is the case with crocodiles.

Mating takes place in late autumn to early winter and the eggs are laid in late spring to early summer. The sperm is carried by the female and one mating can lead to several clutches – Matt Johnson, the Hatchery Manager at SEQ, believes as many as four or five. There are 10–14 eggs to a clutch.

Reptiles hatch ready to face the world so the nursery stage is relatively straight forward. Newly hatched turtles are placed in glass aquaria with a haul out area. The tanks are lit by a reptile light to make sure the juveniles get the right Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 45

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Young turtles in a feeding frenzy on trash fish

Hatchery Technician Shawn Downie looking over the nesting ground of the breeding pond at SEQ Fish.

A typical turtle habitat: the settlement pond at SEQ Fish.

An eastern short necked juvenile turtle

Looking down the turtle breeding pond at SEQ Fish

Eastern short neck broodstock sunning themselves.

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amount of UV-b to ensure good health and growth. Under the lights, which are timed to match seasonal day length, water temperature ranges from 24°C to 28°C. They are fed frozen food – minced trash fish, bloodworms and zooplankton – until Matt is sure they are feeding. By this time they are between 4cm and 6cm lengthways along the carapace and are then sold on to pet industry distributors.

SEQ believes that, from a commercial growout point of view, the eastern short neck may turn out to be the best bet being omnivorous and seemingly more docile than the others. By comparison, long neck and the saw shell males are particularly aggressive, especially around breeding time.

The farm fronts the Albert River, which is not only the source of SEQ Fish’s water supply but provides a pathway for turtles to access the farm.

Diet is another area where there’s room for development although they have no trouble getting their four species of turtle to eat barramundi grower pellets and trash fish. The fish are minced and frozen in blocks until they are needed.

Whilst trash fish is used widely in Asia, Phil says water quality is less than desirable. In Australia, where water is a precious commodity and managing its quality crucial to success, several avenues are being explored to get the diet right in order to maximise health and vigour of the breeding teams, advance the growth rate of the juvenile turtles and minimise environmental impact.

Both Phil and Matt deem the local pet market as limited. The animals breed seasonally and once past their ‘cute’ stage have lost their market appeal.

However, with baby turtles retailing at over $100, it is an attractive market to strive for in the short term.

Phil says reports coming out of South East Asia indicate that wild turtles are being harvested ruthlessly for traditional and medicinal markets. So an export market for farmed Australian turtles is likely. However, at this stage that’s prohibited under a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) agreement signed by the federal government.

Australia doesn’t have a large range of freshwater turtles by world standards but they are not harvested in the wild. Never-

Juvenile turtles waiting for shipment resting on their haul out

theless, like all wildlife in these times of climate change, there is an element of environmental threat. Fronting the Albert River, natural colonization of SEQ’s farm is impossible to avoid. All the breeding turtles they hold have been captured under license from their 40 production ponds and 3ha of water storage.

Concerned international conservationists, have been critical of the wild harvest in South East Asia, and described it as the vacuuming of its turtles for China’s food markets. Under these circumstances it

makes sense to develop efficient and sustainable methods of farming the endangered species as quickly as possible.

It is obvious, if anything is going to save South East Asia’s turtles from extinction, it will be aquaculturalists like SEQ Fish who take on the development of farming strains for commercial production.

By John Mosig SEQ Fish can be contacted by email on sales@seqfish.com.au, or by phone on (07) 5546 4462.

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 47

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Vic abalone farms upgrade to best practice biosecurity procedures As part of a state-wide program to improve biosecurity practices throughout the abalone industry, all four Victorian Abalone land-based farms and the two research offshore farms have improved their biosecurity procedures. An accompanying improvement in husbandry techniques has resulted in other benefits such as reduced risks of environmental impacts, higher product quality and simplified production processes.

B

oth Coastal Seafarms (CS, then called Victorian Mariculture Developments) located at Portland and Southern Ocean Mariculture (SOM) at Port Fairy were featured in the Volume 16(4) edition of AAM in 2002. Since then these two onland farms and two offshore experimental farms in Western Port Bay were affected by an outbreak of Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis (AVG), first reported in December 2005.

This herpes-like virus, found also in some wild abalone stocks in Victoria (see box insert page 52) and recently in Tasmania, causes inflammation of the nervous tissue, resulting in curling of the foot and swelling of the mouth. High mortality is the outcome. Investigations carried out

by Australian Animal Health Laboratories (Geelong) indicate that the virus can spread both through direct contact and through the water column without contact.

Mucus produced by infected abalone may also be infective.

48 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

Three and a half year old 100mm long Greenlip and hybrid abalone.

Photo by Richard Crawley.

The Victorian Chief Veterinary Officer has advised that there are no public health or food safety implications associated with this virus.

The outbreak of the previously unknown AVG virus was a catastrophic event for the companies involved. By July 2006 all four abalone farms had voluntarily disinfected and decontaminated their culture systems, destroying all their abalone stock.

forwarded for comment to various peak bodies (as recognised in the Fisheries Act 1995), the Fisheries Co-Management Council and the Victorian Abalone Growers Association (VAGA).

Since then sentinel trials at the two landbased farms have shown that the decontamination process – overseen by officers from the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) – was successful.

Now, after extensive pathology testing and implementation of a raft of biosecurity arrangements, both CS and SOM are back in production; maybe not yet bigger but certainly better than before. CS is growing a mix of greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata) and hybrids (cross with blacklip). Whilst SOM’s site is more suited to hybrids, it is also growing greenlips for another farm on an agistment basis.

Both on-land farms have been permitted to restock in accordance with the Victorian Abalone Aquaculture Translocation Protocol (March 2007) developed under the Guidelines for Assessing Translocations of Live Aquatic Organisms in Victoria (2003).

This risk based protocol was drafted and

After such a devastating experience the decision by the principals of both farms to re-invest was a difficult one given the limited information about AVG at the time. It was decided from the outset that if this substantial investment was to be committed the farms needed to

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All visitors have to complete a survey to determine that they are not a biosecurity risk.

Note the visitor’s badge and the disinfectant hand wash.

Photo by Tim Rudge.

revise their biosecurity practices.

Both companies are now committed to upholding world-class standards protecting their own abalone farming interests as well as those of natural (wild) and other farmed abalone stocks around Australia. “We are firmly focussed on ensuring that our farming activities do not adversely impact on the surrounding marine environment,” affirms CS Farm Operations Manager Shane Smith.

This pledge is supported by SOM GM Mark Gervis who emphasises that the health of all stocks is essential to the wellbeing of the abalone fishing, aquaculture and processing industries.

“We’re making sure aquaculture will not be a weak link in the biosecurity chain,” he says. “Aquaculturists play a vital role as they are in effect the ‘canaries of the sea’. Mortality that cannot be seen in the wild fishery is identified on land as there is constant monitoring of the stocks and an ability to send abalone for testing when new symptoms were found.”

Development and training of staff in standard operating procedures (SOPs) is a feature of both farms. “This is to ensure that biosecurity is part of the everyday running of the farm,” says Shane. “It is not a matter of just telling them what to do. We explain why the SOPs are necessary and ensure that all staff are involved in improving and updating them. This gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility.”

Even before you enter either property, it is obvious that both companies are taking the biosecurity very seriously. Signs greet the visitor warning that access is restricted and entry is by appointment only. A 2.0-2.5m high fence trimmed with barbed wire surrounds each facility complete with a remotely-operated security gate.

State-wide Health Surveillance Program According to Dr Paul Hardy-Smith, a fish veterinarian with extensive experience in aquaculture, the program is not just an insurance policy to stop further disease

The drains have been lowered to ensure that there is a clear airspace between the tank outlet and drain. Photo by Tim Rudge.

outbreaks. “The program is multi-faceted and if properly followed will improve profit margins and sustainability,” he explains.

“The program involves extensive reduction of potential disease pathways, as well as increased record keeping, staff training, monitoring of stock health and the provision of better growing conditions.”

Regulations set by the Victorian DPI are included in their Abalone Biosecurity Protocols (2008) designed to reduce risks and close down potential pathways for infection; for example, the processing of wild abalone can’t be undertaken where Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 49

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we can keep getting feedback on possible improvements, which can then be passed on to other users. The program is consistent with the concept of ‘compartments’ as identified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

This recognises that the best people to handle biosecurity are the farmers themselves as they have the most to lose.

An auto-closing security gate provides the first part of the farm’s biosecurity system designed to prevent the entry of abalone pathogens onto the farm. Photo by Tim Rudge.

On-farm Biosecurity The biosecurity procedures address three main risks: • Entry of pathogens (disease causing organisms) onto the farm (quarantined facility) • Spread and build up of pathogens on and around the farm • Escape of pathogens off the farm and into the surrounding environment.

Sign explaining the biosecurity procedures for Coastal Seafarms.

f farmed d abalone bl are k kept. IIt iis a DPI requirement for every Victorian abalone farm to undergo an annual biosecurity audit.

“I am registered to undertake the annual mandatory third party auditing of the farm’s processes and systems ,” says Paul.

“I assess the SOPs (standard operating procedures) on the farms, examine records, processes and protocols, and then report back to the farmer; a summary is forwarded to DPI. The transparency of this system is very good and there are government spot checks to ensure everything is being done according to the protocols.”

All six Victorian farms participate in an industry-wide health surveillance program designed to complement the mandatory biosecurity regulations. At least 15 abalone are selected every three months for detailed testing by Gribbles Pathology.

All mortality “events” are also investigated.

The emphasis is on selecting individuals which look sick or are exhibiting abnormal behaviour. “This may include shell whirling, retraction of sensory antennae, 50 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

crowding and poor attachment to the tanks,” says Mark. “We have experienced staff who do twice daily checks for mortalities or moribund stock. Everything is recorded on mortality sheets and if there mortalities in any tank that go beyond our very conservative levels these are immediately reported to management and action is taken – including sending samples to animal health laboratories for analysis.”

Blood samples are taken for bacteriology testing. Animals are then fixed in formalin before being sent by the daily Gribbles courier to the laboratory in Melbourne.

At least five specimens are cultured for bacteriology as well as being used for pathology.

“The health surveillance program will give us an understanding of what pathogens effect abalone,” Paul explains. “It will allow us to develop a history of farm health, including ‘lack of diseases’. Ideally, after a couple of years all farms passing the audit should be able to translocate without the expensive batch testing that is currently required.”

Paul has worked with all the Victorian farms to give a consistency of approach.

“I am assisting the South Australian farmers draft similar protocols and have discussed options with the Tasmanians.

It is a dynamic process; with lots of users

An industry-wide risk assessment process resulted in the identification of a number of pathways in which pathogens can be brought into the farms. Of these at least three were considered low risk: • Inlet water – almost impossible to treat due to the large quantities (>20ML/day) pumped in • Food – this risk is minimised by having no seaweeds collected from the wild, purchasing only formulated diets from local quality assured manufacturers, using feed in less than 2 months and throwing out any bags which become moist or compromised by pests.

• Land-based animals – this risk is minimised by keeping birds and domesticated pets away from the tanks by using shadecloth netting and doors or other barriers.

The other pathways need specialised risk management procedures: • Abalone – wild stock for breeding or farmed stock for ongrowing • People – staff, visitors, delivery people, contractors • Equipment and vehicles, especially any involved in transporting abalone to and from processing plants.

Whilst some farms may still use wild abalone broodstock, both SOM and CS now only use farm-reared animals for their breeding programs. And neither hold or process wildstock on their premises.

FA R M P R O F I L E

Any new stock translocated onto site is treated with caution: quarantined in a restricted area for six weeks and health monitored at a more rigorous level. It must be demonstrably healthy before introduction to the main farm.

Managing the risks from people is a lot more complicated but starts with warning signs, the auto-gate and security fencing.

Not surprisingly, both farms now have fewer visitors. “We used to be very public friendly,” says Shane, “and allow far more visitors through the facility. Now we don’t have that latitude.”

Just inside the entrance there is a sign-in and risk analysis survey that all visitors must complete. Visitors and staff then wash hands their hands in a domestic alcohol based sanitiser or in warm soapy water, are issued with a pair of company rubber boots and go through a foot bath before entry into the farm proper.

Three year old stock ready for harvest.

Note the flow alarm to the left to ensure water flow is maintained.

Photo by Tim Rudge.

Twin water tippers have been added to every bench of four tanks to increase water flow. Photo by Tim Rudge.

At CS all visitors have identifying badges and must be accompanied by a staff member around facility.

No personal recreational or professional fishing, surfing, diving or other water sports equipment is allowed onsite and all visitors are thoroughly screened to ensure their clothing or equipment will not present a risk.

All potentially infectious equipment coming and going from the farm is well rinsed in freshwater and disinfected with a solutions of Chlorine or Virkon before re-entry, especially gear associated with offsite processing plants and the dive boat used to clean or check the water intakes. CS use a commercial dive contractor to service its intake lines: the contractor has signed off on the biosecurity protocols and also carries out compulsory health monitoring of wild abalone near the farm’s discharge point.

In-house disease control All staff are trained in fish health, particularly identification of sick animals or those exhibiting abnormal behaviour.

Several can competently use of microscopes to monitor and identify bacteria, fungi and parasites.

Less people now have contact with each set of tanks as people have defined

areas of operation; all these areas are separated by fencing or ropes with access and exit only through footbaths.

Any equipment shared between different sections of the farm is disinfected when moving between them.

Fallowing of tanks between batches includes cleaning of organic materials off walls and floors of tanks with brooms, scrapping off of any fouling organisms such as white worm, mussels or barnacles with metal scrapers and drying out for at least one week. If a faster turnaround time is required the tank cleaning and scraping is followed by disinfection with Virokill, a foaming chemical which is held on the tanks for 24hours before rinsing with saltwater

and drying for 2-3 days.

As rows of tanks share a common outlet drain, pathogens could possibly pass from one tank to another if there was no air gap in the pipes between tanks.

By lowering the sumps in the outlets and adding deep drains, the farms ensure that water is carried away quickly, allowing the pipes to air dry.

More brooms have been added to allow one to do a maximum of four tanks.

They are allowed to air dry head-up in special holders placed near the set of tanks.

On both facilities a lot of care is taken to ensure that year classes are not mixed as it is thought that older animals have been exposed to higher levels Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 51

FA R M P R O F I L E

Disease Impact on Wild Fisheries (www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/index.htm, follow links through Fishing & Aquaculture) Abalone is the basis of Victoria’s most valuable commercial fishery with a landed value in excess of $60 million per annum in 2005/06.

Abalone are also regularly taken by recreational and indigenous fishers.

In December 2005, the disease Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis (AVG) was detected on two land based abalone aquaculture farms (Portland and Port Fairy) and two offshore experimental farms in Western Port Bay. In early May 2006, the disease was found to have infected populations of wild abalone on reefs near Port Fairy. The virus has since been confirmed by animal health experts at DPI Attwood as far east as White Cliffs near Johanna, and west as far as Discovery Bay Marine Park. The disease poses no known or likely threats to human health.

In November 2007, DPI scientists successfully sequenced the DNA of the abalone virus and discovered that it is a unique – and previously unidentified – strain. The sequencing of the virus is a crucial step towards developing the PCR test. This test will provide greater confidence in the

of pathogens.

All mortalities are collected and counted. If there is more than 1% mortality within 24 hours the event must be reported to Fisheries (DPI). The voluntary health surveillance program also includes investigation if there is a rising mortality over a five day period. At SOM, the trigger level has been cut further to just 0.5%/day; any levels above that and a monitoring program is put in place to test for disease.

Even if the mortalities are due to an obvious reason – such as water down – the event is recorded and mortality records examined as part of the third party audit. “It is important that all mortalities are investigated,” says Paul.

52 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

diagnosis of AVG and enable it to be detected in abalone not showing visible symptoms. It will also allow DPI scientists to distinguish between abalone that have been exposed to the disease but are immune and abalone that have not been exposed.

Scientists are currently working on validating the test and expect it to be completed in the near future.

The Victorian Abalone Divers Association (VADA) has voluntarily closed several reefs to commercial abalone fishing and is working with the local Rock Lobster industry to promote sound biosecurity practices.

The Fisheries Research Development Corporation (FRDC) has supported a proposal from the Western Abalone Divers Association (WADA) that aims to assess abalone stocks impacted by AVG. The project aims to determine how abalone populations on affected reefs should be managed and guide future harvesting in these areas.

For further information, please contact the Executive Director of Fisheries Victoria, Dr Peter Appleford on (03) 9658-4360.

“If the farmer has no idea of what is causing the mortality, then the tanks are isolated and advice sought from their farm veterinarian. If it is suspected that there could be a notifiable disease a DPI veterinarian will likely visit the farm immediately. This could result in a lock down or destocking of the affected tanks on the farm, determined by the risks around for these problems to spread.

Protecting the environment With the huge amounts of water being pumped in and flowing out, there isn’t a way to treat this water. However, the early detection of diseases means that tanks with diseased abalone can be quarantined.

Tim Rudge, CS general manager, says that if a notifiable disease, or one that is suspected to be notifiable, is detected then DPI is notified immediately. “From then it depends on the nature of the disease as to what action is taken. For example if it was AVG (an emergency notifiable disease) the tank would be destroyed immediately; if it was a common bacteria no treatment of the outlet water would be required.”

In addition there is regular cleaning of the effluent drains and sediment ponds and removal and killing of any escapees – these are disposed of with other mortalities.

Any livestock taken away from the facility, usually for transport to the processing plant, are held in sealed tanks or seafood bins. These tanks are brushed clean, chlorinated and then left to dry between shipments. If bins are used the transport vehicle is fitted with a sump to contain any leakage during transport and this is treated on return to the farm.

A commercial car wash is used for the transport trucks to ensure the tyres, body, under carriage are all washed.

Other benefits All involved agree that there have been significant benefits on flowing from the program, including increased collaboration between farmers, as well as with customers, processors and Government representatives.

The protocols used for the abalone farmers can provide a good model for other aquaculture industries to design develop and implement their own biosecurity program.

By Dos O’Sullivan.

For further information contact: Tim Rudge, Coastal Seafarms 03 5529-5599, trcoastalseafarms@gmail.com Mark Gervis, Southern Ocean Mariculture, 03 5568-2881, mg@som-abalone.com.au Paul Hardy-Smith, Panaquatic Health Solutions, 0404 121-996, paul@panaquatic.com

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www.bstoysters.com Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 53

NEWS

Offshore cage project planned for W.A.

Western Australia’s lack of sheltered waters means good locations for seacage aquaculture are limited. The Ocean Aquaculture Project will trial cages specifically designed and built for the open ocean as a proof-ofconcept fish farm. If successful, this may form the cornerstone of significant offshore finfish cage farming developments around Australia.

Schematic of the mooring of the Aquapod.

Image supplied by Steve Paige.

I

n an Australian first, the Aquaculture Development Council (ADC), an advisory council to the Western Australian Minister for Fisheries established to identify opportunities and develop aquaculture in WA, will facilitate a two-year open ocean aquaculture farm trial, paving the way for a new and sustainable fresh fish supply.

54 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

Open ocean aquaculture production is recognised globally as the future growth area of aquaculture. Competitive advantages include: • Excellent water quality; • A better culture environment for the fish, providing a superior quality product and improved fish welfare; • Less user conflict further away from shore; • Lower adverse environmental effects.

According to ADC member Greg Jenkins, the Ocean Aquaculture Project, 10 nautical miles west of Two Rocks, is a key ADC project to help establish a globally competitive and sustainable aquaculture industry in Western Australia.

“The OAP has been researched and developed by the ADC and is supported by the Department of Fisheries,” he

Yellowtail Kingfish up to 3kg will be grown in the trial cages.

explains. “Extensive research and consultation has been undertaken with economic, technological and environmental feasibility studies delivering encouraging results.

“The trial farm will occupy a total area of 50 hectares and is expected to involve up to six floating and submersible cages, each holding up to 50 tonnes of Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola lalandi), which is a native species. The floating and submersible sea cages will not be visible from shore.”

Greg says the ADC had researched cage designs and models from around the world for two years and had concluded that several were suitable for the conditions prevalent in WA. The final choice of cage types will be determined once a

NEWS

commercial partner has been selected.

“The ADC has invested in projects and processes that will underpin an offshore aquaculture industry,” Greg says. Some of the specific investigations undertaken include market and species, site selection, opportunity and business structure options studies. The ADC is also undertaking environmental studies around the selected site and will ensure that the site is large enough to support a significant industry if the trials are successful.

Governance issues are currently being investigated to ensure that government funds are spent for the public good.

When the governance framework has been determined, the next step in the process will be the selection of an industry partner or partners with an interest in investing in the two year trial.

Once the partner/s are engaged the cage types and the scale of the trials will be finalised. “The cage systems currently being considered are the Aqualine, a rough weather surface cage and two submersible cages, the Sea Station and the AquaPod,” says Greg.

Ideal Site Selected Research has indicated the selected area is ideally suited to open ocean aquaculture. “Sea floor mapping is currently being conducted,” Greg continues.

“Once completed, a specific site will be chosen in the area that is predominantly of sand or mud and containing no seagrass or significant reef structure.

Importantly, the area selected will have minimal impact on commercial or recreational fishing. The site will be clearly marked for navigational purposes.”

The water is 35 to 40 metres deep, with currents relatively constant and rarely exceeding 0.5 knots. Water quality is very good as it is hundreds of kilometres away from any freshwater sources. Surface (to 5m) water temperatures vary between 18 and 23°C whilst the pH and other parameters are very consistent as expected in an open ocean site.

Weather conditions can be severe with winds gusting up to 50 knots, high swell (>4m) and strong waves action (up to 6m high).

Submerged SeaStation with a diver – a mooring line is in the foreground.

Image supplied by Brian O’Hanlon.

Management Metrics Key Management Decisions for Ocean Aquaculture Project include: • Offshore sites well away from freshwater input, with good water exchange.

• Selection of brand/type sea cages • Significant pre-farming environmental surveys and other risk management.

Predicted Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for sea cage growout of Yellowtail Kingfish include: • Culture System utilised: either Aqualine, a rough weather surface cage or two submersible cages, the Sea Station and the AquaPod • Growth rate (from stocking to market): 12 months to 3 kgs • Survival rate: >90% from first stocking of sea cages to sale size • Av. stocking density: 25kg/m3 • Pilot harvest: depending on final cage selection and number of cages – expecting 50 tonnes per cage by end of 2010 and the same by end of 2011 • FCR: 1.4:1 (number of kg of food to produce 1kg stock).

The Aqualine surface seacage has been designed to withstand 11 metre waves and has been in operation in rough conditions in Norway and elsewhere for many years. The Sea Station and AquaPod submersible cages are designed to sit beneath the surface of the water during storms (in calmer deeper water) and have been in operation in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and elsewhere for several years. These can be brought to the surface as required.

“We have no doubt in the ability of any of the cages considered for the trial to withstand the site conditions. Of more interest to us is the ability of the operator to access, feed and work the cages during the regular rough weather patterns

experienced in Western Australia over the winter and early spring months.”

Once the site is licensed for the trial, navigational markers will be put in place and the appropriate authorities will mark the site on charts of the area.

“The OAP trial, and any possible further development, will be subject to stringent environmental and planning approvals as part of a risk management framework.

Extensive research and consultation has already been undertaken with ocean aquaculture experts from the University of New Hampshire and the University of Miami. In addition, specific governance processes are in place to ensure both minimal impact to the environment or Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 55

NEWS

Wide angle underwater shot of Aquapod.

Image supplied by Steve Paige..

ulture within the marina and other land is available for a commercial hatchery if the open ocean aquaculture trial proves successful. Two high yielding, high water quality marine bores (each capable of delivering 150 L/second), already exist within the marina, which have previously been used successfully to grow marine fish.

“If the two-year proof of concept trial proves successful, it is anticipated the project will open the way for an important marine finfish aquaculture industry between Perth and Geraldton,” says Greg. However, it is obvious that if the cages work in WA, then they could be used for offshore culture in other parts of Australia.

By Dos O’Sullivan For more information contact Greg Jenkins, Board Member Aquaculture Development Council, c/- WA Maritime Training Centre, 1 Fleet Street Fremantle WA 6160, Tel: 08 9239-8030, Mobile: 0418 199-731, E: greg.jenkins@challengertafe.wa.edu.au

community health and safety; and the open and transparent management of the OAP.” The land-base will be located at the Two Rocks Marina, an hours’ drive north of Perth. This is a commercial marina with berths available for commercial vessels.

It also has office, warehouse and hardstand facilities available. There is already one site that is zoned for aquac-

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Ph/Fax: 02 4982 6086 56 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

FA R M P R O F I L E

Tooltech releases new oyster grow-out cage

Specifications length: 620mm, width: 250mm, height: 160mm, mesh: 16mm Transport/storage: 160 per pallet, 1600 per 20ft HC container

Australian company, Tooltech-Ploma, a leading plastic product designer and manufacturer, has now released their latest shellfish grow-out unit, the AP6 Aquapurse onto the world’s aquaculture market.

This new product, like it’s ‘sisters’ (the Standard Aquapurse and Aquatrays) is extremely versatile, but it’s main attribute is its simple assembly.

Tooltech’s Marketing & Export Manager, Reg Breakwell, says the new environmentally friendly polymer product comes as one hinged piece that simply folds up and clips together. The only addition if required is its flexible hardwearing suspension hook for use inter-

tidally or between longlines. It’s also ideal for sub-tidal use with provision made for suspension ropes on both sides and ends.

Reg says he’s always been interested at the number of oyster growers in various parts of the world who claim they have to cope with the ‘roughest water imagineable’ – as though they alone deserve a Blue Ribbon. He agrees they certainly deserve recognition for their regular battle with the elements, and claims the AP6 Aquapurse is designed for these sorts of elements.

Reg has seen many farms with wild and unrelenting sea conditions, but

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says it would be hard to beat what regularly occurs in the D’Entracasteaux Channel between Southern Tasmanian mainland and Bruny Island. It was on farms there that the specially designed AP6 Aquapurse has been undergoing rigorous testing, and results to date are very promising.

Apart from its very easy assembly and its overall strength, other features include its ability to be fitted with polyfoam suspension for growers who use flotation or rolling in their farming methods, and also its provision to take removeable soft mesh spat or seed bags. Just as important is the extremely economically price.

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1800 469 495 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 57

NEWS

Fellowships to tackle industry skills shortage I

n November, 2008, four aquaculture industry members were awarded prestigious fellowships for overseas study tours by the International Specialised Skills (ISS) Institute, based in Camberwell, Victoria. The fellowships are designed to fill skills deficiencies which have been identified by industry and for which training is unavailable through nationally accredited Australian educational institutions.

The awardees of the ISS Institute / Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Trades Fellowships were: • Andrew de Dezsery (Omega Fish Products) – Aquaponics and waste management • Gavin Partridge (Challenger TAFE) – Spawning and rearing yellowfin tuna • David ‘Dos’ O’Sullivan (Dosaqua P/L) – International seafood product certification.

In addition Mark Oliver (Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE, Qld) was awarded a Pratt Foundation / ISS Institute Overseas Fellowship to travel to the South East Asia and Micronesia to study the recent advances in highly-priced marine fish hatchery techniques.

“Commercial hatchery production of highly priced marine fish species such as Coral Trout is a reality in some South East Asian countries and Australia is poised to join the list of countries producing these species,” Mark says.

“There are many talented technicians across the South East Asian region who are fine tuning their hatchery skills to maximise survival of these species that are traditionally very difficult to culture and I feel extremely humbled that I can view first hand their techniques and procedures.”

The ISS Institute in collaboration with the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and the Pratt Foundation provides funding and supports the skills study fellowships.

The ISS Institute is an independent, national organization, which has a record of nearly twenty years of working with Australian industry and commerce to assist individuals gain best-in-the-world skills and experience in traditional and leading-edge technology, design, innovation and management. The Institute has worked extensively with Government and non-Government organisations, firms, industry bodies, professional associations

and education and training institutions.

The Patron in Chief is Sir James Gobbo AC, CVO. The ISS Institute Board of Management is Chaired by Noel Waite AO. The Board comprises Franco Fiorentini, John Iacovangelo, Lady Primrose Potter AC and David Wittner.

Through its CEO, Carolynne Bourne AM, the ISS Institute identifies and researches skill deficiencies and then meets the deficiency needs through its Overseas Skill Acquisition Plan (Fellowship Program), its education and training activities, professional development events and consultancy services.

Under the Overseas Skill Acquisition Plan (Fellowship Program) Australians travel overseas or international experts travel to Australia. Participants then pass on what they have learnt through reports, education and training activities such as workshops, conferences, lectures, forums, seminars and events, therein ensuring that for each Fellowship undertaken many benefit.

The ISS Institute can be contacted on (03) 9882 0055. E: issi.ceo@pacific.net.au.

W:www.issinstitute.org.au

Fancy lettuce grown from the fish nutrient waste. These lettuces are 36 days in production. Photo by Andrew de Dezsery

Refrigerated shipping containers allow for high efficiencies in heating/cooling running costs for the production units.

58 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

NEWS

Seafood Certification Dos will be working in Ireland, Scotland and other parts of Europe to undertake an assessment of the international seafood product certification systems. His aim is to develop systems for world’s best sustainable production in Australia.

“With input from the National Aquaculture Council, Seafood CRC, Seafood Services Australia and Seafood Experience Australia, we identified skills and knowledge gaps in key compliance or regulatory areas of seafood product certification,” he says. “These include Food Safety, Traceability, Supply Chain Assurance (Chain of Custody), Environmental Management and Biosecurity.

He will work with certifying bodies, regulatory agencies, seafood marketing groups and other specialists in the following four steps of the seafood product certification cycle: • Interpret or develop standards and/ or regulations.

• Select, develop and implement Third-party Certification Systems.

• Complete internal and external auditing of companies/organisations along the whole seafood production/value chain.

• Implement these skills and knowledge with the development of an appropriate standard, brand and logo.

Dos also plans to become a Certified Lead Auditor for a number of international third-party certification systems for seafood. “If time permits I will also be examining systems for Eco-labelling, Organic Produce and Animal Welfare.”

Yellowfin Spawning Gavin is planning to travel to Panama and Miami, where he will learn techniques for rearing Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) larvae.

Yellowfin are the fastest growing of all of the tunas. Being able to culture tuna larvae in a controlled hatchery environment will allow the aquaculture industry to expand rapidly, beyond the constraints currently imposed through quotas.

“The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission’s laboratory in Panama have a very successful broodstock program for Yellowfin Tuna and obtain fertilised eggs year-round,” Gavin says. “This provides an excellent opportunity to learn the techniques required to produce commercial quantities of juvenile tuna which can then be stocked into growout cages.”

Gavin can be contacted on (08) 9239-8032 or gavin.partridge@challengertafe.wa.edu.au

Commercial grouper growout facility at Batam Indonesia.

Photo by Mark Oliver.

Zero Waste Andrew, will be travelling to the USA and Canada to help fast track the commercial development of aquaponics and further industry integrated practices in the Australian development.

“Although not a new sector of global aquaculture development, the concept of aquaponics and its commercialisation has only recently come about,” Andrew says. “Food shortages, sustainable industry, zero waste, minimal carbon footprint, these are all words we hear regularly and aquaponics can deliver on all fronts. What is required is that we take it to another level so that it becomes a stand alone enterprise with all the benefits for the man on the land.”

Some of Andrew’s studies abroad will include value adding down stream with the inclusion of other integrated farming practices, value adding with organic status for aquaculture products and true passive energy usage in the whole mix.

“It’s a very broad picture,” Andrew comments “but if we can pull this off it’s one of those idealistic developments of this century that could keep families on the land and still provide high quality products without compromising on their inputs.”

Andrew can be contacted on 0412 477 036 or manager@aquaculture-advantage.com

A 40 day YellowFin tuna juvenile.

Photo by Gavin Partridge.

Dos can be contacted on 0418 130-595 or dos@dosaqua.com.au

Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009 59

F E AT U R E

The current state of Korean aquaculture and the direction of its development â&#x20AC;&#x201C; part 2 This is the concluding section of an article begun in the last issue.

aquacultural farms such as unlicensed and excess facilities shall be more intensified.

3. Vision and strategies for new aquaculture

Aquacultural fishing grounds for each variety shall be relocated considering their carrying capacity. In this case, the existing licensed fishery need be relocated with priority. Of developed fishing grounds for aquaculture, enclosing fish nets, which frequently suffer damages from red tides, typhoons, etc., shall be first moved to open sea fishing grounds so that the environmental conditions of coastal areas may be improved. Orders shall be given that fishing grounds for raising varieties (ark shell and others), for which aquacultural license expires or whose productivity is extremely bad, should take a rest for some time or the redevelopment of the grounds limited.

And, in order to deal with the instability of management caused by poor quality, oversupply, and fall in prices due to high density cultivation, first of all, the criteria for aquacultural facilities need be improved according to their carrying capacity and appropriate production be secured, so that quality may be enhanced and the environment of fishing grounds protected.

A. Focus moved from quantitative production to appropriate production (1) Limiting the development of fishing grounds and intensifying the criteria for appropriate production facilities By the end of the 1990s, under the slogan of changing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;from catching fisheries to growing fisheries,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; the Republic of Korea government had actively fostered and supported aquaculture. As a result, some regions are saturated with aquacultural farms and faced with serious environmental problems. Moreover, the output of aquaculture is sometimes oversupplied, the prices of marine products so sharply fall that some fishery households go bankrupt. It calls for severe limits placed to new development of fishing grounds for aquaculture and for restructuring of the existing fishing grounds based on their competitiveness. New licenses shall not be given for oversupplied products like laver, brown seaweed, and some fishes, while fish species like tuna and mackerel such as have high value added shall be developed more. It is also necessary to restrict reckless development of land-based seawater fish farms, which is currently to be reported but permitted in the future. Regulations on illegal

(2) Converting fishery licenses from proprietary rights to user rights The current Fishery Act provides fishery farmers with an aquacultural license for 10 years and extends the period up to 20 years if the farmers with an existing

Pictures and diagram of the oyster hanging culture.

60 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

license want it. Even after the 20 years, the farmers with the existing license can still use their license under the name of redevelopment of their farming. It means that, in fact, the farmers can permanently engage in aquaculture no matter how old they are. This system keeps new capable farmers from participating in aquaculture and makes aquaculture remain small-scaled. Therefore, the priority system for giving fishery licenses must be improved so that any individuals and corporations with relevant technology, capital, and capacity may be given the same opportunity to join fisheries as fishery communities and the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives are. The license period may not be changed from 10 years.

Fishery licenses shall not be given to the existing fishermen with priority, but the license period shall be extended only after the capacity of the fishermen is reevaluated: the results of use and management of their fishing grounds and their abilities to deal with environmental pollution including the cleaning of fishing grounds, with a view to facilitating efficient use and maintenance of fishing grounds.

Structural adjustment, including resolute non-renewal of a license, need be implemented after close examinations are conducted to find if violations have been made concerning the limits and/or conditions of the management of fish-

F E AT U R E

ing grounds or if fishing grounds have been poorly managed and maintained.

In particular, it seems to be advisable to permit specific zones in which the quantity of facilities for or the output of, say, cultivated laver is prescribed since illegal cultivation of seaweeds is being conducted outside licensed fishing grounds. In a long-term perspective, it is also recommendable that the current regulations should be changed to convert fishery licenses from proprietary rights to user rights, so that the existing fishermen can claim their right for the estimated value of remaining facilities only when they have to give up or retire from their fishery.

B. Innovation of aquacultural technologies (1) Choosing and priority nurturing economical strategic varieties In Korea, aquaculture recently cultivates 85 varieties in total. of which sea surface aquaculture grows 61 varieties including 21 kinds of fish such as oliver flounder, rock fish, and red sea bream. In fact, however, aquaculture mainly produces just several varieties like oliver flounder, rock fish, red sea bream, sea brass, etc.

Recently, consumers demand the development of new varieties suitable to their tastes, and the improvement of their quality. In particular, high value added varieties need be developed since they have good taste, color, flesh, nutrition and springiness of flesh. It means that, apart from the already developed varieties like oliver flounder and rock fish, research & development shall be concentrated on the aquaculture of the natural fishes whose development is being researched or planned like gizzard shad, mackerel, tunas, yellow crocker, brown croaker, red horsehead. etc. These fish species need be selected as strategic varieties, whose consumption will be largely increased across the country. In particular, from a long-term perspective shall be developed and intensively fostered such promising strategic varieties as Jeju Province flounder and Gangwon Province red sea tangle, so that each region shall specialize in just a few varieties and produce a small amount of the varieties.

Korean marine aquaculture production of seaweed species, 1998-2007.

(2) Early development of vaccines and cures Presently, aquacultural creatures are losing their resistance to diseases and frequently perishing in large quantities because of deteriorated water environment, high density breeding, and recessive varieties.

Exotic incurable epidemics are diffused and aquacultural creatures suffer rapidly increasing damages from fish diseases across the world since marine creatures frequently move between regions and countries. It calls for the construction of systems to control the diseases of aquacultural creatures. The said systems shall be constructed and promoted in these directions: ‘1’ a marine drugs management law shall be established so that fish disease specialists may correctly diagnose and treat the diseases, ‘2’ quick diagnosis technologies shall be developed using genetic engineering techniques so that aquacultural creatures’ damage from diseases may be minimised, ‘3’ measures to efficiently prevent the diseases of aquacultural creatures shall be set up and relevant technologies developed so that the output of aquacultural creatures may be increased, and ‘4’ a quarantine officers system shall be newly established so as to shut off flow-in of exotic virus and other germs. From long-term perspectives, nationwide fish disease centers shall be set up and operated so that a mutual assistance system may be maintained among research institutes, academia, and aquacultural farmers.

Vaccines, natural drugs and immunity enhancing systems shall be developed and utilised so as to prevent the occurrence of diseases. Construction of such systems will also help people gain safe foods from aquacultural creatures.

Laver farm and harvesting.

The government has introduced a marine disease managers system to quickly treat and cure marine diseases and minimise damages from cultivated marine products.

According to the system, the first qualification test was conducted in October 2004. when 40 marine disease managers were produced and, since then, 18~43 marine disease managers were produced each year till 137 managers are active on site.

In order to reduce damages from diseases, early practical development of vaccines and cures will be needed in the future when the environment of aquacultural farms is expected to be more polluted and aquacultural fishes perish in great quantities caused by physiological weakening due to high density large-scale breeding. The government already established the marine animal diseases management law to prevent the occurrence and diffusion of major marine diseases.

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(4) Development of Korea-style offshore aquaculture net cage In Korea, marine enclosing net farms are crowded in coastal areas, so that the environment of fishing grounds is deteriorated by sewage and self-pollution of aquacultural farms, which leads to frequent occurrence of red tides and fish diseases. Moreover, most of current enclosing net facilities are made of wood and Styrofoam buoys, which are easily destructed before typhoons and other violent marine conditions. It implies that, in order to continuously produce aquacultural products, it is necessary to develop aquacultural farms in the offing and open sea where clean water quality is maintained. Of course, open seas have high waves and strong water currents; so, first of all, aquacultural facilities which meet such marine conditions need be developed.

Detailed fish disease pattern in Korea.

The offshore aquaculture system installed in Jeju Island.

(3) Development and application of eco- and environment-friendly aquacultural systems In Korea, most of coastal aquacultural farms in gulfs have been developed for specific fish species only; so, the environmental load of pollutants are progressing in one direction only. In other words, in fish aquacultural farms, where artificial feeds are supplied to raise fish, the dregs of fish feeds, excretions of fishes and inorganic matters exhausted from fish metabolism are major causes for deteriorating the environment of fishing grounds. The environment of inland seas, where fish aquacultural farms are intensively developed, are more severely deteriorated. It calls for the establishment of poly-culture, where excretions necessarily exhausted from fish aquacultural 62 Austasia Aquaculture | March 2009

farms may be used by other aquacultural creatures which are on a different trophic level and naturally removed. That is to say, the environment of a sea area can be improved and the productivity enhanced when floating feed dregs or solids are removed by shellfish and filter feeding animals such as sea squirt Halocynthia roretzi and Styela clava, sinking feed dregs are removed by benthos, and inorganic matters exhausted from metabolism of fishes are absorbed by seaweeds. Researches are being conducted to implement such aquacultural systems; when the researches have been completed, relevant systems and laws will be newly provided for use in coastal aquacultural farms.

The following conditions need be met to develop open sea enclosing nets. First, it is essential to find such fish species and facilities as are suitable to the environment of fishing grounds in Korea. That is, fish species which can be produced shall be decided before regions are selected which have sufficient deep water and physically appropriate conditions. For an example, Jeju Island is really appropriate for open sea enclosing nets for warmwater fishes, since, in there, various seaweeds are affluent and water temperature is higher than 13°C in winter and lower than 27°C in summer. Aquacultural fish species suitable to such conditions include migrating high-grade fish species like tunas and mackerels. Second, economy is indispensable.

No matter how technologically and scientifically intensive an aquacultural system is, if it is not economical, it will be of no use for other than a pilot research. Hence, thorough inspections shall be executed to know if it is suitable to Korea’s conditions, if it has international competitiveness, and if it has good productivity.

Third, an aquacultural system shall be equipped with up-to-date implosive facilities. For that, it is necessary to develop and improve implosive enclosing nets which can stand before waves from the open sea, and aquacultural engineering researches shall be conducted to

F E AT U R E

maintain relevant facilities. Furthermore, development of a high efficiency aquacultural system shall be made including automatic feeds supply equipment and a real-time environmental and cultivated fish monitoring system, so as to reduce labor costs for and to efficiently manage land-based or marine aquacultural farms. Fourth, high efficiency extrude pellet suitable to aquaculture shall be developed. The use of the existing raw feeds is not appropriate because aquaculture shall be executed using relatively large facilities in the open sea. Therefore, automated feed supply facilities are essential and extrude pellet for use in such facilities is to be secured.

C. Restoring the environment of fishing grounds for aquaculture (1) Development and mandatory use of extrude pellet In fish aquaculture, the cost of feeds accounts for 40~50% of aquacultural management costs and is a major factor directly related to the growth of fishes.

So, it is necessary to develop environmentfriendly extrude pellet so as to turn the current 20% of the diffusion rate for extrude pellet into at least 80% and to diminish the pollution of fishing grounds caused by raw feeds. To do that, first of all, good quality extrude pellet, which can be trusted by aquacultural farmers, shall be developed and the government shall introduce an incentive system so as to multiply such aquacultural households as use extrude pellet and to prevent indiscriminate hunting of resources, reduce pollution and establish environment-friendly aquaculture. From 2004, the government has provided such fishermen as use extrude pellet with a certain proportion of subsidy just to set an example. However, the subsidy provision rate shall be largely expanded and midand long-term systems be set up to abstain from the use of raw feeds.

(2) Introducing fishing ground sabbath system After investigations are made into the environment of fishing grounds, a fishing ground sabbath system shall be introduced for such sea areas as are found to

be in special need for the system in order to preserve and/or improve the environment of fishing grounds, whose pollution has been deepened. During the sabbath period, first of all, fishing grounds shall be purified and arranged as well, so as to maximize the effects of the sabbath.

(3) Taking measures to prevent red tides Almost all sea areas around Korea have been eutrophicated, which continually instigates long-time red tides each year and brings much damage to aquacultural farms. When harmful red tides take place, the government puts in lots of manpower and budget to prevent them. But front-line workers do not have any other effective means but spray yellow earth, which some contend has an evil effect on ecosystem.

Industries, academia, and research institutes shall cooperate with each other to quickly develop such substances and/or equipment as will not have a negative effect on ecosystem but save it from red tides. In addition, high density aquacultural facilities shall be controled in such a way that fishing grounds for aquaculture may not sustain big damages when red tides take place.

When red tides occur and it is feared that red tide creatures will invade and kill aquacultural fishes, it is advisable to early harvest and consume the aquacultural products. Diverse efforts shall be made to minimise aquacultural farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; damage from red tides and prevent the loss of their valuable properties.

Mobile fish hospitals operated by National Fisheries Research and Development Institute.

D. Increasing the consumption of aquacultural products (1) Recognition to be changed of sliced raw fish culture In Korea, most aquacultural fish are consumed as sliced raw fish at a restaurant. However, in fact, it is reported that fermented fresh dead fish is better than live sliced raw fish in their stringiness and taste. It is also reported that, when live fish is kept in a water tank of a restaurant, natural fish will lose their vitality much faster than aquacultural ones do and that, accordingly, the taste of their flesh will be quickly deteriorated.

Therefore, it is necessary to properly advertise the said fact to consumers who favor only natural fish and to convert their recognition of aquacultural products.

Besides, if a distribution structure is improved so that packaged fresh fish can be delivered to homes through a cold chain or others, new demands will be created. Furthermore, in order to secure consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trust in the safety of aquacAustasia Aquaculture | March 2009 63

F E AT U R E

ultural products, the traceability system, which keeps a breeding diary covering the supply of feeds and drugs from aquacultural farm to consumers’ table, need be introduced and implemented.

In a word, in order to increase the consumption of aquacultural products, PR activities shall be ceaselessly conducted so as to improve consumption cultures and change the people’s recognition of the products, and continuous efforts shall be made to improve the quality of aquacultural products and develop diverse processed foods which meet diverse tastes of consumers.

(2) Developing brands for marine products and introducing marketing concepts In Korea, one of the most vulnerable fields of aquaculture is distribution. The National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives takes charge of selling seaweeds and some fishes. But the sale of most sea foods is at the hands of small- and middle-sized distributors. It implies that the base for the consumption of aquacultural products can be expanded when producers’ bodies personally operate

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sales centers so as to reduce distribution margins between production prices and consumption prices. And a foremost prerequisite for making high-grade marine products is maintaining the freshness and safety of the products. To do that, live fish distribution facilities need be modernized and amplified, and diverse processed foods shall be developed to satisfy the tastes of various consumers.

(3) Understanding the tendency of international aquacultural market In the framework of international free trade, Korean marine products can not and shall not be distributed in the domestic market only, but favorable markets shall be secured after information on aquacultural technologies is quickly collected from neighboring countries which have similar cultural, geographical and environmental conditions as Korea, closely examined and analyzed.

For the future, Korean aquaculture shall have international competitiveness after tendencies in foreign markets are grasped, the competition structure of related industries analyzed, and international comparison made. For instance, comprehensive analyses shall be made of the whole aspects of aquaculture, including the seedling production industry, feeds industry, test research & development, consumption patterns, and food cultures.

What is more, aquacultural farms shall be converted into resting places where fishery, ecology and leisure can be experienced so that aquacultural farmers may also earn income from other than fisheries; and in the same vein, enclosing net aquacultural farms shall be turned into charged fishing places. Private insurances against aquacultural product disasters shall be urgently introduced so that compensations may be made if damages are inflicted on aquacultural farmers due to typhoon, red tide, disease and other natural disasters.

4. Conclusions Three sides of the Korean peninsula are surrounded by seas of 380,000km2 and fishery is considered in this country as an important food industry along with

agriculture. It is not so sure that Korea’s aquaculture will develop into a sustainable environment-friendly industry because of her eutrophicated coasts, deepened self-pollution caused by deposits from the running of aquacultural farms, and international pressure to open the domestic market.

In order for aquaculture to overcome current difficulties and develop into a hopeful industry, first of all, aquacultural management need be stabilized by means of appropriate production and relevant technologies developed. To do that, fishing grounds for aquaculture shall be developed and related systems improved for appropriate production, taking environment into consideration Marine creatures, if appropriately managed within the scope of carrying capacity of environment, will be sustainable perpetual reproduction resources. The productivity of marine resources can be also enhanced if appropriate surroundings are created and maintained through various researches. Korea will have comparative superiority over neighboring countries and other marine countries around the world when varieties are improved and diffused, new aquacultural technologies developed, information on international tendencies and demands from consumers is collected and analyzed, and the potential is nurtured to meet the world’s rapidly changing conditions.

Lastly, aquaculture shall be continuously developed and fostered from future-oriented and strategic viewpoints, not simply from a shortsighted economic one, since aquacultural foods will be considered as resources in the future.

By Dr Mi Seon PARK For more information contact the author at: Aquaculture Research Department / National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, 408-1 Sirang-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang-Kun, Busan, Rep.of Korea. Email: parkms@nfrdi.go.kr Reprinted with permission from Aqua Info, Vol 2. No. 5

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