Status of Marine Finfish Status of Marine Finfish Aquaculture in Aquaculture in
AustraliaAustralia
Mike RimmerMike RimmerAgency forAgency for Food and Fibre SciencesFood and Fibre Sciences
–– Fisheries and AquacultureFisheries and AquacultureNorthern Fisheries CentreNorthern Fisheries Centre
Cairns, Queensland, AustraliaCairns, Queensland, Australia
ProductionProduction
Australia Australia –– Marine Finfish ProductionMarine Finfish Production
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Prod
uctio
n (to
nnes
)
Southern bluefin tunaAtlantic salmonBarramundiOther
ValueValue
Australia Australia –– Marine Finfish ValueMarine Finfish Value
0
50
100
150
200
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Valu
e (U
S$m
)
Southern bluefin tunaAtlantic salmonBarramundiOther
DistributionDistribution
Atlantic salmonAtlantic salmon
Southern Southern bluefin bluefin tunatuna
BarramundiBarramundi
Southern Southern bluefin bluefin tunatuna
Captured at 15Captured at 15--30 kg (juveniles)30 kg (juveniles)Caught using purse seineCaught using purse seineTransferred to towing cage, towed to Transferred to towing cage, towed to farmsfarms
CagesCages3030--40m diameter40m diameter1212--20 m deep20 m deephold c. 2,000 fishhold c. 2,000 fish
Southern Southern bluefin bluefin tunatuna
FeedingFeedingpilchards and mackerelpilchards and mackerel11--2 2 ×× dailydaily66--7 days per week7 days per week
Research into developing artificial Research into developing artificial feedfeedMarketMarket
exported to Japanexported to JapanUS$15US$15--22 per kg22 per kg
Atlantic salmonAtlantic salmon
Originally introduced to support Originally introduced to support recreational fishingrecreational fishingCulture began in 1980’s in TasmaniaCulture began in 1980’s in Tasmania
around 15 farmsaround 15 farms
Fish fed pellet dietsFish fed pellet dietslocally producedlocally produced
MarketsMarketsdomestic (highdomestic (high--value product)value product)exportexport
Atlantic salmonAtlantic salmon
ThreatsThreatsWarm water temperatures in TasmaniaWarm water temperatures in Tasmania
-- disease problemsdisease problemsIncreasing competitionIncreasing competition
-- Chile, New Zealand, etc.Chile, New Zealand, etc.World market for salmonWorld market for salmon
-- prices decliningprices declining
Looking to diversifyLooking to diversify
BarramundiBarramundi
Fingerlings produced in hatcheries or Fingerlings produced in hatcheries or pondsponds
BarramundiBarramundi
Most production currently from Most production currently from freshwater pondsfreshwater pondsExpansion of sea cage farmingExpansion of sea cage farming
FeedingFeeding
FeedingFeedingpellet feedspellet feeds> 40g BW: 2 feeds/day> 40g BW: 2 feeds/day
FCR’sFCR’s1.2 1.2 -- 2.0 (higher in winter)2.0 (higher in winter)
New speciesNew species
MullowayMullowayArgyrosomus japonicusArgyrosomus japonicus
Snapper (Red Sea Bream)Snapper (Red Sea Bream)Pagrus auratusPagrus auratus
Striped trumpeterStriped trumpeterLatris lineataLatris lineata
Mahi mahiMahi mahiCoryphaena hippurusCoryphaena hippurus
New speciesNew species
GrouperGrouperSmall production of Small production of E. E. coioidescoioides
-- QueenslandQueensland-- Western AustraliaWestern Australia
Cromileptes altivelisCromileptes altivelis-- QueenslandQueensland
Industry development issuesIndustry development issues
EnvironmentalEnvironmentalStrong environmental lobbyStrong environmental lobbyPerception that aquaculture is Perception that aquaculture is damaging to coastal environmentsdamaging to coastal environments
SitesSitesRelative paucity of good sitesRelative paucity of good sitesMany good sites have little / no Many good sites have little / no infrastructureinfrastructureCompeting interestsCompeting interests
FutureFuture
Focus on highFocus on high--value speciesvalue speciesSBT, groupers, etc.SBT, groupers, etc.
Develop and expand export marketsDevelop and expand export markets18 million beef18 million beef--eaters!eaters!
Public educationPublic educationbenefits of aquaculturebenefits of aquaculture
AsiaAsia--Pacific Marine Finfish Pacific Marine Finfish Aquaculture NetworkAquaculture Network
Mike RimmerMike Rimmer11, Mike Phillips, Mike Phillips22, , SihSih--Yang SimYang Sim22
11Department of Primary Industries, Northern Fisheries Centre, CaiDepartment of Primary Industries, Northern Fisheries Centre, Cairns, rns, Queensland, AustraliaQueensland, Australia
22Network of Aquaculture Centres in AsiaNetwork of Aquaculture Centres in Asia--Pacific, Bangkok, ThailandPacific, Bangkok, Thailand
Asia Pacific Marine Finfish Asia Pacific Marine Finfish Aquaculture NetworkAquaculture Network
Successor to AsiaSuccessor to Asia--Pacific Grouper Network Pacific Grouper Network (APGN)(APGN)Funded by ACIAR, APECFunded by ACIAR, APECCoordinated by NACACoordinated by NACA
APGN ObjectivesAPGN Objectives
Improve coordination of researchImprove coordination of researchreduce overlap and duplication of reduce overlap and duplication of research effortresearch effort
Provide opportunities for Provide opportunities for collaborative researchcollaborative researchImprove communication amongst Improve communication amongst grouper aquaculture researchersgrouper aquaculture researchers
APGN Research ProgramAPGN Research Program
1 Production technologyProduction technology1.11.1 BroodstockBroodstock1.21.2 LarvicultureLarviculture1.31.3 NurseryNursery1.41.4 GrowGrow--outout1.5 Post1.5 Post--harvestharvest
22 EnvironmentEnvironment33 MarketingMarketing44 Food supply, certificationFood supply, certification55 SocioSocio--economics, livelihoodseconomics, livelihoods66 Fish healthFish health7 Training and extension7 Training and extension
Expansion of networkExpansion of network
Network has been extremely successfulNetwork has been extremely successfulIncreasing interest in marine finfish Increasing interest in marine finfish aquacultureaquaculture
Other speciesOther species-- Snappers (Snappers (LutjanidaeLutjanidae))-- Cobia (Cobia (RachycentronRachycentron))-- PomfretsPomfrets
Expanded at NACA 13Expanded at NACA 13thth GC MeetingGC MeetingIncorporated in NACA work programIncorporated in NACA work programAsiaAsia--Pacific Marine Finfish Aquaculture Pacific Marine Finfish Aquaculture NetworkNetwork