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

Yellowtail kingfishYellowtail kingfishSeriola lalandiSeriola lalandi

Yellowtail kingfishYellowtail kingfish

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

ENDEND