Australian Bass, Mulloway, and Yellowtail Kingfish

From the Preface

This manual was commissioned by the Aquafin CRC and Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and is the first consolidated and documented information on successful techniques for culturing juvenile Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata), mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) and yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) in NSW.

This manual provides specialised instruction on:

  • how to collect and reproductively condition Australian bass, mulloway and yellowtail kingfish to spawn;
  • how to induce them to spawn;
  • how to hatchery-rear their young through the larval and early juvenile stages to an age and size suitable for on-farming or for stocking to enhance fisheries.

The reader will notice that the chapters are a blend of practical (hands-on) instruction and supporting scientific information. This approach is intended, to develop a manual that can be understood by the layman, while at the same time provide background and references for those who require further reading and elaboration of the concepts and methods described.

The reader will also notice that the chapters are presented with information furnished for Australian bass followed by mulloway and then yellowtail kingfish. This reflects the amount of published information and the history of culture of each species. Hatchery production of Australian bass has been developing for three decades and methods for culture are now proven reliable and sustainable. On the other hand, yellowtail kingfish is considered a ‘new’ species, having only been cultured for the last ten years and is currently the subject of much research effort to refine culture methods.

There are many culture methods including live feed production and equipment design and management that are common to all three species. To avoid replication in each chapter, these have been dealt with in leading chapters with reference to the applicable section provided in Chapters where information has not been expanded upon.

This manual is not intended as a stand-alone text but rather as a companion to other publications listed in the references section. In particular, we encourage the reader to acquire Partridge et al. (2003) "Hatchery Manual for the Production of Snapper (Pagrus auratus) and Black Bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri)", which we refer to widely in this manual, which provides an excellent account of many culture techniques common to those used for Australian bass, mulloway and yellowtail kingfish.Recommended citation:

Fielder DS and Heasman MP (2011) Hatchery Manual for the production of Australian Bass, Mulloway and Yellowtail Kingfish. Industry & Investment NSW, ISBN 978 1 74256 058 8. 176 pp.