Allan GL, Heasman H & Bennison S (2008) Development of industrial-scale inland saline aquaculture: Coordination and communication of R&D in Australia.  Final report to FRDC Project No. 2004/241. NSW Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries Final Report Series No. 100.

Summary

This project was funded to help establish commercial inland saline aquaculture (ISA).  The project brought researchers together with salinity managers, aquaculture farmers, government officials and investment advisors to share information, identify constraints to commercial development, reduce duplication and maintain a clear focus on achieving commercially viable aquaculture businesses.  The project team established demonstration facilities in NSW, Qld, SA and WA and hosted open days for potential investors and members of the public.  A website was developed and populated with a comprehensive investment directory providing a “one-stop-shop” for potential investors.  Other information available includes research results, key contacts, government regulations, resources available, R&D plan, economic decision-making tools and a detailed risk assessment plan.  The project team convened four major workshops on ISA as well as several teleconferences, and organised and ran two sessions on ISA at the international conferences, Australasian Aquaculture 2004 and 2006.

In NSW, results from research funded largely by ACIAR, NSW DPI and MIL and demonstrated by the current project, was provided to investment analysts, Lonsec Ltd. The results indicated attractive investment potential and a commercial aquaculture company has agreed to invest in developing a 200 t/yr trout farm in conjunction with the largest saline groundwater interception/evaporation scheme in Australia (run by MIL).  To help extend this model to other interception schemes in the Murray-Darling Basin, the Seafood CRC has approved a project to use the farm as a commercial-scale demonstration facility and to address on-going R&D issues such as matching aquaculture water needs with the operation of interception schemes, especially in times of drought.

In SA, research at Waikerie is on-going.  This site, and much of the potential area in SA for ISA, is characterised by large volumes of saline water at a constant temperature.  The Aquaculture Unit of Primary Industry and Resources South Australia (PIRSA) have recently completed an economic analysis and market assessment of the potential of ISA associated with saline groundwater from interception schemes.  Together with GIS based inventory of suitable sites, these reports should stimulate commercial development of ISA in SA. 

In WA, the challenges of extensive saline affected areas but with relatively low potential water flows means that the water available for aquaculture is relatively limited.  New modified technology for recirculation aquaculture (the Semi-Intensive, Floating Technology System or SIFTS) was developed to reduce the need for water exchange and while this was very effective in dealing with fluctuating dissolved oxygen,  problems with other toxic products associated with uncontrollable algal blooms were encountered.  While there are still likely to be opportunities for commercial ISA in WA they are likely to be limited.  Small-scale, commercial ISA of trout in saline ponds is occurring, facilitated by  cooperative marketing and purchasing arrangements, and there is some potential for expansion. 

In Qld, inland saline prawn farming was shown to be technically feasible.  However, the relatively small water flows from saline bores will limit the size of inland saline prawn farming and given the current market outlook (supply and price) is likely to make inland saline prawn farming uneconomic.  There is new potential for ISA in association with waste saline water produced as a by-product of methane gas extraction but while this has been shown to be technically feasible, considerably more R&D is needed to determine if it is economically feasible and compatible with gas-field operation. 

The network established as part of this project was effective in reducing duplication, sharing results, improving the science and in the facilitation of technology transfer.  It was useful for potential investors and those individuals benefited from being able to easily access information and meet key researchers at annual workshops.