Aquaculture Research

The aquaculture research group develops technology for new or existing aquaculture industries. Key facilities used for this research at the PSFI include a mollusc hatchery, a quarantine mollusc hatchery, marine fish broodstock centre, marine fish hatchery, marine fish nursery facilities and grow-out tanks and ponds. Facilities for commercial and pilot-scale research are available as well as replicated, small-scale facilities for applied research. Research directions are developed in consultation with representatives from industry through the Aquaculture Research Advisory Committee.

Key program areas include:

Oysters

Research is key to sustaining NSW's oyster industry in a profitable and environmentally sustainable way.

• Developing and improving hatchery and nursery techniques for Sydney rock, Pacific, Pearl and Flat oysters, as well as other molluscs (eg. pipis).
• Genetically improving Sydney rock oysters (eg for disease resistance, faster growth and improved condition).
• Researching the impacts of human activities and climate change on oysters.

Marine Fish

• Improving methods for hatchery production of mulloway, Australian bass, yellowtail kingfish and southern bluefin tuna.
• Producing Australian bass and mulloway for stock enhancement.
• Investigating potential of inland saline water for aquaculture.

Algal Production

• Production of live algae for PSFI and industry.
• Mass culture 7-12 algal species.

Nutrition, Diet Development

• Developing and improving diets for fish and prawns. 
• Currently focused on mulloway and yellowtail kingfish growout diets.
• Replacing fishmeal with Australian agriculture ingredients.
• Producing more cost-effective, environmentally friendly feeds.

The aquaculture research unit helps coordinate aquaculture production research for the Seafood Cooperative Research Centre and manages hatchery networks for Australian shellfish and marine finfish hatcheries. The unit also has an international role in assisting with developing and managing the aquaculture projects funded by the Australian Council for International Agricultural Research.

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Aquatic Ecosystems Research

Aquatic ecosystems field researchers in one of NSW's inland rivers

The aquatic environment in NSW is a public resource that is greatly valued. It is very diverse, extending from 3 nautical miles offshore to the rivers in the far west of NSW. The state’s oceans, estuaries, coastal rivers & streams, inland rivers and freshwater wetlands all have their own unique biodiversity, habitats and ecosystem processes. Conserving these features, while also allowing for sustainable fishing and other uses of aquatic resources, is a key challenge for I&I NSW. Research activities are centred, therefore, around the health of aquatic species, habitats or ecosystems. If these remain healthy, it is a good indication that aquatic resources are being managed sustainably and that they will be available for the enjoyment of future generations. Research on aquatic ecosystems provide scientific information to underpin the management initiatives and policy development for these valuable resources.

Field sampling and laboratory analyses based from Port Stephens are undertaken in 3 areas and cover the following activities:

Marine Habitats & Biodiversity

• Mapping key estuarine habitats such as mangroves and seagrasses, and assessing their conservation value. 
• Sampling fishes above and below new tidally-activated floodgates to assess their performance in improving fish passage into important breeding and nursery areas on coastal floodplains.
• Tagging and tracking the movement patterns of endangered grey nurse and great white sharks using archival and pop-up satellite tags.
• Investigating the feasibility of an artificial breeding program for grey nurse sharks; current research uses wobbegong sharks as a model.
• Undertaking surveys to monitor the spread of introduced marine species that have established in NSW waters (eg European fan worms, green crabs and the green seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia).
• Developing control techniques to eliminate, or at least limit the spread of, newly introduced species before they establish and become troublesome.
• Regular monitoring of coastal habitats to assess the condition of estuarine and oceanic waters in NSW as part of the statewide Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) program. 

Freshwater Habitats & Biodiversity team

• Identifying the habitat requirements of freshwater fish so that remaining areas of good habitat can be identified and procedures developed for restoring key freshwater habitats such as snags (large woody structures).
• Adapting modern technology, such as an underwater acoustic camera (Didson) which can monitor fish even in dirty water or at night, to get a better understanding of fish behaviour.
• Assessing the impacts of dams and weirs as barriers to the migration of freshwater fish, and designing better fishways to improve fish passage at major barriers.
• Measuring the composition of fish communities in rivers and wetlands as a key indicator of the health of freshwater systems using regular electrofishing surveys throughout NSW. This contributes to the riverine theme of MER.
• Researching the biology, demography, genetics, and current distribution patterns of threatened fish species such as the Purple Spotted gudgeon in the upper Hunter system, Eastern cod in the Clarence river system and Macquarie perch in the Hawkesbury-Nepean system.
• Monitoring the spread of pest fish species such as redfin perch, carp and banded grunter, and developing ways to control infestations of small exotic aquarium fish in coastal streams.

Ecosystem Linkages team

• Developing mathematical models to investigate the ecologically sustainable development of regional marine and estuarine resources in NSW (incollaboration with CSIRO). This research is largely based in the Clarence River estuary.
• Using GIS techniques to assess the vulnerability of coastal habitats and ecosystems to a range of threats including climate change. Current research is in the Hawkesbury system.
• Collecting information on interactions and connectivity among different trophic groups in estuaries to feed into ecological response models. Research will focus on Macquarie and Tuggerah Lakes.

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