Marine aquaculture

The 2 primary species of abalone grown in South Australian aquaculture are:

• greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata)
• blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra).

Abalone aquaculture has been developing since the early 1990s and it has become a major contributor to the industry.

Abalone are found naturally in most Australian states.

Marine abalone farms operate on the Lower Eyre Peninsula and the West Coast. There are land-based abalone hatcheries on the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.

Abalone production

Sea-based

Marine abalone are grown on benthic structures. Broodstock are sourced from the wild and juvenile abalone are grown in land-based hatcheries. The juvenile abalone are then moved onto the benthic structures where they are on-grown and harvested by divers.

Land-based

Land-based abalone aquaculture is most often based on raceway technology.

Broodstock is collected from the wild by divers and moved to land-based hatcheries. Wild broodstock is introduced to make sure there is genetic diversity in aquaculture stock.

Land-based abalone farms operate 24 hours a day to constantly monitor the water systems and stock.

Contact

Nicholas Savva – Australian Abalone Growers Association
Email: eo@aagai.com.au

Seaweed are large plant-like marine algae (macroalgae) that belong to three main groups: green, brown and red. Seaweeds are photosynthetic (like plants and seagrasses) but absorb nutrients through 'blades' (leaf-like structures) instead of roots. South Australia has a highly diverse seaweed flora that are endemic to its southern waters.

Seaweed is an emerging sector within the South Australian aquaculture industry. Seaweeds have potential for production of food, bioactives, fertiliser, stock feed (to reduce methane emissions), nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals, biofuels and bioremediation.

In addition, the farming of seaweed has environmental benefits such as:

• removing excess nutrients from coastal waters, including offsets for aquaculture finfish farms
• carbon sequestration (reducing excess carbon dioxide)
• reducing ocean acidification.

Seaweed production

As seaweed farming is still predominantly under trial, commercial production is yet to commence. Seaweed is generally farmed in baskets or on ropes attached to floating longlines, like that used by the mussel sector.

Macroalgae management areas

PIRSA have developed specified macroalgae management areas to manage the unknown seaweed biosecurity (pest and disease) and genetic risks associated with stock movement. The management areas ensure seaweed seedstock or broodstock collection for aquaculture originates from the same macroalgae management area as the licensed area or discharge point for land-based aquaculture sites.

The need for conservative management of the rapidly developing seaweed industry is common across Australia, as identified by the national Seaweed Aquaculture Working Group, until further research is available.

View a map of the management areas and location descriptions for each management area:

Map of the Macroalgae management areas (PDF 1.0 MB)

Location descriptions of macroalgae management areas (PDF 2.5 MB)

Contact

Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance
PO Box 2124, Woorim QLD 4507
Email: info@seaweedalliance.org.au

The South Australian mussel aquaculture industry is based on the production of the blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis).

Blue mussels can be found from the low tide level to a depth of 10 metres. They grow best within a temperature range of 16 to 22°C. They are filter feeders and therefore do not need to be fed any extra in aquaculture farms.

Mussels grow together in clusters. They reach 40 mm in 4 to 6 months and can reach commercial size in less than 1 year under South Australian conditions.

Blue mussels are found in temperate waters of the northern and southern hemispheres. There are mussel populations along the southern coast of Australia from Cape Hawke on the east coast to Fremantle on the west coast. They are also found around Tasmania and New Zealand.

Producing mussels

All South Australian mussel farms are found in the Lower Spencer Gulf, around Port Lincoln.

They are farmed using a longline culture technique. Ropes are attached to vertical droppers at one end and a floatation buoy at the other. The vertical droppers are placed under water every 1 to 4 metres. Longline cultures are used for spat collection as well.

Sector-based aquaculture strategy

The sector-based aquaculture strategy for subtidal mussel farming was developed to support the future growth and prosperity of the industry in an ecologically sustainable way, by:

• streamlining regulatory and administrative processes to reduce red tape
• promoting best practice by industry
• strengthening environmental and biosecurity outcomes for South Australia.

This sector-based strategy applies to marine aquaculture licence holders who farm mussels (Mytilus sp.), hereafter referred to as the Mussel sector. It replaces the requirement for the Mussel sector to submit (and have approved) individual aquaculture strategies. This is the first sector-based aquaculture strategy approved under regulation 19 of the Aquaculture Regulations 2016.

Current and future aquaculture licence holders of the mussel sector must adopt this sector-based aquaculture strategy and make sure activities undertaken under individual aquaculture licence area(s) adhere to it.

View the sector-based aquaculture strategy for subtidal mussels (PDF 633.5 KB)

Contact

Andy Dyer
Email: mussels@kinkawookamussels.com.au

The Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) is the most commonly farmed oyster species in aquaculture in many regions of the world. The Pacific oyster can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions and has potential for rapid growth.

The South Australian oyster industry was established in the late 1980s. It is the second most valuable sector in terms of farm-gate sales value in South Australia.

Pacific oyster can be found in:

• Estuaries
• Subtidal zones
• Intertidal zones.

They attach to hard or rocky surfaces in sheltered waters up to 40 metres deep. They can withstand temperatures from -1.8 to 35^oC.

Pacific oysters are native to the Pacific coast of Asia and have been introduced to:

• North America
• Australia
• Europe
• New Zealand.

South Australia Pacific oysters are grown in:

• Ceduna
• Smoky Bay
• Streaky Bay
• Coffin Bay
• Cowell
• Port Vincent
• Stansbury
• Coobowie Bay
• Kangaroo Island.

Oyster production

South Australian oysters are grown intertidally and subtidally using these methods:

• Rack and rail systems
• Longline systems
• Hybrid systems.

A report outlines the List of approved devices for securing oyster culture units (PDF 584.7 KB) to farming structures.

Growing systems are different in each area to make sure:

• There is greatest access to food
• The development system suits environmental conditions
• The development system suits the growers operational preference.

Contact

SA Oyster Growers Association
Email: chairman@oysterssa.com.au

The farming of southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyi) generates the highest farm-gate sales in South Australia’s industry. Tuna farming is unique to South Australia. Its development in 1991 drew attention to the potential of South Australia’s aquaculture. All of Australia's southern bluefin tuna are farmed in waters off Port Lincoln.

Southern bluefin tuna are mostly found in the world's southern oceans.

Southern bluefin tuna production

Juvenile southern bluefin tuna are caught in the Southern Ocean. They are transferred to Port Lincoln and put in sea-cages to grow. The cages are made of connected pontoons and nets. They are set up to maximise water flow to achieve the best growing environment for the fish. Dive teams maintain the structures and look after the tuna.

Contact

Daniel Casement – CEO, Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association
PO Box 1146, Port Lincoln SA 5606
Email: ceo@asbtia.org

Yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) are a finfish grown from hatcheries and moved into sea-cages on marine aquaculture farms. The species has a fast growth rate and respond well to marine cage culture.

In the wild, yellowtail kingfish can grow to a maximum size of 2.5 metres and 70 kg. They are more commonly found at 100 cm and 10–15 kg in size. Typically in a farm, yellowtail kingfish are grown to about 3.5 kg.

Yellowtail kingfish are found globally in cool temperate waters of the Pacific and Indian Ocean.

In Australia they can be found from the North Reef in Queensland around the southern coast to Trigg Island in Western Australia.

Yellowtail kingfish production

South Australian yellowtail kingfish are hatched in land-based facilities on Eyre Peninsula. They are then moved to sea-cages in the Spencer Gulf.

The cages are made of connected pontoons and nets. They are set up to maximise water flow and to achieve the best growing environment for the fish. Dive teams maintain structures and check the health of the kingfish.

Contact

Rob Gratton – Cleanseas
7 North Quay Boulevard, Port Lincoln SA 5606
Phone: (08) 8621 2900
Email: rob.gratton@cleanseas.com.au