LINCOLN MARINE SCIENCE CENTRE

Mrs PENFOLD (Flinders) (15:43): Today I congratulate all those people involved in the fantastic Lincoln Marine Science Centre expansion completed late 2008 and officially opened on 18 March 2009. In particular, I thank Dr Rob Lewis and Professor Chris Marlin who have supported since its inception this wonderful regional facility despite significant pressure to centralise facilities in Adelaide. The Lincoln Marine Science Centre is a state-of-the-art, modern, temperate marine species research and education facility that has provided the fishing and aquaculture industries in this country with countless benefits.

Many industry workers, marine biologists and scientists, students and teachers have passed through its doors, leaving with an extended knowledge and appreciation of our sustainable industries. In my inaugural speech in 1994 I spoke of my vision of a centre of excellence, particularly to provide tertiary education for the fishing and aquaculture industries of Eyre Peninsula in the future. In my speech I said that I would like to see Flinders University develop a full university campus in Port Lincoln offering a degree specialising in marine studies instead of losing our students to the cold-water facilities in Tasmania. Many students who leave for Tasmania never return to work on Eyre Peninsula.

The establishment of the Lincoln Marine Science Centre in Port Lincoln in 1995—a small research laboratory funded by the active and passionate local community, the federal and state governments and Flinders University, and now operated by the combination of Flinders University, SARDI, SA Museum, seafood industries and regional communities to form the Marine Innovation SA (MISA) campus—was an excellent start to my dream.

The recent $6.6 million expansion funding for the MISA campus is another step closer to my ultimate goal of offering an internationally recognised marine science university degree at the centre. It makes sense to offer a marine science degree in Port Lincoln—the seafood capital of Australia—as we continue to lead the state in sustainable fishing and aquaculture industries, providing South Australia with millions of export dollars.

The Lincoln Marine Science Centre MISA campus is perfectly situated on the shores of the clean Boston Bay waters, in a region which provides the world with tuna, prawns, pilchards, abalone, kingfish, rock lobster, mussels, oysters, and more. Future expansion, planned over the next 30 years, would bring students from all over Australia and international students from around the world to Port Lincoln, allowing them to experience first hand how the marine industries operate and affect and benefit a community. While they are in Port Lincoln they will experience a world-class education in sustainable temperate water fishing and aquaculture. What better way to learn all aspects of the industry than to live and study in the town that houses one of the largest fishing fleets in Australia and is home to the first bluefin tuna farming and breeding programs in the country.

The Lincoln Marine Science Centre already hosts visiting scientists and students from interstate and overseas. The new facilities include a 45 seat lecture theatre, a 40 seat teaching laboratory, research laboratories, computer room, aquaria rooms and office space. The centre offers space for an extra 35 permanent and visiting scientists and educational staff, and caters for increased student numbers. With planned future expansion it is anticipated that 250 extra jobs will be generated by 2020.

Scientists at the Lincoln Marine Science Centre research lifecycles and growing requirements of farm species, nutrition and feed conversion requirements, breeding and genetics, and genetic influence on product characteristics. Wild fisheries research takes place, assisting industries with new technologies and monitoring systems. Research into aquaculture innovation, product quality and value adding, ecosystems and biosecurity is now underway in the expanded laboratory facilities. Projects are run in partnership with the local fishing and aquaculture industries, providing them with the benefits of research findings.

With the recent expansion, research is said to have the potential to double South Australia's average annual value of seafood production by 2015. Our fishing industries remain the biggest provider of seafood export dollars to this state and require little from the government in return. Therefore, it is only just that the state government continues to fund the planned future expansion of the Lincoln Marine Science Centre. The return on its small investment provides exceptional value for taxpayers.

I am honoured to have been bestowed with a Fellow Membership of Flinders University, recognising my involvement with the Lincoln Marine Science Centre. It is a project that I have been proud to be part of since its inception.

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