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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-06-18 Daily Xml
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SEAWEED FARMING

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:57): I seek leave to ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about seaweed farming.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: Recently the minister made an announcement regarding the next phase of the feasibility of the farming seaweed project. Can the minister update the chamber on SARDI's research project?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:57): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Indeed, this project is an incredibly fascinating one and is also quite leading edge. Over the last three years SARDI has undertaken a research project investigating the potential to farm seaweeds around finfish cages. The three-year, $1.1 million project is primarily funded by the Australian government's Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, with just under $200,000 contributed by SARDI and assistance from the University of Adelaide as well as commercial participants. I was very pleased to recently announce that the next phase of the feasibility of farming seaweed project will see open sea trials commence, which will be conducted in Spencer Gulf later this year.

This project aims to ensure that the yellowtail kingfish and the southern bluefin tuna farming industries have the opportunity to expand and improve environmental conditions. This can be achieved by finding the right type of seaweed needed to effectively and naturally remove finfish aquaculture nutrients which result from their waste products. The trials will identify the most suitable species and methods for this type of agriculture, known as integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA).

This refers to farming of different aquaculture species together in a way that allows one species' waste to be recycled as feed for another. By recycling nutrients, or waste, that would otherwise be wasted, IMTA systems offer aquaculturists the potential of increasing economic gains as well as, obviously, environmental improvements.

Since 2001, SARDI has undertaken an annual monitoring of environmental impacts from tuna farming on behalf of the southern bluefin tuna industry, and it has done the same since 2009 for the yellowtail kingfish industry. This involves annual DNA-based tests, conducted by SARDI on behalf of the industry sectors, to assess the health of the sea floor organisms to ensure that farming is sustainable. Successful seaweed farming will provide industry with the means to reduce their environmental footprint while producing an additional income stream and developing new industry.

I am advised that this project was developed with Cleanseas as the industry partner. As members would be aware, Cleanseas is a well-known aquaculture company involved in both yellowtail kingfish and tuna breeding programs. I understand that this project is focusing on yellowtail kingfish for the initial trials. This is because kingfish are farmed closer inshore than tuna and in more sheltered areas, making it easier to undertake these experimental trials. However, once the trials are completed, the technique will also be applicable for tuna farming. Currently, southern bluefin tuna generates the highest farm-gate sales in the state's aquaculture industry, accounting for more than half of the state's gross value of aquaculture production.

This project may herald the start of a new Australian industry for products derived from seaweed; there is a growing interest, both nationally and internationally, in these areas, with new markets emerging all the time. Seaweeds are becoming an increasingly sought after food source in Australia due to the health benefits they provide.

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire: And fuel source.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: And fuel source. The project shows how innovative research is supporting the government's strategic priority of premium food and wine from a clean environment. The government is committed to playing its part to assist in the development of the great opportunities South Australia has to sustainably utilise our natural resources.

It is quite fascinating. They will be seeking to grow seaweed on a type of frame arrangement. Then they submerge the frame below the water, basically down current or downstream of the pens, so that the water from that is filtered through the seaweed and the waste of diluted nutrients is taken up by the seaweed. It is a very simple concept and a very innovative one, and we are really looking forward to see how the trials progress.

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