PIRSA Aquaculture is on a mission to be a key partner with industry in the development of an aquaculture industry which is self-reliant, market driven, internationally competitive, and environmentally and socially responsible. To do so PIRSA Aquaculture provides services in advice, licences and leases, regulatory services, reports and manage the Aquaculture Public Register.
South Australia’s aquaculture industry is a role model of economic and environmental sustainability.
South Australia’s aquaculture industry is in the international spotlight for all the right reasons.
So strong is SA’s position as Australia’s leading producer of aquaculture products, and its approach to planning, management and environmental monitoring, the state is “a decade ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to environmental issues”
(Alana Mitchell, Seasick 2008)
Heather Montgomerie, Acting Executive Director Aquaculture, says the aquaculture success story is in no small part due to the South Australian Government’s aquaculture resource management framework.
“The framework ensures ecologically sustainable development whilst providing certainty and opportunity for industry investment.”
Central to South Australia’s management framework is the Aquaculture Act 2001 (the Act),
a single, dedicated piece of legislation that governs aquaculture in the state. The Act is the first of its kind in Australia and has as its primary objective the ecologically sustainable development of aquaculture - this means aquaculture must be undertaken in a way that recognises and balances environmental, social and economic benefits.
Leases and licences are an integral part of this ecologically sustainable focus.
Aquaculture leases give secure access and exclusive occupation rights on defined areas of the seabed, providing protection to the infrastructures and stock on site.
Aquaculture licences permit certain farming activities (be it marine or land-based) through specified licence conditions. A risk assessment is undertaken for each new licence application.
It is this cooperation between industry and the government that is seeing the industry forge ahead.
Already, the state’s farmed seafood is making significant inroads in international and domestic markets and the industry is expected to continue growing significantly.
Heather said the South Australian Government recognised the industry’s contribution to the state’s economy, particularly in regional areas, and its tremendous future potential.
“PIRSA Aquaculture faces the challenge of ensuring that the Government of South Australia remains at the forefront of aquaculture planning and management and that future industry growth continues in an ecologically sustainable way.”
She said the management systems and technical expertise that PIRSA Aquaculture has built up over the last several years, as well as the reputation among its varied stakeholders for transparent, science-based decision making stands PIRSA Aquaculture in good stead to meet this challenge.
Want to know more?
Contact
Heather Montgomerie
PIRSA Aquaculture
p +61 8 8226 0314
e pirsa.aquaculture@saugov.sa.gov.au
w www.pir.sa.gov.au/aquaculture
A New Zealand mussel enterprise is pumping new life into mussel leases at Wallaroo.
In the cool, clear waters of Spencer Gulf on the Yorke Peninsula, thousand upon thousand of fat little molluscs are sitting pretty.
They are the prized fresh blue mussels of Wallaroo Blue Mussels; a 300 hectare offshore mussel farm operated by Flinders Seafoods Pty Ltd, an Australian based aquaculture company with expertise and experience from the New Zealand green shell mussel industry.
Wallaroo Blue Mussels was established around five years ago after Flinders Seafoods took over unused leases in the Wallaroo Aquaculture Zone, located 5 to 8km offshore from Wallaroo.
Wallaroo Blue is now in the process of its second million dollar expansion and hopes one day to become the biggest producers of blue mussels in Australia.
“This year we’ll harvest around 150 tonnes of mussels, next year we’re aiming for 600 tonnes and then 1000 tonnes the year after. We can produce mussels quite quickly once the infrastructure is established,” Flinders Seafoods General Manager Darryl Holyoake said.
Darryl said having the right amount of water space in the right growing areas was a key to the business’ success, and South Australia had the cleanest and best water in Australia for aquaculture.
Darryl said Wallaroo Blue Mussels and its founders Peter Brierley and Bruce Koller had spent a lot of time, money and effort researching the viability of the mussel farm, but their work was now paying off.
“The waters of the Spencer Gulf are ideal for blue mussel farming. The mussels grow really well and really quickly. We can grow our mussels from 5mm to harvest size in around 8-12 months.”
He said the future was looking good for Wallaroo Blue Mussels.
“We think there is huge potential to sell the fresh and processed mussel both in Australia and overseas. We’ve already started exporting to Asia and are looking at new markets all the time.”
Want to know more?
Contact
Darryl Holyoake
Flinders Seafoods Pty Ltd
p +61 8 88233243
e flindersseafood@bigpond.com