Aquaculture & fishing

Entering the market after almost 30 years, an expansive citrus farm and vineyard in the New South Wales Riverina region is ripe for picking, in the country’s largest citrus-growing and NSW’s largest wine producing region.

Globally, as the aquaculture sector moves operations further offshore, the sector is encountering new challenges to access clean and reliable energy ... Carnegie’s wave-powered barge concept, MoorPower™ offers a solution to this energy challenge – providing clean, reliable, predictable energy to support the growth of a diverse sustainable blue economy.

The Abrolhos Island and Mid-West Scallop Trawl Fishery has achieved certification to the MSC fisheries standard. It is the first scallop fishery in Australia and the eleventh fishery in Western Australia (WA) to gain this certification.

A new report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has found that fish stocks in Australian Government solely managed fisheries are not subject to overfishing.

The Australian and Tasmanian governments have agreed to support a framework to deliver offshore aquaculture in Commonwealth waters off the coast of Tasmania. Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries and Senator for Tasmania Jonathon Duniam and Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries and Water Guy Barnett said the joint agreement between the Australian and Tasmanian governments will help examine the economic, environmental and operational feasibility of offshore aquaculture.

The World Fisheries Congress might be over, but all of the presentations will be available online for another six months, so it’s not too late to register. In the meantime, if you missed it, here are some spoilers for you.

Precautionary fishing restrictions in waters immediately adjacent to Port Pirie have been extended for a further 12 months ... Put in place in September 2020 after the release of a scientific study into heavy metals in sediment in the area, the restrictions have been extended for another year while SA Health complete an in-depth analysis of sample results and consider the public health implications.

A significant milestone in building a future for the commercial and recreational fishing industries has been reached with the next stage of the Queensland Government’s Sustainable Fisheries reforms coming into effect on September 1.

Chris Murray. Mary Marlowe’s novel, Psalmist of the Dawn (published in 1934 but probably written in 1931) is set on Lord Howe and populated with real places, activities and people – that latter only slightly disguised behind pseudonyms ... Garfishing was an important part of the Islanders’ semi-subsistence lifestyle before World War II. Large quantities of gars were caught not only for local consumption but also for sale to passing vessels.

Deckhand Thomas Breeze has worked on an octopus fishing boat operating out of the Two Rocks marina for about nine months now. It is physically demanding work because even though the pots used to catch octopus are smaller than the ones used to catch western rock lobster they still weigh 30kg each.

Claire Rankin. Evans Head Fish Co-op may be forced to close temporarily because of covid, its chair Bill Litchfield said. He was “extremely concerned” about how the snap lockdown has impacted the co-op and fishing industry.

Australia’s aquaculture sector continues on a trajectory of steady growth, but the entire industry has experienced disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest edition of ABARES’s Australian Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics.

NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall has announced that anglers around the state could get back to reeling in some of our finest native sportfish when the Australian Bass and Estuary Perch season opens on Wednesday, 1 September 2021.

Developing a blood test to predict the stress of aquatic species and help industry develop a more sustainable fish economy is the focus of a new research project at The University of Western Australia in collaboration with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Local businesses need to adapt and innovate to keep up with the constantly changing world and build resilience into their business. Advance Rockhampton is teaming up with key players in the business innovation and AI industries to show how emerging technologies can help Rockhampton businesses thrive.

Two new sites in Queensland have been identified as land-based marine aquaculture development areas (ADAs), leaving new space for the industry to grow. “My vision is to make Queensland the aquaculture capital of the world,” said Mark Furner, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities. The two new sites comprise 1,974-hectares for future aquaculture development in the Hinchinbrook Shire.

Two local contracts have been awarded to Territory businesses as construction begins for Seafarms’ Project Sea Dragon ... Project Sea Dragon is a $1.87 billion aquaculture project, which will ultimately see the development of up to 10,000 hectares of ponds for black tiger prawns production facilities.

The barramundi is Australia's most recognisable estuarine sportsfish, with many recreational fishers travelling to northern Western Australia to try to catch one. Local recreational fishing and indigenous communities have long pressed for the restocking of barramundi into their natural range within Lake Kununurra, and eight years ago their dream became a reality when the first fingerlings were released.

One of the only licensed freshwater aquaculture properties in North Queensland has entered the market and is expecting offers in excess of $4 million. The 80-hectare Ausgold Aquaculture property, that sits 45km outside of Townsville, is a supplier for major fish markets, restaurants and supermarkets across the countries east coast.