2008/726 Visit by Dr Pierre Boudry and Dr Helen McCombie, IFREMER, France

By Pierre Boudry and Helen McCombie

This visiting expert grant allowed exposure of two European mollusc researchers, Dr Pierre Boudry and Dr Helen McCombie, to the Australian shellfish industry, in particular the oyster industry.

The trip began with a visit to the Australasian Aquaculture 2008 Conference in Brisbane, where Dr Boudry and Dr McCombie each gave two presentations. Dr Boudry's presentations were on oyster selective breeding and the role of genomics, and the influence of genetics on summer mortality and Dr McCombie's presentations were on the Blue Seed Mussel hatchery technologies project and an overview of the Morest oyster summer mortality project with updated reflections on the 2008 crisis.

They then visited oyster hatcheries and farms throughout New South Wales before travelling to Hobart, Tasmania to participate in an 'oyster mortality workshop', where Dr McCombie shared suggestions from the French 'Morest' project and Dr Boudry gave a presentation on genetics and selective breeding in Pacific Oysters. This workshop was followed by visits to Shellfish Culture and Spring Bay Seafoods hatchery facilities.

Information and advice were passed directly on to Australian researchers and farmers in regards to lessons learnt in Europe, especially those as a result of the 2008 oyster mortality crisis. Positive feedback was received from both Dr Boudry and Dr McCombie in terms of management of the farms and the close links between research and industry that were observed in this field.