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2011/772 Masters: Impacts and predictive modelling of coastal upwelling on the South Australian oyster industry (Clinton Wilkinson) |
- Start Date – 01/05/2012
- End Date – 30/03/2014
- Principal Investigator – Clinton Wilkinson
- Research Provider – University of Tasmania
- CRC Research End User – Oysters Australia
About the Project
Independent collectors have been collecting water samples within harvesting areas for over 10 years. These samples have been provided to the South Australian Seafood Quality Assurance Program for testing and record keeping. The information is primarily used to identify the presence of and levels of toxic dinoflagellates in the water column, which may be filtered by oysters and then cause sickness (or worse) in humans if consumed. The presence of other phytoplankton is also monitored. The data has not been compiled, or studied to determine any correlations with weather patterns, growth / condition / health of oysters or unexplained mortalities.
This project is needed by the South Australian oyster industry, to understand the presence of phytoplanton (or lack thereof) with weather conditions or mortality events. This will then inform growers of best farming times, provide a predictive ability to put product in the water and give some certainty as to mortality events (if in fact presence or lack of dinoflagellates has an impact).
Objectives
- Determine spatial and time patterns of phytoplankton presence (including toxic species) for individual harvesting areas.
- Determine the relationship between phytoplankton presence with upwelling events and other environmental parameters.
- Determine the relationship of phytoplankton presence with oyster growth, condition, health and mortalities.
- Develop a predictive tool / model for oyster farmers to use for management practices and strategies.
- If appropriate, develop a user guide to using the predictive tool / model, which may form part of the software for the predictive tool.
- Deliver a workshop for oyster farmers based on regions in which harvesting areas are located.
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2009/765 Nutritional genomics and its application to aquaculture |
 Thesis being written
- MSc Student: Linda Moss
- Student Affiliation: University of the Sunshine Coast
- Primary Supervisor: Professor Abigail Elizur
- Mentor: Mr Mark Porter Ridley AquaFeed
About the Project
Linda's project aims to address the question: Can different aquaculture diets be assessed and evaluated by examining the expression profiles on known (or newly discovered) candidate genes that are responsible for, or associated with, the digestion and absorption of diet components?
Nutrition is a key significant consideration in aquaculture operations and absorption of molecular
components of feed is the main factor contributing to nutrition in fish. An innovative alternative to feed
trials is the use of nutritional genomics, where the specific response to the various diet at a gene
expression level can potentially predict the quality of the diet and its suitabilty for optimum aquaculture
use.
Candidate genes for such studies include genes associated with the digestion and absorption of
nutrients i.e. trypsin, aminopeptidase, bile salt-activated lipase, insulin, glucagon and cholecstokinin.
This project is expected to also lead to the discovery of a novel suite of genes whose expression is diet
dependant, leading to the discovery of suitable markers for diet effectiveness, reducing the necessity
and costs of feed trials.
Linda's research is expected to greatly enhance our knowledge of the molecular processes with feed digestion, absorption and feed development, thus not only offereing an attractive testing alternative to diet development, but also explore the animal's response to different diets.
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Evaluation of two electronic methods to assess sea cage biomass for on-farm feeding and harvesting strategies for Yellowtail Kingfish at Clean Seas Tuna Ltd farm sites |
- MSc Student: No student appointed
- Student Affiliation: University of South Australia
- Primary Supervisor: Dr Belinda Chiera
- Co-Supervisor: Dr David Stone
- Mentor: Mr Mike Thomson, clean Sea Tuna
About the Project
This project will facilitate the calibration, validation and implementation of two non-invasive electronic fish biomass counter systems: The Vaki biomass counter system and the AM100 stereo camera system to Clean Sea Tuna sea cages, to improve feed management practices for yellowtail kingfish (YTK), Seriola lalandi, and addresses improvement in production planning and efficiency of resource utilisation in routine operations, through growth modelling based on accurate inventory control and reduce costs of YTK production through refining feed management strategies to lower feed conversion ratios from 2:1 to 1.6:1.
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2010/781 Broodstock conditioning of sandfish, Holothuria scabra (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) and optimisation of spawning induction techniques |
- Project Number: 2010/781
- MSc Student: Luke Turner
- Student Affiliation: University of the Sunshine Coast
- Primary Supervisor: Dr Ann Fleming
- Co-Supervisor: Professor Abigail elizur
- Mentor: William Bowman, Tasmanian Seafoods
About the Project
Luke's project will identify and evaluate various factors relating to broodstock conditioning and improving the reliability of induced spawning in Sandfish, Holothuria scabra Currently, there are critical bottlenecks in the hatchery culture of H. scabra in the Northern Territory (NT). These are; effectively conditioning broodstock for spawning, extreme brevity of the spawning season and a reliable spawning induction methodology.
Kuke's project aims to provide greater reliability and efficiency in the production of juvenile H. Scabra by; focusing on broodstock pond management, broodstock conditioning in tanks, spawning induction techniques using hormones and identification of parameters relating to egg quality.
This project will be the first comprehensive study of broodstock conditioning and spawning inducement of H. scabra in Australia.
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Production Innovation (Program 1) 
