2013/710 Securing the future of SBT propagation R&D

Captive breeding of Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT) has been a strategic research priority for Clean Seas Tuna Ltd (CST) since the company was publically floated in 2005. On the back of considerable investment from shareholders, the South Australian Government and the Commonwealth Government through FRDC and SfCRC the company has had considerable success in its effort to propagate tuna from eggs. If successful, it is anticipated that the sustainable production of SBT from eggs will have a projected value of >200million by 2020 for a whole of lifecycle based industry.

This project aimed to:

1. Contribute to the maintenance costs of the SBT broodstock in the Arno Bay onshore facility for a period of 12 months
2. Form an SBT propagation consortium that will seek to secure funding to continue the maintenance of the SBT broodstock beyond 12 months and rebuild the SBT propagation research program.
3. Spawn the SBT broodstock and provide eggs to eligible research providers
4. Prepare a synopsis of the SBT broodstock maintenance and spawning regimes that have been conducted under the CRC