Tuna farming trials continue
The high price being fetched for the fatty bluefin tuna and the increasing concerns about wild stocks are both factors that combined have led to a high level of interest in the controlled culture of this large fish. One of the latest developments is an announcement by the Canadian company AgriMarine Industries that it intends to pursue commercial-scale tuna farming in its floating tanks in a collaborative initiative with a Japanese university. And Down Under, the Australian operations of CLEAN Seas Tuna is encouraged by recent sea trials, as reported recently by The Australian:
CLEAN Seas Tuna is encouraged by the survival of some of the southern bluefin tuna juveniles in its first sea trials to grow juvenile fish. The fish-farming company is researching ways to close the life cycle of southern bluefin tuna in a bid to be a global leader in the sustainable aquaculture production of the sought-after fish.No other company has managed to close the life cycle of the southern bluefin tuna. Closing the life cycle is the term for spawning the fish in captivity and growing them out to maturity.
The company says some of a batch of fingerlings survived more than 150 days since being transferred from onshore nursery cages at Arno Bay on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula to Clean Seas Tuna's offshore aquaculture facility for grow-out trials. Managing director Clifford Ashby said this milestone had reinforced the company's confidence in its research and development team as they moved towards commercialisation. "Overall, we remain confident that commercialisation of the southern bluefin tuna life cycle at Arno Bay . . . is a realistic objective and the company is highly encouraged by its first at-sea, grow-out trials this season," Mr Ashby said.
He said the few remaining juveniles from this year's spawning program were not expected to survive sea temperatures of about 11°C-12°. "It was always anticipated that survival was unlikely as winter temperatures arrived, hence the continued survival is remarkable and builds on the significant knowledge gained for future trials and ultimate commercialisation," he said. Mr Ashby believes greater survival will be achievable if there are bigger juveniles going into winter months.
Clean Seas will begin next season's trials in December. It began them in January this season. It wants to move them forward by one month each season, so the season after next will begin in November.
