Afant News

Darwin Aquaculture Centre leads the way

Northern Territory Government
Media Release
Chris Natt
Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries

9 MARCH
Darwin Aquaculture Centre leads the way

Years of patient research and trials are coming to fruition with the successful breeding of thousands of mud crabs for grow out trials – and industry is sitting up and taking note, Primary Industry and Fisheries Minister Chris Natt said today.

Mr Natt was speaking while visiting the Darwin Aquaculture Centre (DAC) – the leading hatchery for mud crab production in Australia and the incubator for aquaculture research and development in the Territory.

“DAC staff, led by Aquaculture manager Glenn Schipp, are leaders in mud crab research,” Mr Natt said.

“Hatchery techniques for rearing larval mud crabs and producing juvenile mud crabs have been developed to a stage where commercial quantities of mud crab juveniles can be produced – and this has coincided with increasing demand for mud crabs and a surge of interest from industry.

“The DAC is involved in two pilot ‘grow out’ projects initiated by Indigenous communities, at Kulaluk, Darwin, and at Maningrida.

“The industry is at an exciting stage of development, and early results from the farms have been encouraging but more needs to be done to further improve production techniques,” Mr Natt said.

Mr Natt also announced a six-month study into the effects of catching and releasing the Territory’s iconic black jewfish.

“Jewfish often develop external and internal injuries, known as barotrauma, due to the significant reduction in barometric pressure as they are brought to the surface.

“Given that fishing is the lure of the Territory with recreational fishers and fishing tour operators catching and releasing more than 10,000 black jewfish each year, it is important that we develop science based advice for fishers, so that fish can be returned safe and sound to the water.

“The findings could also apply to other large deepwater fish, such as snapper,”
Mr Natt said.

The research will be led by Fisheries scientist Michael Phelan, in conjunction with the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC).

Mr Phelan will be assisted by Dylan CampbelI, who graduated from Charles Darwin University last year in biomedical science. Mr Campbell is one of a number of graduates being employed in research by the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines (DPIFM).

Contact: Matthew Henger (08) 8901 4157 or 0417 813 594

Matthew Henger
Act/Media Adviser
Office of Chris Natt MLA
Ph:(08) 8901 4157
matthew.henger@nt.gov.au