Northern Territory - Barramundi Farming Handbook
Foreword
This booklet represents the third revision of the NT Barramundi Farming Handbook. The first edition appeared in 1993 and the second revision was completed in 1996.
In the last ten years there have been some dramatic improvements in the way barramundi have been produced in the Northern Territory. The establishment of a large sea cage farm by Marine Harvest in 2001 was a pivotal point in the development of the local industry. Marine Harvest entered into an agreement with the NT Government for the supply of juvenile stock for their farm.
This saw the establishment of an industrial scale fish nursery at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre (DAC) and the start of a period of rapid improvement in the way fish were produced.
A study tour to Europe by DAC staff in 2001, to visit universities involved in marine fish culture research and some of the world’s biggest marine hatcheries, resulted in the formulation of an intensive, recirculating larval rearing system for barramundi. This system was a ‘hybridisation’ of many elements seen on the tour. The move from semi-intensive to intensive hatchery production has seen the output from the DAC rise to more than three million weaned fish per year, accompanied by an increase in growth rate so that now, instead of it taking 12 weeks to produce a 100 mm long juvenile, it takes less than 10 weeks.
Marine Harvest were not the only beneficiaries of this R&D. The local pond based farms also benefited from the improved quality and reliable production of juveniles from the DAC. On the back of this support the local industry had a total production of more than 1000 tonnes in 2005/06. Unfortunately Marine Harvest exited the Northern Territory in late 2006, however the legacy of improved barramundi production remains, and the local pond farms continue to go from strength to strength.
This booklet is not intended to be a comprehensive ‘how to’ guide for barramundi farming. The principles and practices of barramundi culture are far too complex to be captured in one book. The booklet is a guide only but will hopefully give prospective farmers an insight to the industry as well as serve as a record for the state of development in 2007. One of the issues with completing this third revision was the rapid pace of development of hatchery techniques over the past three years. Just when the text appeared to be finalised, more noteworthy improvements were made to the method. This, coupled with the appearance of at least three new diseases, has necessitated several revisions of the revision.
I would like to personally thank Dr John Humphrey, not only for the excellent disease chapter in this booklet, but also for his professional management of aquatic animal diseases in the NT. It is largely through Dr Humphrey’s efforts that the NT has some of the best biosecurity management arrangements of the Australian aquaculture industry.
Thanks also to Jérôme Bosmans and the team at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre. Their enthusiasm for aquaculture and dedication to the job have helped make the DAC one of the leading marine hatcheries in Australia and also a great place to work.
Glenn Schipp
September 2007
www.cachemgiong.com (Xem toàn bộ tài liệu tại đây)
This booklet represents the third revision of the NT Barramundi Farming Handbook. The first edition appeared in 1993 and the second revision was completed in 1996.
In the last ten years there have been some dramatic improvements in the way barramundi have been produced in the Northern Territory. The establishment of a large sea cage farm by Marine Harvest in 2001 was a pivotal point in the development of the local industry. Marine Harvest entered into an agreement with the NT Government for the supply of juvenile stock for their farm.
This saw the establishment of an industrial scale fish nursery at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre (DAC) and the start of a period of rapid improvement in the way fish were produced.
A study tour to Europe by DAC staff in 2001, to visit universities involved in marine fish culture research and some of the world’s biggest marine hatcheries, resulted in the formulation of an intensive, recirculating larval rearing system for barramundi. This system was a ‘hybridisation’ of many elements seen on the tour. The move from semi-intensive to intensive hatchery production has seen the output from the DAC rise to more than three million weaned fish per year, accompanied by an increase in growth rate so that now, instead of it taking 12 weeks to produce a 100 mm long juvenile, it takes less than 10 weeks.
Marine Harvest were not the only beneficiaries of this R&D. The local pond based farms also benefited from the improved quality and reliable production of juveniles from the DAC. On the back of this support the local industry had a total production of more than 1000 tonnes in 2005/06. Unfortunately Marine Harvest exited the Northern Territory in late 2006, however the legacy of improved barramundi production remains, and the local pond farms continue to go from strength to strength.
This booklet is not intended to be a comprehensive ‘how to’ guide for barramundi farming. The principles and practices of barramundi culture are far too complex to be captured in one book. The booklet is a guide only but will hopefully give prospective farmers an insight to the industry as well as serve as a record for the state of development in 2007. One of the issues with completing this third revision was the rapid pace of development of hatchery techniques over the past three years. Just when the text appeared to be finalised, more noteworthy improvements were made to the method. This, coupled with the appearance of at least three new diseases, has necessitated several revisions of the revision.
I would like to personally thank Dr John Humphrey, not only for the excellent disease chapter in this booklet, but also for his professional management of aquatic animal diseases in the NT. It is largely through Dr Humphrey’s efforts that the NT has some of the best biosecurity management arrangements of the Australian aquaculture industry.
Thanks also to Jérôme Bosmans and the team at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre. Their enthusiasm for aquaculture and dedication to the job have helped make the DAC one of the leading marine hatcheries in Australia and also a great place to work.
Glenn Schipp
September 2007
www.cachemgiong.com (Xem toàn bộ tài liệu tại đây)