The system is one of Australia’s first large scale FLUPSYs, a FLoating UPweller SYstem where shellfish seed grow inside mesh pots and feed on food particles and phytoplankton pumped through sea water.
The final report on the trial, which Harvest Road Oceans funded and provided resources for, found the compact size of the floating sea-based nursery allowed for high stocking densities of oysters that could be held in it, providing a major benefit compared to traditional systems.
Oyster seeds consume food that occurs naturally in seawater, which rules out the need for supplementary feeding, and FLUPSYs offer a sustainable and efficient nursery environment.
Observations were made during the trial that will help improve their design and operations in Western Australia and it also provided a baseline for further and more detailed work.
Once the improvements are implemented, further studies can be done to compare and quantify the benefits of the FLUPSY with traditional shellfish aquaculture systems, including performance over the different seasons in a year.
DPIRD Director of Aquaculture Research and Development Greg Jenkins said with funding for FLUPSYs from the Government’s WA Recovery Plan, work was also underway to establish a second project, in Perth, to assess the technology’s efficiency in growing saucer scallop seed.
“We have a learnt a great deal from the Albany trial, and shellfish nurseries like this will certainly play a part in aquaculture development in WA,” Mr Jenkins said.
“This FLUPSY was designed by our Aquaculture R&D team with a focus on working with local suppliers and fabricators to create a system for Australian conditions and standards.’’
Harvest Road Oceans General Manager Justin Welsh said the trial in Albany had been a fruitful partnership between DPIRD and industry.
“It represents incredible ongoing support from government for the rapidly growing shellfish industry,” Mr Welsh said. “We are grateful to all DPIRD staff, who provided input and expertise to test the technology in an operational setting, and we are very pleased to be able to share the results with other developing shellfish businesses.”
