Left: Part of the production system at Australian Aquaculture Products. (AAP)  

AAP is one of Australia’s leading aquaculture businesses and the largest producer of farmed Jade perch Murray cod,  and cultured eels. These are some of the latest new seafood products to come on to the market from Australia’s fast-growing aquaculture industry.

 

Production from the world’s wild fisheries has reached a plateau and is unlikely to ever increase. It is estimated that there will be a gap between world demand and supply for fish and seafood products of around 15 million tonnes by 2010, which can be met only by further growth in the aquaculture industry.

Central Victoria is an ideal location to play a key role in the future growth of this dynamic young industry in terms of suitable climate and low land costs; access to markets, sustainable wild broodstock; biotechnology support; clean environments, and strong local government support.

AAP has competitive advantages in its unique high quality product, its professional management expertise and its state-of-the-art water re-circulation technology.

The company has successfully completed its initial production development phase with the establishment of the intensive fish farm and breeding complex at Euroa, and is now seeking to expand production capabilities in response to growing market demand.

Company History 

Australian Aquaculture Products (formerly Australian Cultured Eels) was established in November 1997 to take advantage of both the growing market opportunities and the latest water purification and re-circulation technology.

This state-of-the-art technology was originally developed in Europe and enables the efficient and environmentally friendly farming of fish with total control over production cycles. One of the main advantages of this high level of control is the ability to grow fish to order in terms of product size. Closed system intensive fish farms can be built in virtually any location, offering unrivaled flexibility in selecting sites close to domestic markets, processing plants, airports or customers.

Using this new technology, Australia Aquaculture Products (AAP) has led the way into intensive fish farming for the Australian aquaculture industry. AAP is the first Australian company to successfully wean, grow and market Murray cod, Jade perch and eels in an intensive grow out system.

Since November 1997, AAP has successfully completed its initial product on development phase with the establishment of the intensive fish farm and breeding complex at Euroa, in Central Victoria. This plant is now fully operational with 65 tonne of Murray cod production as at February 2000. Estimated production in the year 2001/02 is 125 tonne of Murray cod.

The market response to fish produced at Euroa has been very positive with demand focusing on live Murray cod and Jade perch predominantly from within Australia, but also with strong inquiries from Japan and Hong Kong. More live product will be supplied to these lucrative export markets as production increases. An increase in production will also allow an economy of scale for fish to be processed into value-added products including filets, fresh chilled and smoked fish.

AAP is also involved in a continuous research program, closely linked with Victorian Fisheries in developing grow out protocols for Murray cod. The company is also conducting research into the suitability of new species (both fresh and saltwater) for intensive aquaculture.

 

 

Queensland Jade Perch

One of the newest of Australia's native freshwater fish to be cultured for the table, jade perch have excellent eating qualities, have a high flesh recovery fillet and are extremely high in the much sort after omega-3 oils. 

In 1998 the CSIRO conducted a study on the beneficial oils that are found in Australian fish. More recently Queensland Jade Perch were tested. When compared with around 200 other seafoods, (A term which includes farmed fish.) Queensland jade perch were found to contain extraordinary high levels of omega-3, making Queensland jade perch clearly number one of all the seafoods tested.

Queensland Jade Perch contained an incredible 2483 mg/100gm of omega-3 oils in the flesh.

 

The name, "Jade Perch" comes from the "jade" colour seen along the dorsal area of the fish.

Murray cod is a non-fatty fish which is very high in protein (one of the highest recorded for a fish species), high in essential amino acids and very low in carbohydrates. Farmed Murray cod exhibits an attractive fish oil profile (high in Omega-3 fatty acids and polyunsaturates) and is free of harmful chemical residues, making it a very healthy fish to eat.

Murray cod

As the name implies, the Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) is native to the Murray-Darling River Basin in south-eastern Australia. As Australia’s largest and most important freshwater fish, Murray cod is highly prized by Australians as a fine table fish.

The fish has a moist, brilliant white flesh which flakes easily and has a natural freshwater flavour. Farmed Murray cod is being produced at the size range of 450 grams to 1.5 Kg, which is the optimal size for taste, keeping qualities and serving convenience. It can be easily gilled, gutted and skinned to produce fillets, steaks or whole fish for the kitchen. Traditionally, larger fish are prepared in steaks to be grilled on the typical Australian barbecue.

 

As a new product, the marketing of farmed Murray cod is in its early stages. Preliminary market surveys conducted by Austrade have been very positive with overseas seafood traders keen to purchase the product. The highest return is in live sales of Murray cod, rather than gilled and gutted or fresh frozen. Live fish are being sold in both Sydney and Melbourne and overseas markets, mainly Asia. Target product size is plate size at 500-800 grams. This can be achieved in 10-15 months, or fish can be held for specialty Chinese banquet markets and grown to 1.5 Kg or any other size required by regular buyers.

Murray Cod has proven to be easy to breed and farm, readily adapting to artificial environments and pelletised feeds. Under farmed conditions, the young fish grow rapidly in the first 12 to 18 months and are usually sexually mature at 4 years of age. Under wild conditions, some individual fish can reach 64 cm in the fifth year, and have been known to attain up to 1.8 meters in length and 113.5 Kg in weight.