With the Atlantic bluefin tuna hovering on the brink of extinction, an Australian company reports promising progress in a program to produce aquaculture-bred Southern Bluefin Tuna.
From its Arno Bay facility on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, Clean Seas Tuna Ltd. claims that two world-first transfers of batches of fingerlings have been carried through successfully from onshore nursery tanks to sea cages “for controlled grow-out trials in the ocean environment”.
The company said it was “very pleased” with the progress of the 85-plus juveniles still remaining in the sea cages, adding that they had “already grown to some 15 centimetres in length.
The mortality rate during both transfer programs was said to be two percent.
“We have made substantial progress with successful transfers to sea cages and selection and development of manufactured feeds which are being well accepted by the juvenile cohort”, said Managing Director Clifford Ashby.
“We have learnt a number of lessons from the current season on which the Company will continue to build as it advances towards full commercialisation.”