Spawning and larval rearing research on King George whiting (Sillaginodes punctata) relevant to aquaculture and fisheries biology

Funding Activity

Website
https://www.frdc.com.au/project/1997-314

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

After southern bluefin tuna, King George whiting is the most important fish species in South Australia. This species attracts a high market price on local and interstate markets and has biological attributes which suggest that is has good potential as a candidate for aquaculture. To allow commercialisation of this species, there is an immediate need to commence research to control egg production and conduct larval rearing trials to expose and solve culture problems so that a valid assessment of this species can be provided to aquaculturalists and investors.

FRDC funded research on the reproductive biology of wild King George whiting has identified a need to determine the spawning frequency of individual fish to get accurate estimates of fecundity.

There is a need to recognise that aquaculture is the only way to increase production of small volume coastal fisheries, such as that for King George whiting, without increasing fishing pressure on natural populations.

There is a need to develop aquaculture of coastal marine finfish species as an option which has potential to allow commercial fishers to diversify and reallocate effort to reduce pressure on wild stocks.

Objectives:
1. Establish two breeding stocks of King George whiting and control egg production from one stock during the natural spawning season and from the other stock six months out-of-season.
2. Identify spawning frequency and periodicity to provide an accurate estimate of fecundity for fishery models.
3. Complete intensive larval rearing investigations to define environmental tolerances of larvae and to expose and solve problems during the larval culture period.
4. Document the behaviour of larvae in the water column at different stages of development.
5. Assess the potential of larval culture of King George whiting for commercial aquaculture.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 30-05-1997

End Date: 15-04-2004

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $292,158.88

Funder: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

There are no FoR codes available for this funding activity

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Aquaculture | Behaviour | Husbandry | Market opportunities | Reproduction | Sustainability

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