August 20, 2007

Tuna research to help maximise profits in Australian aquaculture

A research team in the University of Adelaide is investigating the characteristics of bluefin tuna to better understand the fish and bring benefits to the aquaculture industry.

The study, by Earth & Environmental Sciences PhD student Quinn Fitzgibbon and colleagues, found that bluefin tuna uses three times as much oxygen as other similar-sized fish, making them more difficult to culture.

The research team also found that tuna uses twice as much energy processing their food as any other fish, and so need to eat more to grow.

While tuna farming has quickly grown to be Australia's most valuable aquaculture industry - worth about US$300 million annually, little has been known about the fishes.

The information collected in the four-year project would be used in models that describe the energy needs of growing tuna. It will also help tuna farm managers ensure the health of their fish and help in the formulation of feeding strategies, helping to maximize productivity and profitability.