The University of Queensland

Reinvigorating the Queensland oyster industry (2017)

Abstract:

The objective of this project is to revitalize the Queensland oyster industry, which has been experiencing very low levels of production since the 1920s. The Queensland industry is based entirely on cultivation of the Sydney rock oyster (SRO), which has been severely affected by disease and by competition from the fast-growing Pacific oyster, an invasive species permitted to be grown in all oyster aquaculture states except Queensland. This project will address these issues by 1) developing hatchery production of the blacklip oyster (currently harvested from the wild in northern Queensland), a highly-prized species that has faster growth rates than SROs and no known diseases, and 2) by developing markerassisted selection strategies to enable production of disease-resistant SROs. Critical to the success of the project are the facilities and expertise of Aquafarms Queensland, currently the only oyster-producing hatchery in the state. The primary outcomes of the project will be improved performance of SRO stock, the option to farm the faster-growing blacklip oyster, the ability to switch between species if disease issues arise, and the potential expansion of blacklip oyster farming into northern regions. Each of these outcomes will facilitate the reinvigoration and growth of the industry in Queensland.

Grant type:

Advance Queensland Research Fellowships

Funded by:

Queensland Government Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation