Santa Delivers to Barramundi Industry - 17/12/2004

President of the Australian farmed Barramundi association, Craig Foster says that Australian barramundi is going to get even better following an R&D Christmas present for the industry.

“Barramundi farmers have just signed an agreement with the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation that will see significant injection of funds into research into better ways to grow barramundi and to provide better environmental management”, Mr Foster said.

“With increasing pressure on wild caught fish stocks, Australian farmed Barramundi is an environmentally responsible gourmet solution. The Australian farmed barramundi industry has several advantages over imported fish product. It is an ultra premium Australian fish that everyone knows is superb, and it is farmed under strict environmental guidelines,” he said.

Mr Foster said that the key priorities for R&D funding are to ensure the Australian industry maintains this competitive edge.

“We need an even better understanding of the genetics of the fish to ensure that we put the very best product on to the plates of Australian diners and industry needs to continue to develop on farm environmental management systems to ensure there are minimal environmental impacts” Mr Foster said.

The Australian Barramundi Farmers Association has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation that has committed the Association to raising research funds to be matched by FRDC funds. As a result, in excess of $3million in R&D for the barramundi industry will be undertaken by leading research institutes over the next five years.

For further information contact Craig Foster Mobile 0419322584

(Attached photo is Peter Dundas-Smith, Executive Director, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and Craig Foster, President of the ABFA signing the MOU in Launceston. Attached cartoon can be reproduced courtesy of ABFA.)