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New shellfish hatchery in Western Australia produces first batch of rock oyster spat

Aquaculture trials in the Pilbara, Kimberley, Abrolhos Islands and Cockburn Sound will be the beneficiaries of the first consignment of about 500,000 rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) spat, grown at the State Government’s new Albany Shellfish Hatchery.

September 5, 2018  By Hatchery International staff


Aquaculture trials in the Pilbara

The new state-of-the-art hatchery is supporting the growth and development of commercial shellfish farming in Western Australia, as well as creating and supporting WA jobs, a statement from the Government of Western Australia stated.

The hatchery is also working toward supplying juvenile seed stocks, known as spat, to aquaculture operations in other states.

Successful commercial-scale farming of shellfish, such as edible oysters, mussels, scallops and Akoya pearl oysters, depend on a reliable supply of very large quantities of spat.

Athair Aquaculture Pty Ltd has been appointed to operate the hatchery for three years, with an option for an additional two years.

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The hatchery site was chosen for its access to exceptionally high-quality seawater from Albany’s King George Sound and existing infrastructure in Frenchman Bay, which was redeveloped and upgraded to specifically suit shellfish hatchery operations.

At full production, Albany Shellfish Hatchery is expected to produce about 600 million mussel spat per year and 80 million rock oyster spat annually.

“Albany’s shellfish hatchery is supporting the development of WA’s south coast aquaculture industry, which is estimated to create around 350 direct and indirect jobs over 10 years,” Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly said. “The bigger picture for the shellfish industry around the State suggests that over 900 direct and indirect jobs may be created in the sector.

Western Australia’s aquaculture shellfish sectors are currently worth about $3.5 million annually, and the new hatchery in Albany is estimated to increase the sector’s value by up to $12 million within five years, Kelly added.


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