Animal production research for the shellfish aquaculture
industry
H.F. KASPAR
Cawthron Institute, Private Bag 2, Nelson
E-Mail:
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 2001. 61:
28-30
Aquaculture is a globally significant food production industry.
Aquaculture in New Zealand has grown rapidly over the past decade, and
it is widely considered as an area of significant growth potential
within the country’s economy. The mussel industry is the biggest sector,
followed by salmon, oyster and paua. The Mussel Industry Council has a
Sextant database that allows continuous interactive planning among all
stakeholders and demonstrates the crucial role of R&D in the realisation
of strategic goals. The industry is expected to grow at 7% pa within the
next decade. This growth will require new animal production activities
such as hatchery spat production, selective breeding and husbandry for
animal health and condition. These activities will be based on R&D
outputs such as the ability to condition broodstock, cost-effective
methods for early spat rearing, and methods for the cryopreservation of
gametes and embryos. To achieve these outputs, the industry supports
research on the biology, ecology and genetics of the mussel, hatchery
and nursery technology, shellfish selective breeding and
cryopreservation, stress and disease physiology. New areas of research
on shellfish production provide opportunities for the application of
generic animal production expertise.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
aquaculture; GreenshellTM mussel; spat production; selective
breeding; animal health
Last Updated 7/08/01
