CDU begins banana prawn selective breeding program

Charles Darwin University has begun a new selective breeding program to kick-off the local prawn farming industry.

CHARLES Darwin University has begun a new selective breeding program in an attempt to kick-off the local prawn farming industry.

CDU aquaculture students are growing tiny banana prawns for use in NT aquaculture, as part of a new partnership with prospective prawn farmers Barramundi Adventures at Berry Springs and Bynoe Barramundi at Sandpalms, Dundee.

Students will breed the prawns out to 15mm and then send them to producers to grow and harvest the prawns.

Prawn farming is Queensland’s largest aquaculture sector, providing the equivalent of more than 600 full-time jobs and production valued at $80m.

CDU aquaculture lecturer Morris Pizzutto said the wild banana prawn broodstock had been collected from local waters, while post larvae were being produced by the university for stocking to industry.

“We’re working with local producers to grow prawns and we’ve achieved an important milestone in the post larvae production of juvenile prawns this week as the prawns are now ready to be stocked out into farms this week to kick off the project,” he said.

Barramundi Adventures and Bynoe Barramundi will be responsible for the grow out of the post larvae to mature adult-sized prawns to act as broodstock for the next generation.

After growing out, adult prawns will be selected and returned to CDU to produce second generation larvae to create a commercially viable prawn for continued aquaculture production in the NT.

“We have many ponds in the ground that aren’t being used, and we thought we can link it in with our vocational training offerings and try and kick off the prawn farming industry,” Mr Pizzutto said.

“Aquaculture is potentially a very big driver for the Territory that can be expanded.

“We have an opportunity here to develop an industry in the NT and develop it in a way that in a way that’s environmentally sustainable and produced locally.”

Mr Pizzutto said it was hoped fresh local prawns would be available on the market in the next year.

Bynoe Barramundi owner Greg Cooling was eager to explore the opportunity.

“It’s really exciting as nobody in the NT is currently producing prawns,” he said.

“Once they’ve been rebred several times, those prawns then become quite valuable.

“They become even easier to breed and some end up quite massive.

“A fresh prawn and a cold beer goes down all right, so I’m sure Territorians will be happy to have fresh prawns and we’ll be employing more people in the process.”