ARAC – Aquaculture Research Advisory Committee

ARAC is a statutory committee that advises the Minister on the amount of contributions payable by the NSW aquaculture industries into trust accounts for aquaculture research and development and the expenditure of those trust funds.

Mr Robert McCormack (NSWAA President) has a seat on this committee. For Committee details go direct to NSW DPI ARAC information http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/aquaculture/committees/arac

For latest information of recent meetings see the NSWAA’s latest Newsletter or go to the members section and see issues for next meeting ... Click Here

Membership of ARAC as at May 2009

Professor Ian White, Chairperson
Mr Geoff Diemar – industry representative
Mr Tony Troup – industry representative
Ms Audrey Thors – industry representative
Mr Dominic Boyton – industry representative
Mr Nick Arena – industry representative
Mr Rob McCormack – industry representative
Dr Trevor Gibson – NSW DPI representative
Dr Geoff Allan – NSW DPI representative
Dr Wayne O’Connor – NSW DPI representative
Mr Ian Lyall – NSW DPI representative
Ms Jo Pickles – Executive Officer (NSW DPI)

All initial enquiries should be directed to the Executive Officer who can be contacted at the Port Stephens Fisheries Centre on (02) 4916 3901 or jo.pickles@dpi.nsw.gov.au

ARAC have developed a one page form "Submission to ARAC for a Research Initiative". This form will be sent out to all permit holders giving them an opportunity to convey their ideas for research initiative that they consider a priority and that would be benificial to their business. This form will be sent out with the Annual Production Report form and is only available to aquaculture permit holders.

The NSW AA has 3 priority research initiatives that are endorsed by the Association:

1.Use of existing aquaculture ponds for alternative production.

With 50% of all land based aquaculture ponds in NSW not in production there is a huge opportunity for this to be placed back into some form of production. We are seeking an alternative crop that we can grow in earthen ponds. i.e. water cress, lotus, bio diesel, etc. This would basically be a “desk top study”. We need to identify a potential commercial crops, the commercial viability of different alternatives and a recipe for production. We need to know what to grow, how to grow it, how to harvest it, where to sell it and will we make any money. By diversifying into an alternative crop could not only assist current aquaculturalists but could put all the disused ponds back into production.

2. New methods of predator elimination-alternative to netting. This is not a desktop study, we are not interested in anything currently available. All do not work (scare crows, fake eagles, ultrasonics’, etc.) We are seeking something new and effective and if someone has a potentially good idea we will support it as the cost of netting ponds is not commercially viable.

3.Solar aerators. Most ponds require aerators and the current mains electric are costly and the running of power to ponds is a major infrastructure cost. Solar aerators would reduce these costs considerably.

The responses received from all permit holders will be collated and discussed at the next ARAC meeting in October 2009 to determine the NSW industry priorities.