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Gavin Partridge, an
aquaculture scientist based in Fremantle, WA is one of 17 people
Australia wide to receive a 2002 AFFA Science Award for Young
People. His award-winning project will look at the potential
for using saline groundwater to grow commercial fish species
such as barramundi and pink snapper.
Gavin received his
award, which was sponsored by the Rural Industries Research and
Development Corporation (RIRDC),
from Federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss at a function in
Canberra last night.
“Losing traditional
farming land to rising salinity is a major issue facing many
Australian farmers. One of the proposed solutions is to pump
the saline groundwater from beneath these sites and into
evaporation basins,” Mr Partridge said.
“This award will
enable me to look at the aquaculture potential of that saline
groundwater. If these preliminary trials prove to be
successful, a pilot scale fish farm will be built on the site
and operated by local people.”
“As an aquaculture
scientist I can see great potential in converting this water
from a virtually worthless commodity into a valuable resource
and by doing so we can hopefully create a new and exciting
industry for rural Australia,” he said.
The awards enable
young people to undertake innovative projects of relevance to
Australia’s agriculture, fisheries, forestry or natural resource
industries and are managed by the
Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS).
“The future of these
industries depends on us investing in Australia’s up?and?coming
innovators and scientists,” said Dr Peter O’Brien, BRS Executive
Director.
“We were impressed
with the high quality of applications for this year’s awards and
are pleased to be working with AWI to help ensure science and
innovation in the Australian wool industry receives the
recognition and support it deserves.”
Federal Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry Minister Warren Truss presented the
awards to the 17 winners from around Australia at a ceremony at
Parliament House in Canberra.
Media contacts:
RIRDC Murray Hansen
(02) 6272 4735 0421 322 469
http://www.rirdc.gov.au
BRS Nicole Cosgrove
(02) 6272 4690 0409 831 315
http://www.brs.gov.au
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