SOUTH Australia's fledgling kingfish farming industry will be scrutinised in a $2 million fisheries study.

The three-year research project follows growing community concern at the large number of juvenile kingfish escapes from the farms and the effect on local fish stocks.

It has been revealed 8000 kingfish escaped from farms in the upper Spencer Gulf last Thursday.

This follows the admission last month by Primary Industries and Resources SA that 7500 kingfish had already been lost from the farms.

In the latest escapes about 3000 fish were lost from a farm in Fitzgerald Bay, near Whyalla, during a transfer operation.

Another 5000 escaped from a farm in Poverty Bay after their cage was damaged by a shark, but most were recaptured.

Fisheries Minister Paul Holloway said yesterday the study would address key issues including the interaction between wild and farmed kingfish and aquaculture and marine mammal populations.

"This study will increase research we have already been doing following the initial escapes," Mr Holloway said. "We need more research and the industry does have to improve its performance."

Mr Holloway last night attended a community meeting in Whyalla about the kingfish issue which attracted people from as far as Port Lincoln, Ceduna, Port Augusta and Port Pirie.

South Australian Recreational Fishing Advisory Council executive officer Trevor Watts said yesterday while the study was welcomed, it did not go far enough.

"We still believe there should be a moratorium on kingfish farming until a range of issues are resolved, particularly the fish escaping," Mr Watts said.

"We would also like to know the measurements of the chemicals and antibiotics that are used and is the industry taking note of overseas experience?"

News and commentary written or edited by John Sackton,
Seafood.com 1-781-861-1441 Email Comments to jsackton@seafood.com..