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Sustainable fishing
practices, reef fish aquaculture and fisheries
resource monitoring will be the focal point of an
exciting open day being held at the Department of
Primary Industries’ (DPI- Queensland) Northern
Fisheries Centre on 17 May.
The day will include tours
of the multi-million dollar aquaculture and restocking
facility, habitat displays, competitions and a sausage
sizzle.
Station Manager Grahame
Beal said the Northern Fisheries Centre had undergone
a state of the art refurbishment since the public were
last able to tour the site.
“The multi-million
dollar facility includes over 2,500 square metres of
experimental area for aquaculture research including
broodstock, larval rearing and live prey production.
“The area houses 13
environmentally controlled broodstock tanks, ranging
between 30 and 60 tonne capacity.
“It also includes
quarantine facilities, finfish and lobster hatcheries,
nursery and live prey areas as well as a wide range of
experimental systems,” Mr Beal said.
Fish fans of all ages
will be able to visit the barramundi, mangrove jack,
barramundi cod, flowery cod and estuary cod tanks
which range from the smallest of fingerlings to the
larger sized fish that most anglers only dream of.
Visitors will also be
able to view the tropical rock lobster aquaculture
area, where the Centre is currently developing ‘larval
rearing techniques’ that will eventually lead to
commercial farming of this high valued species.
Mr Beal said anglers
throughout the north regularly benefit from the
innovative work carried out in the centre, which also
has a team dedicated to marine habitat protection.
The importance of
managing and protecting fish habitats will be the
focus of several displays and staff will be on hand to
discuss fisheries habitat management and to promote
the educational tool for primary school children,
“Nature’s Nautical Nurseries”.
The marine ecology
group, an internationally recognised advisor on
seagrass, mangroves and coastal management will also
demonstrate their innovative work.
The activities will be
open to the public between 9am and 3pm, Saturday 17
May and is located at the DPI Northern Fisheries
Centre, Corner of Aumuller and Tingira Street,
Portsmith, Queensland.
Further
information: Grahame Beal. Ph: +61 7 4035 0147.
Senior Media Officer: Sarah Martin. Ph: +61 7 3239
3014.
Department of Primary Industries Media Unit
GPO Box 46 Brisbane Qld 4001. Fax +61 7 3239 0860
DPI Call Centre 8am-6pm weekdays on local call 13 25
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