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Ref:726/03 |
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australia
- May 13, 2003 |
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Mussel Bound |
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By Stan Gorton
Tuesday, 13 May 2003
MUSSEL production in the State could double if a
New Zealand company is successful in sea trials
growing the shellfish off Wallaroo on the Yorke
Peninsula.
The State's existing growers all based in Port
Lincoln, while concerned about the impact of the new
player on the market, are excited about the potential
of working with the new company in areas such as
processing and adding value to raw mussels.
The State Government last Thursday announced that it
was processing an application to grow mussels on six
50-hectare sites as proposed by a new company called
Flinders' Seafoods.
Coincidentally mussel production in South Australia is
currently limited to leases that together also cover
around 300 hectares all located in waters around Port
Lincoln.
The Wallaroo sites were granted in 2000 for scallop
aquaculture but an earlier proponent failed to proceed
and the licences were deemed inoperative.
Despite being advertised as reavailable there had up
until the New Zealanders been no interest in the
licences.
Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister Paul Holloway
described the new company as a consortium of
successful marine farmers, processors, marketers and a
firm with a successful investment and project
management record in primary industry developments in
New Zealand and internationally.
Company director Peter Brierley speaking from New
Zealand said the pilot licence had been granted with
the development licence expected to follow.
"The next step is to do on-site trials, which will
last about 12 months, and then depending on results
we'd like to shift to production," Mr Brierley said.
Projections were that production could be 10 tonnes
per hectare per year with the total production
expected to be potentially somewhere between 2000 and
3000 tonnes allowing for space for spat collection.
The proponents came to Port Lincoln last year to speak
to local growers and it is anticipated that a similar
long-line technique would be used.
The new company said it was looking forward to work
with the local growers and Mr Brierley noted that 90
per cent mussel production in New Zealand was shelled,
processed and packaged for export around the world.
That was the reverse of the Australian industry where
almost all the product was sold live and in the shell.
The decision to come to South Australia was influenced
by the fact that there currently was a moratorium on
new mussel production in New Zealand and the
"political climate" was not favourable.
Well over half the production occurred at the top of
the South Island where 60,500 tonnes was produced in
2002, with the country's total production thought to
be around 100,000 tonnes.
The New Zealand mussel industry had experienced rapid
growth with South Island production increasing to
current levels from 26,000 tonnes in 1991.
South Australian mussel growers association president
Andy Dyer said the new proposal could potentially
double the amount of water currently under production
in the State.
"Hopefully we can work with them and there are
synergies that can be found," Mr Dyer said.
"They do have a lot of experience."
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