Tropical fish hatchery closure a bitter blow

Original story by  Charlie McKillop, ABC Rural

The Queensland Government has been accused of walking away from aquaculture in Queensland with its plans to mothball a fin fish hatchery and research program at the Cairns-based Northern Fisheries Centre next month.

Despite awarding the opportunity to operate and commercialise the hatchery to a successful bidder, it’s understood the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Department has recently withdrawn its support and ten staff will have their employment terminated on September 30.

Chief executive officer Gareth Lott says his company, Aquanue, has been in discussions with the government since early 2012 and has financial commitments from investors ready to be signed off within weeks.

But, he says, it’s “come down to the wire with the department”, which has refused to extend a deadline to finalise the negotiations.

Mr Lott says the decision is short-sighted and comes at a time the industry is poised to take advantage of growth in the live reef fish trade to Asia.

“This is the most advanced tropical marine fin fish hatchery anywhere in the world. They can produce 12 months of the year, they can produce without hormone or chemical induction. It’s disease free, it’s bio-secure.

“There’s not another option like this for people to get fingerling supply here or in the Asia Pacific region.”

Mr Lott says the loss of the facility would also jeopardise his company’s plans for a $50 million project to grow and export coral trout from Cairns, as well as supply commercial demand for fingerlings from the aquaculture industry.

“There’s a massive demand, tens of millions of fingerlings, get taken off coral reefs and the regional nurseries can only produce fingerlings two or three months of the year, so there’s huge demand for fingerlings out of this facility.”