Aquaculture or the farming of finfish, crustaceans, molluscs and seaweeds, is increasingly seen as providing an opportunity to relieve existing pressures on wild stocks, and to produce seafood for an expanding market. Aquaculture today takes many forms, from low-tech grow-out of wild caught stock, to very high-tech operations involving in-house breeding programs. Consequently, the technical skills required to develop and maintain a successful operation range from appreciating the need to provide food for growth, through to the use of hormones used to induce spawning and vaccines to prevent a variety of diseases.

FRC Environmental offer a comprehensive range of services relevant to aquaculture in both developed and developing countries. Our services include assistance in site selection, permitting, selection and establishment of facilities, husbandry including manipulation of spawning, and through associated firms, marketing.
Examples of recent studies include:

• Development of a Husbandry Protocol for Marine Shrimp Farming, Yamba, NSW; Big River Prawns
  
  FRC's Dr John Thorogood was contracted to develop initial site layouts and husbandry protocols. Issues addressed included grow-out pond dimensions; the design and operation of inlet and outlet structures; water exchange and feeding protocols; and the development of hatchery layout and operating protocols.


• Reproductive Manipulation of Captive Yellow-fin Bream, University of Queensland.
  
  These studies investigated a range of environmental and hormonal stimuli to induce gonadal maturation and spawning in yellow-fin bream. Successful induced spawning, leading to viable ova was achieved. Successful cryopreservation of milt was also achieved.


• An Assessment of the Environmental Effects of Aquaculture, Sichuan and Guangdong Provinces, PRC: World Bank.
  
  This field study considered the environmental impacts of a range of aquaculture activities on the rivers and coastal environment of Sichuan and Guangdong Provinces in the Peoples Republic of China. Impacts related to nutrient enrichment, pathogens and reduced water quality.


• Commercial Fish Farm Operations, Sunshine Coast, Belthorp Pty Ltd.
  
  FRC provided expertise relating to water quality management and stocking rates for this expanding native freshwater fish grow-out facility.


• Contribution to prawn / barramundi farm design and effluent discharge protocols, Cairns, Qld; Seafresh Pty Ltd.
  
  FRC were part of a multi-disciplinary team commissioned to develop initial site layout and husbandry protocols. FRC also addressed concerns relating to the impacts of effluent discharge on receiving waters, in relation to permitting.


• Assessment of the Impacts of Nutrient Discharge on a Prawn Farm, Barron River; Seafresh Pty Ltd
  
  An assessment of the effects of nutrient-rich discharge was required as a component of the impact assessment for a major prawn farm developed on Thomatis Creek, a tributary of the Barron River. The study considered the effects of nutrient enrichment on phytoplankton and macroalgal communities, and the likely flow-on effects to commercial and recreational fisheries.


• Western Samoa Fisheries Training and Extension Project (marine fisheries and aquaculture of fish and shellfish)- Review / Design Team; AusAID
  
  FRC's Dr John Thorogood led an AusAID Design Team commissioned to develop Phase II of this project. Dr Thorogood also acted as the teams Aquaculture Advisor, developing sub-programs to culture tilapia and sea mullet.

FRC's Dr John Thorogood has also lectured in Aquaculture at Queensland TAFE and tertiary institutions.