Tuna breakthrough to help aquaculture!

[Sea Hag]

Aquaculture company Clean Seas Tuna says it has created a world-first by successfully breeding southern bluefish tuna at its facility on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.

The company said the successful collection of significant quantities of tuna sperm and eggs, spawned by captive fish in a breeding facility at Arno Bay, would allow it to secure sustainable production of the endangered species.

Clean Seas Tuna chairman Hagen Stehr said the breeding breakthrough would allow the company to effectively double Australia's 5,200 tonne southern bluefish tuna annual quota within the next five years.

It would also provide for significant growth in the aquaculture industry on Eyre Peninsula without impacting on wild tuna stocks.

"From a global perspective, successfully recreating the natural breeding cycle of one of the world's premier pelagic fish species is a key step towards ensuring sustainability of this key species at a time when wild stocks are under significant pressure," Clean Seas said in a statement.

Source article:

http://news.theage.com.au/tuna-breakthrough-to-help-aquaculture/20080304-1wq5.html