Aussie fish farmers you have got to meet
We’re celebrating responsible Aussie fish farmers that are leading the way with a light footprint. Through innovation, or a back to basics approach, each of these five farms is doing something worth recognition – so we went around Australia to capture some of their stories.
As our demand for seafood increases, aquaculture (or fish farming) is an increasingly important sector; making up almost half of the seafood produced in Australia. This industry is not without its sustainability concerns, however, it’s important to know that some Aussie farmers are going above and beyond – and we’d love to celebrate them with you!
Aquna Murray Cod (Griffith, NSW) farms native Murray cod within dams used for crop irrigation. They have ingeniously created an additional layer of food production for these precious and limited water resources. Instead of the nutrient waste from the fish farm impacting our oceans, it gets recycled as fertiliser for crops.
Blue Ridge Marron (Southern Forests, WA) is a beacon of collaborative sustainability, managing, harvesting and marketing on behalf of artisanal growers in the area. After these growers have farmed marron in dams on their farms, orchards, or vineyards at ultra low-intensity, Blue Ridge Marron continues to grow them semi-intensively in their own ponds. They embrace the natural environment, allowing the marron to breed and grow until they’re ready for harvest, minimising interference and using zero chemicals.
Flinders Mussels (Melbourne, VIC) focuses on small artisanal scale operations located right on the doorstep of a major city. Operating without additional feed or chemicals, Harry’s mussel farming system actually helps capture nutrients lost from land-based food production washed off the land.
Leeuwin Coast Akoya (Albany, WA) discovered that this pearl oyster species grows beautifully if farmed like mussels in cool coastal waters, and developed ultra-low impact approaches to bring a whole new truly sustainable seafood option to the market. This doesn’t happen every day, and it’s something to celebrate.
Mainstream Aquaculture (Infinity Blue Barramundi) (Werribee, VIC) have gone old-school, like geologically old. They use geothermal water heating for their indoor barramundi farm tanks, significantly reducing energy use and their carbon footprint. This innovation enables them to grow this tropical species in a temperate environment at maximum efficiency with no disease issues and no discharge to the natural environment – right next to a major market.
For more videos and details specific to each producers, check out our Instagram.
