4 July 2008
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Tony Burke
Australian Bight Abalone - Andrew Ferguson
Tony: G’day it’s Tony. I’m just off the coast of Elliston at the moment off the Eyre Peninsula I’m here with Andrew Ferguson and we’re having a look at some of the aquaculture where Australian Bight Abalone has been growing abalone out in these pens here. How long’s the operation been going?
Andrew: Oh we started in early 2005 the actual operation [inaudible].
Tony: And how much has it grown in that time?
Andrew: It’s, we’ve doubled year on every year, so five farms out here the first year in the [inaudible] couple of months [inaudible].
Tony: Ok so these, big pens at the moment how many how many of them are out here now?
Andrew: There’s 72 in the water now and there’s another 11 just waiting to get sorted.
Tony: And and in each of those 72, how many abalone?
Andrew: About 130,000.
Tony: In each one?
Andrew: In each one. Some of the nurseries have significantly more but at the rest of [inaudible] we’d have 130,000.
Tony: And how sustainable is the whole operation?
Andrew: Oh we think it’s the most environmentally and sustainable aquaculture in the world.
Tony: [inaudible]
Andrew: What have we done?
Tony: Yeah.
Andrew: Oh.
Tony: That’s a big call.
Andrew: It is, it is.
Tony: It’s a big call so…
Andrew: The system itself is self sustainable, so we don’t have to put anything into the water, except farms so we’re just basically creating artificial reefs. So you actually, if you get in and have a dive we’d love you to do that but with a shark shield
Tony: We’ll make sure the camera’s off
Andrew: But if you get in and have a dive you see that it’s not just abalone in there, there’s starfish (which is a predator), there’s small schools of fish, we get small schools of prawns and scallops and so you’re just creating an artificial reef so these guys can feel at home.
Tony: And how long do they have to be down before you’ve got something you can sell?
Andrew: Well we put them in at say about 15 to 20 mills [mm] if they grow at two to three and a half mill a month, you’re talking about three years before we can harvest them and send them overseas. You can do it in less time than that but that’s our time.
Tony: And how do you see the industry growing?
Andrew: Well I see the ‘in sea’ industry growing a great deal just [inaudible] this is the first of five sites in South Australia, Australia wide as well I don’t think there’s any question [inaudible] expand [inaudible] and China.
Tony: And most of this goes north to Asia?
Andrew: All of this goes north to Asia except some that’s going to the states but none stays in Australia. Although I think Australian’s should eat more.
Tony: [laughs] Ok, Andrew, thanks heaps.
Andrew: No worries, thanks for coming.