The CRC for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) has announced the “Cherabin (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) aquaculture production” project, which will invigorate aquaculture opportunities in Northern Australia.
The industry-led project is a collaboration between North Regional TAFE’s Broome Aquaculture Centre (BAC) and the Ribinyung Dawang Aboriginal Corporation (RDAC) and will develop an Indigenous cherabin business opportunity, whilst building an Aboriginal workforce with transferable skills.
CRCNA Chair Sheriden Morris said that despite enormous potential, aquaculture in Australia’s North West has been slow to develop.
“By applying advances in international research to freshwater prawn (Cherabin) the project will establish a unique aquaculture industry in the cultivation of native cherabin.” Sheriden said.
“This project will introduce a novel approach to aquaculture business development that will introduce new technologies in an integrated business development model appropriate for the RDAC community.”
“The project has a strong focus on capacity building and will integrate with local businesses to capitalize on the unique value proposition of Cherabin as a local bush food,” said Ms Morris.
The project will run over the next three years and with funding from the CRCNA the total project value is A$2,522,000.
The research will focus on establishing aquaculture techniques for larval production, transport, and growout of cherabin with a view to achieving consistent production suitable for market.
Hatchery production activities will be undertaken in Broome and growout activities will follow at the Mud Springs site in Kununurra, Western Australia.
“While the focus of this research is the East Kimberley region of Western Australia, the outcomes will provide opportunities across the West Kimberley, Pilbara, Northern Territory and Queensland,” said Ms Morris.
“This project is important as it will deliver immediate and long term economic outcomes for Northern Australia in skills development, social development, and capacity building which will stimulate remote community self-sufficiency.”
The Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) is an initiative of the white paper on developing Northern Australia and is a core element of the Australian Government’s agenda for developing the north. The program is proudly supported by Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, Government of Western Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Northern Territory Government Department of Trade, Business and Innovation.
