Research into organic production of prawns

Rising world demand for organic foods is a major factor behind innovative prawn research being conducted by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.

DPI&F biologist Paul Palmer said organic seafood products, including farmed prawns, are attracting premium prices overseas and especially in Europe. These high prices are prompting Queensland aquaculture operators to look towards organic production.

Palmer said that rising consumer interest in organic seafoods was one reason why the DPI&F research project was started.

"The project is being conducted to investigate all of the requirements needed to obtain organic certification.

"To reach this standard prawns must be farmed using organically certified production methods, feeds and packaging practices," Palmer said.

Additional funding support is provided by the Federal Government's Innovative Food Technology section through the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC).

Project coordinator Steve Slattery from DPI&F's Hamilton Innovative Food Technologies Centre, Brisbane said they are investigating the potential for new packaging technologies that will satisfy organic standards and extend the shelf life of farmed prawns.

"Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) has been successful for keeping farmed prawns up to 18 days of chilled storage," Slattery said.

Palmer said that the project's initial farm trials have been undertaken at an inland aquaculture farm near Bauple in south east Queensland. The farm operators have been keen to study the commercial viability of organic production of black tiger and banana prawns.

He said DPI&F biologists Adrian Collins and Benjamin Russell have been investigating inland production of marine prawns using groundwater in Queensland over the past five years.

"The organic project is now extending this research and will provide further scope for the expansion of the industry in inland areas of Queensland."

Palmer said that the potential for farming prawns using locally available, low-cost organic food sources may provide new opportunities for existing and new prawn farmers in the state.

"We have undertaken a series of trials at the Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre looking at certified organic whole wheat flour as a base diet to complement the farm trials."