This article was originally published on Create Digital.
Bringing together expertise in marine engineering, renewable energy and aquaculture, a new cooperative research centre aims to transform the way we use our oceans — and tap into a lucrative market.
The Federal Government’s National Aquaculture Strategy aims to double the value of aquaculture production to $2 billion by 2027, but a lack of suitable near-shore production sites is preventing growth.
The solution? Go offshore, taking advantage of Australia’s exclusive economic zone — the third-largest in the world — which is home to some of the world’s best offshore energy resources, as well as tropical, sub-tropical and temperate water environments that are all capable of supporting seafood production.
But a lack of expertise in offshore aquaculture — including building and maintaining infrastructure, energy availability, supply chain logistics and biosecurity — is preventing progress.
