Perth-based seafood company Australis Aquaculture Ltd believes it is the world's largest barramundi farm after announcing it had increased the number of fish at its US plant by 72 per cent over the past 12 months to over one million.
The full text of a company announcement is pasted below
Australis Aquaculture is pleased to announce that the number of barramundi in production at its Turners Falls aquaculture facility recently surpassed the one million mark, making the company's operation into what Australis believes is now the world's largest barramundi farm. This milestone has been achieved within two years of the commencement of commercial production.
The one million barramundi in production at the company's Massachusetts facility represents a 72 per cent increase in the average number of fish in the plant over the past 12 months. The current stocking level is now sufficient to support annual production of 1,000 tonnes, with a sales value of some $10 million. Higher stocking rates are expected to translate into increased sales to new and existing customers later this year.
"The combination of more aggressive stocking rates, the completion of the facility expansion in December and the success of our US hatchery have allowed the company to significantly increase the number of fish in production," says Australis managing director Josh Goldman.
The company stocked a record number of fingerlings in the December quarter in anticipation of the January start up of its facility expansion. The more aggressive stocking rates have continued and an increasing proportion of the stock are now coming from the company's US hatchery. This increase in stocking is also expected to improve the reliability of supply while decreasing the company's unit production costs.
