Clean Seas Claims Tuna Breeding Breakthrough

Australian aquaculture company Clean Seas Tuna Ltd. announced yesterday a breakthrough in creating an artificial breeding program for southern bluefin tuna.

After collecting "significant quantities" of tuna sperm and eggs from captive fish at its land-based breeding facility in Arno Bay, Australia, the company plans to produce more than 10,000 metric tons of tuna annually within the next five years.

"From a global perspective, successfully recreating the natural breeding cycle of one of the world's premier pelagic fish species is a key step toward ensuring sustainability of this key species at a time when wild stocks are under significant pressure," said company chairman Hagen Stehr during a press conference in Adelaide.

"Clean Seas will now have the ability to stimulate and then satisfy consumer demand for greater quantities of [southern bluefin tuna], and we can potentially produce the fish year-round," he said.

Clean Seas Tuna was first listed on the Australian stock exchange in December 2005. Within 30 minutes of a trading halt being lifted after the announcement, company shares increased 26.6 percent to $2.01 (U.S.).

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