Seafarms Group has completed an AUD 1.3 million (USD 998,676, EUR 917,063) upgrade to its former barramundi farming operation in Exmouth, Australia, successfully transforming the facility into a quarantine and broodstock firm for black tiger shrimp.
The upgrade is part of Australia’s Project Sea Dragon, “a large-scale, integrated, land-based prawn aquaculture project in northern Australia designed to produce high-quality, year-round reliable volumes for export markets,” the company said.
Wild broodstock will be introduced, held, reared, tested and screened at the facility, according to the West Australian. When shrimp have been deemed free of pathogens by the staff at the Exmouth location (three people are employed there currently), they are moved to Sea Dragon’s main breeding facilities.
“The Exmouth quarantine facility is an important element of Project Sea Dragon and confirms Seafarms’ strong commitment to create a world-class, biosecure project,” Seafarms Executive Director Chris Mitchell told the West Australian.
Seafarms expects Project Sea Dragon to produce 120,000 metric tons of premium quality black prawns annually for the Asian market, it said.
