Aquaculture–agriculture systems integration: an Australian prospective

Abstract

The concept of integrating aquaculture with irrigated farming systems was evaluated in three projects in the Goulburn–Murray Irrigation District (GMID) in south‐eastern Australia. (1) Semi‐intensive cage culture trials using silver perch, Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell), were undertaken in a range of irrigated farming systems: irrigation supply channels; groundwater supplies; and on‐farm storage dams. Survival and growth of fish under these conditions were comparable to fish reared in conventional aquaculture ponds. However, poor water quality at some sites reduced survival and growth. (2) A study was undertaken to assess the feasibility of the cage culture of silver perch and rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), in three irrigation water storage reservoirs. Conditions within each reservoir, particularly water quality, wind and wave action, and cage fouling, varied considerably, and influenced fish growth and survival. (3) Mariculture trials were undertaken in two saline groundwater evaporation basins, which were part of an integrated agriforestry and salt reclamation system. The species tested included two oyster, two prawn and nine fish species. Some species exhibited exceptional survival and growth rates under trial conditions. These projects indicate that the concept of integrating aquaculture with existing irrigated farming systems has the potential to enhance productivity, water use efficiency and overall environmental sustainability in the GMID.

Growth and survival of selected aquatic animals in two saline groundwater evaporation basins: an Australian case study

“…The SGRs observed for rainbow trout during the present study (0.8–4.6% week −1 ) were slightly lower than but comparable with SGRs of similar‐sized rainbow trout grown in freshwaters within the GMID. Rainbow trout reared in experimental cages in three freshwater irrigation reservoirs in the GMID had SGRs of between 3.06% week −1 and 7.35% week −1 (Ingram, Gooley, McKinnon & De Silva 2000; Gooley et al . 2001).…”

Production of Tiger Shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in Potassium Supplemented Inland Saline Sub-Surface Water

“…One of the tanks was kept as a control. One tank was supplemented with muriate of potash (KCl containing 49% K + ) to a K + concentration of 50% that in seawater (57 mg L −1 ) and one tank supplemented to 100% (114 mg L −1 ) of seawater (Ingram et al 2002;Fielder et al 2001;Boyd and Thunjal 2003). Cation concentration in our well water is compared to seawater in Table 1.…”

Review of Aquaculture Research and Development of the Australian Freshwater Fish Silver Perch, Bidyanus bidyanus

“…Growth of fingerlings in cages was similar to growth in earthen ponds, and overall performance in cages was significantly better than in tanks on a flow‐through system (Rowland et al 1994; Rowland et al 2004). Ingram et al (2000) reported relatively slow growth rates of 1.73–13.1%/wk of silver perch in cages in irrigation supply channels, but the poor performance may have been partly because of low temperatures, poor water quality, fouling of cages, and lack of on‐farm management (Dr. B. Ingram, Fisheries Victoria, Alexandra, personal communication). In a series of feeding experiments in cages, growth rates of large silver perch were up to 3.5 g/fish/d (Rowland et al 2005).…”

“…Agriculture based on irrigation accounts for more than 25% of total production in Australia and uses >10,000 GL of water annually, 2,402,000 ha of land, more than 20,000 km of water supply channels, and many farm storages (Gooley et al 2000; Pigram 2007; Collins et al in press). The established infrastructure in irrigation areas provides opportunities for the integration of aquaculture and agriculture, with the potential of enhancing productivity, efficiency of water use, and environmental sustainability (Gooley et al 2000; Ingram et al 2000; Collins et al in press). Consequently, if silver perch can be cultured in cages, numerous additional sites may become available to industry.…”