CSIRO and Viet-Uc: Super-intensive indoor shrimp farming creates impact at scale

Research to improve aquaculture production systems is often performed outside commercial settings in smaller, experimental-scale units, over shorter time periods and with a focus on a specific aspect of production. This approach is often necessary to allow control of variables and high treatment replication, but also to adhere to research budgets. However, results can sometimes be difficult to translate to commercial conditions because of the added complexity of commercial environments that can influence the outcomes which respond differently to experimental-scale systems.

In this article published in Responsible Seafood magazine we presented in detail production and economic outcomes at scale.

Key metrics and information:
– R&D directly on-farm with a whole-of-system approach
– 132 commercial ponds routinely monitored
– More than 22 water quality and ambience parameters
– New sensor technologies, data management, machine learning, decision support tools and Economic modelling
– At the end, stable microbial community (chemoautotrophic biofloc-based), suspended solids and nitrogen compounds
– Control over pathogenic vibrio
– Consistent survival of +90%, FCR <1.3 and yields up to 45 ton/ha/cycle
– Low water use and 13% increase in the Net Profit Margin when compared to the baseline protocol.
– One of the most comprehensive studies of its kind globally

For more information, read our Responsible Seafood article: https://www.globalseafood.org/advocate/collaboration-drives-innovations-in-super-intensive-indoor-shrimp-farming-part-2/

CSIRO Aquaculture contact
Dr Mauricio-Emerenciano– Research Scientist