Scope
The CRC for Aquaculture commenced in 1993. It is one of the largest CRCs in terms of numbers of participants and their geographic spread (from Darwin to Hobart to Adelaide). There are six tertiary institutions, AIMS, CSIRO Fisheries, four State Government Fisheries and Northern Territory Fisheries, and approximately 20 industry partners. The industry partners cover most of the range of Australian aquaculture industries, but the cultured pearl industry is under-represented in terms of its economic value. The Director, Dr Peter Montague, is based at University of Technology, Sydney, which is central to the widespread participants of this CRC.
Programs & organisation
The CRC is organised into seven Program areas, each with a Program Leader: Health Protection and Maintenance, Nutrition and Feed Development, Finfish Propagation and Broodstock Management, Shellfish Genetics and Reproduction, Production Efficiency and Environmental Management, Product Technology, and Education. Each Program includes a series of Projects. The Program Leaders and Director meet regularly as a Management Advisory Committee.
With such a large organisation addressing the needs of a diverse range of aquaculture industries, it has not been possible yet to strongly focus the CRC's research. It is, however, the intention to increase the focus and to achieve an appropriate balance between categories of research, i.e. tactical versus strategic research, low risk versus high risk research, existing industry versus emergent industry research. Several early outcomes from the CRC are better coordination of aquaculture research between institutions and better communication between industry representatives and researchers.
Our involvement
James Cook University was heavily involved in the development of this CRC and is a Core Participant. It is represented on the Board by Professor Peter Arlett and on the Management Advisory Committee by Professor John Lucas. Nine staff members at this University participate in the CRC and seven PhD students at JCU are involved in CRC projects, five of them receiving CRC postgraduate scholarships.