Source: Herald Sun
Director Hagen Stehr at Clean Seas Tuna, Port Lincoln, where there is optimism this year’s breeding program will yield commercial quantities of southern bluefin.
The annual spawning has begun at Clean Seas Tuna’s fish farm at Arno Bay, South Australia.
And there is quiet confidence that this year’s breeding program will produce commercial quantities of southern bluefin tuna for the first time.
The Port Lincoln company yesterday said it was expecting its financial result for the half-year ended December 31 to improve by 25 per cent to 35 per cent compared to the after tax loss for the half year to 31 December 2009, in-line with forecasts.
Clean Seas managing director Clifford Ashby said that compared to a loss of $14.2 million for the same half of the previous year, the loss for the last half year should fall into a range of $9.2 million to $10.65 million.
Mr. Ashby said an intense research and development effort provided confidence that it was getting close to rearing adult tuna.
“Spawning started late last week and has continued every day since with good numbers and viability of eggs,†Mr. Ashby said.
Four separate research teams on site include Japan’s world-leading Kinki University, the SA Research and Development Institute, a University of Tasmania post-graduate student and a Clean Seas team, separate to its commercial team.
Clean Sea tuna larvae is also being grown-out at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre in the Northern Territory and at Port Stephens by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.
Clean Seas’ kingfish division was producing good results in line with budgets and sales targets. Clean Seas shares closed steady at 10c.
