Tasmanian Salmon Selective Breeding Facility

FBD recently commissioned a new rearing facility for the Tasmanian Salmon Selective Breeding Program that has now been operating for 12 months.

The systems (4 in total) were designed to hold 240 individual paired spawning groups of eggs from fertilisation through to fully fed parr, whilst maintaining complete control of water quality and temperature.

The eggs systems allowed a full season spawning (which can be over 3 weeks or more) to be manipulated to hatch within a very small window and ensure optimal control over the growth and health of all the fish. Once ready to hatch, 200,000 eggs are selected and on grown and hatched in a Comphatch system until they are ready to first feed.

Once the fry are ready to feed, they are transferred to the RAS system and the bespoke first feeding tanks – where they are grown on as desired.

Included in the systems are:

• 240 x individual 4 litre egg incubators
• 3 x independent “green” egg rearing facilities with full temperature and water quality control and allowing swapping of egg groups between systems and temperatures
• 1 of these systems was designed to further hatch out 200,000 alevins in a Comphatch system and maintain through to first feeding
• Waterco pumps and media filtration
• UltraAqua UV systems
• OxyGuard monitoring

Further to this, a complete RAS first feeding system was also included to allow the ongrowing of 200,000 fry in 4 distinct groups, up to a maximum density of 40kg/m3 (or up to 35kg feed/day). System inclusions are below.

• 5 x 7000L FBD designed first feeding tanks to hold and grow
• 2 x in-ground concrete tanks supplied by The Precasters
• Water storage tanks by Global Poly Water Tanks
• Arvo Tec automated feeding system
• Faivre Drum Filter
• Waterco and Grundfos Pumps
• UltraAqua UV systems
• Alvestad Comphatch rearing system
• OxyGuard monitoring and control of pH and oxygen – supplied by Technolab
• Clearwater Tech ozone systems
• FBD further supplied:
  • oxygen cones and emergency system – with individual tank cones and control systems
  • dual MBBR and aeration to control ammonia
  • Degasser to maintain CO2 within agreed limits
  • pH dosing system

This system followed on from the successful completion of a 10million egg holding facility and water intake system completed in 2017. Other major project contributors included Degree C, Hobart and all the staff at Saltas, Wayatinah.