Early Enterprises |
Fish Farm
Australia's first, and eastern Australia's only, marine fin fish farm, the four hectare 'Silver Beach Aquaculture', is situated today close to the southern side of the Caltex wharf in Botany Bay. The Department of Fisheries established this experimental fish farm; its trialling was taken over by John Hedison in 1996. In the submarine pens there are thousands of snapper and jewfish, destined for Sydney restaurants. The fish farm is a futuristic project and a unique farming venture that requires John to work seven days a week, for six to eight hours a day, feeding the fish, doing repairs and changing the nets. He is experimenting with alternative feeding methods for his aquaculture, to minimise impact on the environment. Scallops, pearl oysters and mussels are to be installed around the site to take up additional nutrients released into the water from feeding of the fish. |
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| Fish hatcheries on the mid north coast of NSW grow fingerlings from spawn to stock the bays and estuaries. They also supply fingerlings to John, who says he prefers to concentrate on the jewfish because they grow faster and are not susceptible to parasites. After 18 months they reach about 2 kg and are 60cm in length; being a uniform clean colour they are highly prized by gourmets, and especially by overseas tourists. |
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