“Quicklook” Assessment of Greater Adelaide's Assets & Challenges ...

The Interviews
SARDI – SA RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
FOCUS ON AQUACULTURE
By Amy Blakely, Christiane Gattaz, Adrienne Hughto, and Cheri Kirby
Introduction and Background to SARDI
The South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) Aquatic Sciences
Strategic Research Area conducts scientific research and development activities on the
aquatic resources of South Australia. This research yields knowledge about the status of
fish populations, the impact of fishing practices, aquaculture, and leads to the
development of new commercial opportunities. Research and development undertaken
by SARDI benefits and adds value to the State's commercial fishing and aquaculture
industries that are worth around $407 million per annum (South Australian Fisheries and
Aquaculture Information and Statistics Report April 2001 Kinght, MA; Tsolos, A and
Doonan, AM SARDI Research Report No 51). Through a better understanding of the
marine environment, the research also provides the information to maintain and protect
a sustainable, productive aquatic environment used by more than 300,000 recreational
anglers each year and enjoyed by all South Australians 1 . SARDI’s Strategic Plan can be
viewed at http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/pages/showcase/strat_plans/sardi.pdf
SARDI is a group in the Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA)
which conducts an extensive R&D program. The Fisheries and Aquaculture Group of
PIRSA is responsible for the licensing and development of aquaculture. 2
SARDI offers a broad range of scientific, technical and project management expertise in
the areas of natural resource and aquaculture assessment, development and
management. It also has links with Australian and a number of overseas universities to
facilitate collaborative research and utilizes post graduate students. In addition,
established researchers visit as participants of a number of nationally coordinated
programs to carry out research of a collaborative nature.
Australia has around 1000 estuaries and approximately 36 700 km of coastline. The size
and diversity of Australia’s coastline is immense. The fact that the coast is where most
economic activity occurs in Australia and where nine out of ten Australians live (including
one half of Australia’s Indigenous community) means there are major issues to be
addressed. 3 These issues deal mainly with ecological concerns.
South Australia’s international reputation for a clean and unpolluted environment is a
vital asset. The availability of land in a range of climates and suitable coastline and
1 http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/aquatic/aquatic.htm
2 http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/pages/aquaculture/about_aqua_intro/about.htm:sectID=119&tempID=10
3 http://www.coastal.crc.org.au/national/index.html
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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