Around 14 kilometres from Manjimup, Fisheries Minister Peter Tinley has today opened a new nursery facility that will take a South-West aquaculture company to the next level of production and diversity, as it meets a growing demand from Asian markets for premium freshwater fish.
It is not uncommon for high quality rainbow trout to be swimming at Blue Ridge Marron one day and to be on a plate and served in a high quality Singapore restaurant the next day, after being exported fresh from Western Australia with no freezing involved along the way.
Trout Caviar is also growing in popularity as this WA venture expands production of fresh and smoked trout products for gourmet delis in Perth and around Australia, in conjunction with the international markets it is now developing in Asia, which also include Hong Kong.
The new facility established by Peter McGinty and Steve Vidovich, who are industry leaders in South-West aquaculture, will enable their company, which also exports marron products, to improve the quality and quantity as well as increasing the speed and efficiency of production, which will assist jobs and help the local economy.
As with other South-West trout aquaculture operations, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD’s) Pemberton Hatchery sells fry that are grown-out in the Blue Ridge Marron nursery and later transferred to farm ponds. Two-year-old rainbow trout and their roe are playing an important role in building a market for premium aquaculture products.
Along with initiating the Aquaculture Development plan launched this month, the McGowan Government is actively encouraging investment in WA to grow jobs and also welcoming industry partnerships with DPIRD’s Aquaculture Research and Development team.
As stated by Fisheries Minister Peter Tinley:
“Trout farming in the Manjimup and Pemberton districts has had a long history and the community and Government fisheries management departments have benefitted from a strong partnership with the Pemberton Trout Hatchery for nearly 50 years now.
“Intensive trout aquaculture in WA began to develop back in the 1980s and farming practices have had to innovate and adapt to a warming and drying climate, so innovation and creativity as well as marketing skill have become vital for the trout aquaculture ventures of 2020.
“Trout products from our southern forests are now impressing international and local WA consumers, which is great news for the domestic economy and for supporting local jobs.”
