September 22, 2008
Western Australian research developlupins for fish feed
Research in Western Australia's Department of Fisheries may soon yield a popular and sustainable alternative to the fishmeal that is now commonly used as feed currently.
The Department's Aquaculture Feed Grains Programme brings together private and public sector partners, who saw the potential of developing a sustainable product to feed farmed fish and create a new export market.
Department of Fisheries research scientist Dr Brett Glencross, at a conference said the department's research to adapt lupin to fishfeed would prove not only a boon to fish farmers but lupin growers as well.
As a result of a nine-year development path, Western Australia now has the largest lupinprocessing plant of its kind in the world. Lupin is now used in aquaculture in countries such as Norway, Chile, Japan, Thailand and New Zealand.
Dr Glencross said in recent years Western Australian growers had supplied up to 80 percent of Australia's lupin production.