RASTech – Betting big on barramundi
MainStream Aquaculture’s Chief Scientist and co-founder Dr. Paul Harrision, chats to RASTech Magazine about the demand for Australian barramundi as well as it’s potential to be world’s first industrialised white fish.
Click here to read the whole story.
Did you know that Mainstream Aquaculture has long been a supplier of Barramundi to Phoenix Pet Food, an Australian owned company specializing in grain-free premium pet food?
Naturally high in omega-3 fatty acid, Barramundi forms part of the recipe in Phoenix’s Ocean fish and Barramundi dog food, which promotes healthy skin and coat for man’s best friend.
Tia Wishart, Business & Marketing Manager at Indepet states that,
“At Phoenix Pet Food, we are passionate about every aspect of pet care, especially the importance of unique, sustainable and high-quality protein in delivering nutritional benefits to our customer’s pets. We are proud to partner with Mainstream, as they are a world leader in their field. Mainstream supply high quality fresh barramundi in an unparalleled sustainable way which is better for the environment, and your pet.”
The world’s largest Barramundi hatchery, MainStream Aquaculture is partnering with Urban Green Farms – a Melbourne based urban farming solutions firm to deliver unique STEM educational programs to Australian school children. The program uses theoretical and practical lessons to demonstrate the technical aspects of growing food in a water-based ecosystem, in particular Barramundi (Lates calcarifer).
MainStream’s Chief Scientist and Founder Dr Paul Harrison said, “we have a responsibility to do everything we can to create a healthier, cleaner and happier planet. Partnering with Urban Green Farms to teach Australian students sustainability and fish raising practises fits perfectly with our values and is a project we are extremely excited about”.
STEM refers to educational programs that cover science, technology, engineering and mathematical subject matters. The programs cover the specific knowledge found in each of those areas all while, highlighting the connections between the disciplines, allowing a better understanding of the topics through integrated learning. The aquaponics curriculum created and delivered by Urban Green Farms actively promotes skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and creativity among students. These are skills that are increasing in demand within a variety of evolving industries. The unique aquaponics curriculum created and delivered by Urban Green Farms is a natural fit for STEM education, providing hands on, practical and integrative learning opportunities for students and teachers.
Urban Green Farms Managing Director, Andrew Meseha said, “ We’ve spent years working with the Education sector in the development of our sustainable Aquaponics programs. I’m thrilled we’ve partnered with MainStream Aquaculture. Urban Green Farms has always been about Australian innovation and strong partnerships. This collaboration is uniquely designed to provide a holistic, interactive approach to sustainable STEM Education, and it’s really fun”.
Traditionally, the two basic forms of water-based farming are aquaculture, which is growing fish and other aquatic animals and hydroponics which is growing plants without soil. Aquaponics combines the two to create a symbiotic ecosystem where fish and plants can grow in harmony. As the fish grow, the waste produced nourishes the plants, who in turn clean the water keeping the fish healthy. On an industrial scale, aquaponics can provide a solution to the global increase in food production demands due to the efficient use of resources.
With a shared passion for sustainable food production and education, MainStream Aquaculture, is pleased to be supplying Barramundi to such a forward-thinking and valuable program. Barramundi have been identified as the ideal fish for the program due to their suitability to thrive in in a variety of aquaculture systems. The fish’s natural schooling behavior, calmer demeanor and general hardiness will ensure that lessons can be carried out as planned. As a further incentive to introduce STEM learning programs into school students, Urban Green Farms have also identified a number of federal and state based grants and funding opportunities that school may be able to access. To find out more about their aquaponics curriculum or the possible government funding opportunities for STEM education please visit the Urban Green Farms website.
Host Loren Botica of the Monash Tech School podcast interviews Doctor Paul Harrison, Marine biologist, Chief scientist and co-founder of MainStream Aquaculture, along with Professor Richard Reina and Sue Graham on the health of our oceans.
They cover the ever changing health of the ocean, how this diagnosis affects our lives and how technology can help revive these great expanses of water. According to Professor Reina, “change is always happening, but it is the rate of change that is the most significant and worrying factor”.
Mainstream Aquaculture is committed to slowing this change and damage in the oceans, allowing expansive ecosystems to regenerate. Beginning his interview at the 40 minute mark on the podcast, Doctor Harrison details the positive impacts that aquaculture can have on oceans and wild fish stocks. He states that MainStream Aquaculture’s mission is to feed the world with high quality fish and supply it in an environmentally sustainable way.
The efficiencies and benefits of aquaculture on the natural environment were also listed by Dr. Harrison. In particular, “the main advantage is that it takes a lot of pressure off wild fisheries. Aquaculture allows us to provide fish as food without stripping the oceans bare”.
Dr. Harrison goes on to add that “There is a lot we need to do to make the ocean better. Population growth has gone far enough along that we may never get back to what it was when there were less people around. But the ocean can still be a great and healthy environment” .
To listen to the full discussion, the podcast can be accessed via Spotify or on a web browser.
On the outskirts of Melbourne, near Werribee, is Victoria’s only barramundi producer and the world’s largest barramundi hatchery.
Yet few have heard of MainStream Aquaculture…
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Ticker TV- Wendy Hargreaves interviews Boris Musa for the channels ‘Bread and Butter’ show. Discussing the Covid Crisis and the new direct to consumer business that has come from it.
Watch the full clip below:
https://tickertv.com.au/programs/collection-xwnv7np0j6y?cid=1105516
The company operates a pilot farm in the United States and has the option to own it.
Australian land-based barramundi farmer Mainstream Aquaculture is exploring a potential expansion of its sales and operations in the US market, hoping to capitalize on growing…
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3AW presenter Dee Dee speaks to Boris Musa about Mainstream and the operations of the business during the COVID 19 rescrictions.
Listen to the full interview below:
If we can take a positive during this whole pandemic, it’s realising that we can get a whole lot more delivered to our door than we first thought.
Obviously it’s convenient, but in some cases, having items delivered straight to your door is helping a business that has had to pivot due to the pandemic.
MainStream Aquaculture is the world’s largest barramundi producer and they’re situated just half an hour from Melbourne’s CBD at a farm in Wyndham. The business—which produced more than 40 million fish last year—suddenly found themselves in a pickle with its restaurant and export market disappearing almost overnight due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can now get your hands on their Infinity Blue barramundi that you would usually find in restaurants all over Melbourne—and the rest of the world—and have it delivered straight to your door…
Read the full article below:
https://www.theurbanlist.com/melbourne/a-list/barramundi-delivery-melbourne
Barramundi producer MainStream Aquaculture is targeting consumers directly after suffering from restaurant closures and export market challenges due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The world’s largest barramundi producer is now selling direct to the public via an online store and has commenced weekly farm gate sales at its Wyndham farm in Melbourne.
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A family aquaculture company started in 2001 as a 50-tonne a year barramundi producer has become a global leader in the sector. Already producing about 2,000 tonnes of Lates calcarifer and 40 million fry per year, MainStream Aquaculture has embarked on an exciting expansion program that will consolidate its position as an industry leader…
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The world’s largest barramundi producer is now selling direct to the public after losing its restaurant and export markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
MainStream Aquaculture, which produced more than 40 million fish last year, has more than doubled its retail sales of its premium Infinity Blue barramundi, and established an online store and commenced weekly farm gate sales at its Wyndham farm, just 30 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD…
Read the full story here: