Aquaculture for all

Conditions Mussel-Up Production

SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Port Lincoln's 'perfect' conditions for seafood production is paying off for one South Australian producer. Mark Andrews 700-tonne a year mussel business is now the largest mussel growing business in the region.

According to a report on Adelaide Now farm, he settled for Port Lincoln because it offered the best conditions.

Mr Andrews was previously growing mussels for businessmen in New Zealand when he decided to begin his own farming operation. He came to Port Lincoln because mussels grow very quickly in its water and it has very good natural spat (juvenile mussels).

"A key reason is the production costs here at Port Lincoln should be better than anywhere else," he said.

His instinct proved right and, three years on he farms 168ha of water in Boston Bay, Proper Bay and Louth Bay and he employs eight people. company, South Australian Seafoods, he hopes to expand the business to 1000 tonnes worth about $2 million this year.

Mr Andrews believes the industry is only scratching the surface as Australia's annual production of 5000 tonnes is well below the potential demand of about 60,000 tonnes. By comparison, New Zealanders, a population of three million people, consume 12,000 tonnes.

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