In a ground breaking move, the Queensland Crayfish Farmers’ Association, through the efforts of the North Queensland branch, have been successful in securing substantial Federal funding to be used over a five year period to ensure the satisfactory completion of a stock improvement project.

The project is entirely industry driven with the guidance of senior staff members of James Cook University’s (JCU) Aquaculture and Veterinary Science departments, Dr Dean Jerry and Professor Leigh Owens. The planning, pre-project trials and execution of the project will be all the work of NQ farmers, who have the commitment and determination to ensure its success.

The object of the program is to produce stock selected for faster growth with improved genetic diversity, which are specific pathogen free. This will be achieved by implementing a Circular Mating Design system utilising the existing mix of genes in presently farmed stock as well as some approved wild caught Redclaw and using an incubator to hatch the eggs.

The incubator is based on the Finnish “Heputin” and has been built by North Queensland farmers. It is capable of producing in excess of 100,000 juveniles per batch

JCU predict a 100% increase in growth rate over eight years. When significant improvement has been achieved, probably after three years, juveniles will be made available for sale to the industry. Although the project is planned to start in September 2007, extensive trials have already been undertaken. The growth rates of pathogen free Redclaw stocked from the incubator have been nothing short of astounding.

It is envisaged that the success of this project will be the catalyst needed to inspire a commercial hatchery or hatcheries, thus bringing Redclaw production methods up to the same level of sophistication as other aquaculture industries.