Old sewer plant could grow food for future

WITH demand for food growing at nearly twice supply in recent years, aquaculture could play a vital role in addressing future global food security concerns.

Delegates at the Australasian Aquaculture Conference in Melbourne this month learned that by 2060 around 600 quadrillion calories will be needed every single day to feed the human race.

The answer to this major food security problem could be aquaculture, which may become one of the boom industries of the 21st century and potentially the world’s largest livestock sector.

More than 1000 delegates from around the world, including representatives from the University of Wollongong’s Freshwater Marine Centre at Nowra, were told that, by the second half of the century, algae culture could easily become the biggest cropping industry on Earth, producing food as well as most of the world’s transport and aviation fuels.

Doctor Pia Winberg from the marine centre said Ulladulla’s proposed ARRC aquaculture facility at the old sewage treatment plant could play a big part in feeding the world in the future.

She said some of her researchers presented their work on oysters, abalone and seaweed at the conference.

“When the ARRC gets going there will be opportunities for it to lead some ground breaking research there,” she said.

“We just need it up and running.”

While Dr Winberg has stepped back from the project, which she managed for several years, she still supports the concept and is assisting with its development.

Ulladulla ARRC chairperson Rae Gallagher said the facility aims to provide for aquaculture research and development, education, tourism and food production.

“The facility will be developed as a freshwater facility and we plan to produce yabbies in our first stage of development,” she said.

“Global demand for fish and shellfish continues to increase but the capacity of natural fisheries to meet this demand is not increasing.

“Most natural fisheries have reached a production peak or are in decline.

“This means that all future increase in production will be from aquaculture, which already provides over 30 per cent of the world’s seafood production.”

Ms Gallagher said the ARRC would create opportunities for jobs in scientific fields as well as administration, marketing, education, hospitality and tourism.

“It will offer workshops and short courses in sustainable living, sustainable gardening and sustainable cooking, as well as providing practical working skills and knowledge for the aquaculture and hospitality industry,” she said.

The facility would offer tours that showcase sustainable water use, renewable energy, environmentally sustainable building and sustainable food production as well as creating a new venue for a community garden and local produce markets.

“The park will also be closely aligned to school curriculum and provide an excellent base for school visits from within the region and potentially further afield,” Ms Gallagher added.

The ARRC committee would like to hear from anyone interested in getting involved with the project, with a Concept Development Application currently in the hands of Shoalhaven City Council.

“Don’t sit back and wait for it to happen, help make it happen,” she said.

The committee is preparing a stormwater management plan, bushfire, flora and fauna assessments, fisheries licenses and car parking plans for the site in Camden Street, to be completed by the end of June.

Ms Gallagher said the ARRC has received support in council’s draft Local Environment Plan Council to re-zone the land from Industrial to Public Recreation and Environmental Conservation which will allow greater flexibility in developing the site.

She said a “small but dedicated group of volunteers” are continuing to drive the large and complex project.

“With limited resources, continuing the work of turning this worthwhile idea into a reality is unfortunately slow.

“The group has conducted extremely successful information booths at the Milton Show and the Blessing of the Fleet, and the community has demonstrated their support by becoming paid members – we now have more than 100,” she said.