01 - Abalone on roof tile structures
Abalone on improvised roof tile structures, which have been found to be good for providing shelter and enabling the abalone to grow quickly.
02 - Geoff Smethurst
Geoff Smethurst, former Supervisor of the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre, with a lovely market-size Murray cod.
03 - Silver Perch
The nice silvery luster visible on the scales of these silver perch clearly explains where this species got its name.
04 - Silver perch in an aquarium tank with Murray cod fingerlings
Silver perch in an aquarium tank with some juvenile Murray cod or “fingerlings” (so-named because they are roughly the length of the average finger).
05 - The shells of abalone
The shells of abalone as seen during an NMIT excursion to an abalone farm.
06 - The foot of a healthy abalone
The foot of a healthy abalone, as seen at an abalone farm. Abalone make up one of Victoria’s most lucrative and important aquaculture industries.
07 - Another view of abalone on an improvised roofing tile
Another view of abalone on an improvised roofing tile, with a concrete raceway system for culturing the abalone visible in the background.
08 - Daniel Svozil dissecting fish
Daniel Svozil hard at work dissecting silver perch as part of regular routine health checks.
Read more about Daniel and his story of Commencing the Applied Aquaculture Degree Program at NMIT – a school leaver’s perspective.
09 - Murray cod larvae shortly after hatching from it’s egg
A tiny Murray cod larvae shortly after hatching from it’s egg. Amazingly, this is the way life starts for Australia’s largest truly freshwater fish; capable of growing to at least 180cm long and weighing 113.5kg!
10 - Students at the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre
Students at the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre, with silver perch visible in the tank that they are about to feed.
11 - A 7kg carp being dissected by Kunal Gopaeleea
A 7kg carp being dissected by Kunal Gopaeleea of NMIT’s Bachelor of Aquaculture program. It is crucial that all students are familiar with the impact that introduced fish species can have on Australian waterways.
12 - Students are taught all aspects of aquaculture
Students are taught all aspects of aquaculture across a variety of different culture systems. Here, lecturer Andrew Christie demonstrates fish handling techniques in a 2000 litre culture tank, while in the background is a system containing a variety of ornamental and native fish species.
13 - A juvenile abalone on the move
A juvenile abalone on the move, as seen at an abalone farm. Abalone enterprises make up an important industry linkage with NMIT’s Bachelor of Aquaculture program.
14 - The high density nature of intensive aquaculture
The high density nature of intensive aquaculture is clearly visible in this view from an abalone farm.
15 - Microscopy is a crucial part of being able to detect diseases amongst aquaculture stocks.
Microscopy is a crucial part of being able to detect diseases amongst aquaculture stocks. Here, Andrew Christie performs some routine microscopic analysis of a “skin scrape” from a fish to look for any suspicious parasites or bacteria.
16 - Doing the rounds with a bucket of feed
Doing the rounds with a bucket of feed is conducted by aquaculture enterprises the world over. Here, a morning feed is commencing at the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre.
46 - supervising the injection of a Murray cod broodfish
Roger Camm (right) supervising the injection of a Murray cod broodfish by Bachelor of Aquaculture student Asanka Gihan. Roger Camm has decades of experience with the breeding of Australian native fish species, and is typical of the staff that are hired by NMIT to run its aquaculture programs. Asanka Gihan is an international student from Sri Lanka, emphasizing the global reach of the aquaculture industry and the levels of interest that are being expressed in NMIT’s course throughout the world.
17 - Black bream being size graded
Black bream are close relatives of the snapper and have been cultured successfully at NMIT. Though a slow-growing species, they make a wonderful fish for teaching purposes and are renowned for their extremely hardy nature. Here, the fish are being graded to prevent displays of aggression and cannibalism, which are less likely to occur if the fish are segregated according to size.
23 - Students getting briefed about yellowtail kingfish
Students receiving a briefing about the preparation of yellowtail kingfish, a popular aquaculture species most often farmed in South Australia. Students receive training in a wide range of seafood types in the state of the art processing facilities of the Primary Industries Production and Training Centre at NMIT.
19 - view of the seafood processing facility
One of the key ingredients to the success of NMIT’s Bachelor of Aquaculture program is the commercial-scale and industry standard facilities that are used by students to gain valuable experience. This is a view of the seafood processing facility of the Primary Industries Production and Training Centre.
20 - Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre tanks
Another view of the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre.
47 - Ryan Burniston with Murray Cod broodfish
A large Murray cod broodfish being “brought back” after being anaesthetized after breeding-related activities by Ryan Burniston, a student in the Bachelor of Aquaculture program.
21 - The breeding process for Murray cod
The breeding process for Murray cod in intensive aquaculture situations is very complex and involved. Here, some students are mixing the sperm that has been extracted from males with eggs that have been stripped from females, a crucial process that will determine the rates of fertilization that have occurred.
22 - Concrete raceways for abalone
Concrete raceways at a coastal enterprise for culturing lucrative abalone.
24 - Students filleting fish
Some students hard at work filleting fish, in this case snapper and barramundi.
49 - Fertilized eggs from Murray cod
These are Murray cod eggs, which are naturally adhesive and therefore cling to the flyscreen mesh shown here. In the wild, female cod lay their eggs on surfaces such as the inside of hollow logs or on the surface of large rocks.
26 - Student using fish rinsing brush
The Seafood Processing Facility at NMIT provides students with experience in the use of a wide variety of modern processing equipment and infrastructure. Here, a student is removing the hard-to-reach kidneys from a snapper with a purpose-built fish rinsing brush.
27 - An NMIT grown snapper
A snapper grown out at NMIT, which have a more silvery sheen than the “pinkies” that are found in the wild.
28 - Andrew Christie, Associate Lecturer, Bachelor of Applied Aquaculture Program
Andrew Christie has been working at the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre at NMIT’s Epping campus since October 2001. Andrew’s life long interest in marine biology led him to complete a Bachelor of Aquatic Science degree with Honours at Deakin University’s Warrnambool campus in 1999.
"One of the great things about NMIT’s Bachelor of Applied Aquaculture Program is that it allows students from metropolitan Melbourne to undertake degree level studies without having to relocate to regional or rural areas, as I did when doing tertiary studies", he says.
Read More on Andrew Christie's Staff Profile
29 - Barcoo grunters visible in a tank
Barcoo grunters visible in a tank at the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre. Barcoo grunters, or jade perch as they are sometimes known, have one of the highest Omega-3 oil concentrations of any aquacultured fish that has yet been farmed.
30 - The sleepy cod is a native of Queensland
The sleepy cod is a native of Queensland, and while they are quite slow growing they attract a lucrative market price amongst freshwater finfish. NMIT has cultured several batches of these fish since 2002. This fish is being measured and weighed and will be returned to the water shortly; AQUI-S aquatic animal anaesthetic, a derivative of clove oil, is used to pacify the fish and enable them to be handled safely and without injury.
31 - Silver Perch are capable of quite rapid growth in farm dams
Silver perch are a wonderful, firm white-fleshed table fish with high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, and are capable of quite rapid growth in farm dams in particular.
32 - Atomic absorption spectrometer used by students for analyzing water quality
Keeping animals alive in water and ensuring that products being sold for human consumption doesn’t just require the measurement of simple water quality parameters such as pH. Featured here is an atomic absorptions spectrometer, which students are familiarized with during their studies of water quality in various subjects at NMIT.
33 - Shade cloth over abalone farm
NMIT students on a tour of an abalone farm. Note the shade cloth for keeping out high levels of sunlight as well as predators, and the large number of raceways for culturing juvenile abalone.
34 - Murray Cod Hatchlings successfully bred by NMIT
NMIT announced the successful breeding of Murray Cod with several thousand hatchlings at the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT) in November 2009.
Aquaculture students and staff at NMIT’s Epping-based Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre are aiming to develop a commercially viable stock of the Murray Cod, a highly sought-after fish, considered a delicacy in Melbourne restaurants. When the hatchlings grow to more than 700g, they will be sold to seafood retailers or direct to restaurants.
The first hatchlings to emerge are currently about 5-6mm in length. They will eventually grow to about 1kg in size. Read more in the media release - NMIT working to help save Murray Cod.
35 - Carboys used for culturing algae
Algae has an enormous number of potential uses. One of these is the extraction of oil which can then be turned into biodiesel, a clean, green alternative fuel supply for the future.
36 - Sadiqul Awal - Lecturer in the Bachelor of Applied Aquaculture Program
Sadiqul has done extensive research on Australian estuarine management policies and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in biological oceanography, marine ecology, fisheries and aquaculture to the Bachelor of Applied Aquaculture Program at NMIT.
His employment at NMIT was a piece of good fortune for the Institute, as Sadiqul (or Sadiq for short) had previously developed curriculum at other universities, spending a total of 7 years in various roles as a lecturer, Associate Professor and Head of Department at Khulna University in his native Bangladesh.
Read more on Sadiqul Awal's staff profile
37 - Students dissecting crustaceans
Students participating in a practical session for Applied Mollusc and Crustacean Aquaculture, which gives students a well-rounded appreciation of the importance of these animals in the global and national aquaculture industry.
48 - Hatchery system for Murray cod eggs
This hatchery system has been built specifically for Murray cod eggs. It combines relatively very simple technology, such as the use of flyscreen mesh for the eggs to adhere to, with the expensive and high technology water filtration systems, such as ultraviolet light and sand filters, which are necessary for providing excellent quality recirculated water for the successful hatching of eggs and the development of larvae.
18 - Barramundi about to be filleted
A barramundi grown at the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre about to undergo filleting.
38 - A student with a tank of silver perch
An NMIT student with a tank of silver perch.
39 - Multitude of tanks
A view of the multitude of tanks at the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre.
40 - Students about to deploy for aquatic ecology fieldwork
An Aquatic Ecology and Aquatic Science class group about to conduct field work. Of crucial importance to aquaculture is the appreciation of how it can affect the surrounding environment.
41 - Black bream being weighed
A black bream being weighed on an electronic balance. To allow handling, fish are subjected to small doses of an aquatic animal anaesthetic that derives from clove oil.
42 - Dr Saleh Mobin with Murray Cod hatchlings
NMIT announced the successful breeding of Murray Cod with several thousand hatchlings at the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT) in November 2009.
Head of the Applied Aquaculture Program, Dr Saleh Mobin says in future he hopes the hatchery can be used for re-stocking programs in the Murray Darling river system, where the cod is currently under threat due to the effects of overfishing, habitat modification and drought conditions.
“I feel very proud as head of this program about what my students have achieved,” he says. “Breeding fish is a specialised area, and having the skilled manpower to manage these systems is crucial for the development of aquaculture in Australia and the survival of some native fish species.” he said in a media release - NMIT working to help save Murray Cod.
43 - Silver perch fingerlings in close up
Silver perch fingerlings in close up at NMIT. When they first come to the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre, silver perch weigh somewhere between 0.5 and 1gram; when they are grown out to plate size they weigh somewhere between 500 and 600grams.
44 - Dr. Saleh Mobin with juvenile Murray cod
Dr. Saleh Mobin with juvenile Murray cod that have been bred in the Aquaculture Training and Applied Research Centre at the Epping campus. These fish will be grown out until they reach a size of 700g or more, and are then often sold to live seafood retailers. NMIT eventually hopes to embark in restocking Victoria’s waterways with some varieties of Australian native fish species.
45 - Murray cod juveniles
Murray cod juveniles in a raceway system specially designed as a hatchery. Breeding, larval and juvenile rearing are critical elements of Australian native freshwater finfish aquaculture.
