Blue Economy Aquaculture Challenge winners announced

  • Media release

Today I announce the winners of the Blue Economy Aquaculture Challenge.

Aquaculture currently supplies 58 per cent of the global fish market and contributes a major portion of protein intake in many developing countries. This challenge will invigorate the aquaculture sector to boost food security, and promote social and economic inclusion for some of the world's poorest people.

The Government received over 220 entries from 41 countries submitted by the private sector and non-government organisations. The $3 million challenge called for innovators, entrepreneurs, designers, NGOs and academics to rethink advances in aquaculture.

The winning projects will improve aquaculture farming techniques, increase economic productivity, reduce poverty and contribute to environmental sustainability across the Indo-Pacific region.

The Government will partner with teams from the USA, South Africa, France, Thailand, Tanzania, and India. Some of the successful projects include:

  • a household aquaponics system for fish production (Bridging International Communities)
  • an alternative protein-rich fish and shrimp feed using insect larvae instead of wild caught fish (AgriProtein)
  • a seaweed growing system to reduce the hazardous components of deep-water seaweed farming for women farmers (Institute of Marine Sciences)
  • improved aquaculture farming techniques for algae (spirulina), sea cucumbers, fish and vegetables (EnerGaia)
  • a fish feed made from fly-lavae and biowaste (The Recycler Ltd); and
  • a new algae-based aquaculture feed to deliver vaccines for disease management (MicroSynbiotiX Ltd, India).

More information about the Blue Economy Challenge and challenge winners go to the Blue Economy Challenge website.

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