Our Research

A number of SALTT projects investigate the potential use of commercial aquaculture to enhance sea urchin roe. This research explores urchin aquaculture as a method to incentivise the removal of overabundant urchins from barrens in Port Phillip Bay and drive cost-neutral restoration of kelp forests.

SALTT is involved in the multi-national collaboration 'CrispResist', a project which explores the genetic mechanisms underlying host resistance to sea lice, as a way to improve resistance in commercial species like Atlantic Salmon.

SALTT members have been extensively involved in research into strategies to control salmon lice. This has included a collaboration with Norwegian IMR researchers to create a predictive app to help salmon farmers choose between competing salmon louse prevention strategies. 

SALTT also researches the development of new and improvement of existing aquaculture production systems. This includes trialling offshore and submerged sea cage salmon farming to enable production in areas with more stable and optimal environmental conditions.

SALTT also researches the delay or prevention of cod maturation by submerging sea cages to manipulate natural light periods. If successful, this will enable farmed cod to reach market size at an earlier age.

SALTT research also extends to

projects which explore sound production in relation to salmon aquaculture. This includes characterising the source, frequency and intensity of sounds around farms and determining potential impacts on fish welfare.