Aquaculture company Clean Seas Tuna has issued formal dispute notices to both of its major feed supply companies after discovering that the feed supplied has affected the company’s kingfish growth and mortality rates.
The feed companies have not been named, but Clean Seas says that investigations have revealed that the taurine (an essential amino acid) content in feed historically supplied by these two suppliers has been insufficient.
Based on investigations to date, independent legal advice from senior counsel and assessments of kingfish feed protocols in Japan, the Board has determined to invoke formal dispute resolution procedures with both feed suppliers to attempt to find a commercial compromise of the claims Clean Seas considers it has against both suppliers.
However, there has been a turnaround in fish health following the addition of synthetic taurine, with an improvement in fish survival rates and continuing improvements in fish health. The fish appear visually healthier and mortalities have reduced from levels as high 1% per day to a present level of 0.5% mortalities per month.
In the Southern bluefin tuna (SBT) research division, early spawning of the SBT broodstock is continuing throughout November as anticipated. The second core objective for this season’s trials is to successfully grow out SBT juveniles through the 2013 winter. The research team is confident of achieving viable fingerlings for the first transfer to sea cages in December, three months earlier than previously achieved. It is anticipated this early transfer will significantly and positively boost survival through next winter.
