A PROJECT to supplement WA’s wild scallop stocks has begun.
The project, run by Geraldton fishing company Elmwood Holdings, will support research and development into the production of juvenile scallops for release back into the wild.
The company has been given a WA Government grant of up to $100,000 and will match those funds.
Fisheries Industry Monty House said the company would seek to produce millions of juvenile saucer scallops in a land-based hatchery and then place the scallop spat on an ocean bed between Geraldton and the Abrolohos Islands. The area is covered by Elmwood’s aquaculture licence.
“Scallop recruitment is highly variable in this fishery because of its dependence on environmental conditions. This is reflected in the variable catch from year to year,” Mr House said.
“If the aquaculture project is a success, larger areas of the fishery could be reseeded to produce greater stability, not only in terms of catches but also in terms of employment, regional development and export markets.”
Scallops are a prized delicacy in many Asian, European and North American companies. The industry was worth $6 million last financial year.
WA’s main scallop producing areas are in Shark Bay and the Abrolhos Islands. Smaller catches of the shellfish are found in the South West Trawl Managed fisher and the South Coast Inshore Trawl fishery.
