"Farmers have reported improved business efficiency based on access to data. Increased harvest opportunities were gained when sensor salinity data were used to manage harvest area closures instead of the traditional rainfall limits."
Dr Lisa Szabo, NSW Food Authority
⬇️Download project explainer (.pdf)
As filter feeders, shellfish like oysters and mussels accumulate particles from surrounding waterways. Following high-risk events such as heavy rainfall, harmful algal blooms (HABs), or shellfish disease outbreaks in the estuary, regulators like the NSW Food Authority implement precautionary harvest area closures to manage potential food safety risks.
Shellfish farmers in Australia are not currently able to predict the likelihood of a harvest area closure due to these high-risk events. If farmers were aware of an imminent closure, they could take meaningful action such as harvesting early, or moving stock to lower risk areas of their lease to reduce mortality risk.
This project delivered estuary-specific models relating to shellfish growth, disease risk, HAB risk, sources of contamination, and other factors influencing industry productivity. The project, led by researchers from The University of Technology Sydney and DPI Aquaculture Research, built on the work from the first iteration of this project with NSW shellfish farmers, and expanded to include additional estuaries in NSW and WA.
Each of the models relied on measurements from real-time sensors developed by ICT International (NSW) and In Situ Marine Optics (WA), which were deployed across a number of commercial estuaries in both states. The high frequency data collection allowed more accurate modelling of harvest area conditions, which will inform farm management decisions for the shellfish industry in these areas.
These estuary-specific models will be used in two ways:
In addition to the project partners, this project is also proudly funded by the NSW Government through the Bushfire Industry Package Sector Development Grants initiative.
The research delivered estuary-specific models relating to oyster growth, disease risk, harmful algal bloom risk, sources of contamination, and other factors influencing industry productivity.
Each model relies on measurements from real-time sensors deployed across multiple commercial estuaries in both NSW and WA. The high-frequency data collection has allowed accurate modelling of harvest area conditions, informing farm management decisions for the local oyster industry.
Oyster farmers reported overwhelming satisfaction with project outcomes, citing improved relationships with regulators, heightened confidence to advocate for the protection of these environments, and increased collaboration within oyster farming communities.
June 2024 - Final Report: Transforming Australian Shellfish Production
March 2023 - Award: Impact for Shellfish Industry Recognised at UTS Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence
October 2022 - Food Agility Research Symposium: Professor Shauna Murray, UTS
November 2019 - Industry Transformation: Food Agility Project's Water Quality Testing Methods Adopted at Pambula Lake
December 2017 - March 2021: Estuary-specific reports
Associate Professor at the School of Life Science at the University of Technology Sydney.
Read As. Prof. Murray's profile.
Research Fellow at the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney.
Manager NSW Shellfish Program at New South Wales Government (DPI NSW)
Shellfish Operations Officer NSW Shellfish Program at New South Wales Government (DPI NSW)
Senior Principal Research Scientist at New South Wales Government (DPI NSW)
