WHY WAS THE RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN?

The research was undertaken to accelerate the breeding for POMS resistant oysters and to ensure the benefits are realised across all pacific oyster growing regions.  

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WHAT ARE THE MAJOR FINDINGS/OUTCOMES SO FAR?

• Breeding has been established in South Australia with 97 families produced over two breeding seasons. The initial focus has been on POMS resistance and ensuring that genetic diversity exists in the population to be able to start a breeding population in South Australia.

• Families in the first season have been distributed to commercial hatcheries to be used as broodstock.

• Australian Seafood Industries (ASI) has been able to produce POMS-free spat from the exposed broodstock. This has allowed ASI to continue family line production in Tasmania and to supply broodstock for hatcheries in Tasmania, leading to accelerated gains in POMS resistance.

• More information on the requirements into trans-locating spat into NSW. More work is required, but NSW should have access to ASI genetics either via South Australia or Tasmania.

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HOW WILL THESE FINDINGS BE IMPORTANT TO INDUSTRY?

This research is crucial for those areas affected by POMS and to return growers back to states of profitability and sustainability. In the unaffected areas, this research offers the ability to minimise the effects of POMS when it hits.

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Please see video below for the research summary.