ASI is jointly owned by Oysters Tasmania and the South Australian Oyster Research Council/South Australian Oyster Growers Association, each of which has an equal shareholding. There have been several iterations of the ASI business plan. Currently, the model revolves around collecting a service fee on Pacific Oyster seed under an agreement with commercial hatchery producers. The agreement is with the commercial hatcheries, but ultimately, the growers pay the service fee.

 

The breeding program has focused on six traits determined as economically important in producing commercial oysters: growth rate, shell width index, time to reach market condition, general survival SA Survival and POMS disease resistance. ​​​We are focused very heavily on our South Australian mortality and have made considerable steps in breeding robustness into our families. Over the past few years, with the FRDC's help, we have significantly increased survivability in South Australia. This work will continue indefinitely.

 

The breeding program is fully pedigreed and based on a single pair mated breeding design. Our work is cyclical and consists of:

1. Selecting broodstock based on scientific data (i.e. shell length, width and weight, total weight, meat composition and disease resistance);

2. Spawning the selected animals;

3. Housing them in a nursery after settling has occurred;

4. Sending 2-5mm spat to our trial sites;

5. Collecting data on growth and mortality;

6. Sending the data to specialised shellfish geneticists to create Estimated Breeding Values for each trait, and;

7. Repeating the cycle for the next generation of oysters.

    

ASI relies on collaborations to achieve the research outcomes required by industry. We have long standing relationships with:

• Centre for Aquaculture Technologies: provision of genetic services and advice

• IMAS: family line production and associated research in Tasmania

• SARDI: family line production and associated research in South Australia
   

We rely heavily on grower partnerships that provide our test sites in Tasmania and South Australia. Thank you to all the farmers who have assisted our program.