Farming sustainably can often be expensive, but Queensland researchers have found a way for aquaculture to profit from being eco-friendly, by growing worms in waste water.
Marine biologists at the Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre, north of Brisbane, have developed a system that recycles aquaculture waste water through sand filtration.
In the treatment process the water is also used to grow marine worms, which until now have been difficult to grow on a commercial scale. Farmers can then feed the worms to their prawns or sell them for a high price.
Research centre senior biologist Paul Palmer said the project had been running for seven years and the findings were a "world first".
"The significant achievement we've made in this project is we've been able to recycle the water through the sand worm beds, and re-use that on the prawn farm," Dr Palmer said.
"We eliminated the need for regular contact with the waters in oceans and rivers adjacent to the farms."
The discovery means prawn and fish farms that implement the system won't need to draw as much water from the natural environment to fill their ponds, and won't need to release treated water either.
The second aspect of the innovation is called bio-remediation, which involves using animals, in this case worms, to assist in the water purification process.
PHOTO: Marine worms grow on the algae during the water recycling process. The worms are valuable, and could be used for aquaculture food or sold for a high price.
CREDIT: Marty McCarthy.
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