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Science Week talk: seaweed offers novel solution for aquaculture waste

Tasmanians will tomorrow have the opportunity to hear how an innovative solution using seaweed is helping to treat waste from land-based aquaculture in Queensland, as part of a free National Science Week talk at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS).

Professor Rocky de Nys from James Cook University (pictured, right) will share his experiences in developing a waste-water treatment facility in Queensland that uses seaweeds to treat discharged water from the intensive land-based production of fish and prawns.

When: 7pm, Wednesday, 16 August 2017;

Where: Aurora Lecture Theatre, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, 20 Castray Esplanade, Hobart;

Free entry, registration required at: https://www.scienceweek.net.au/keeping-the-water-clean-seaweed-solutions-to-waste-water-treatment

IMAS researcher and event organiser Associate Professor Catriona Hurd, who studies seaweed ecology, said Professor de Nys’ work will provide many insights that might prove useful for Tasmania’s growing aquaculture industry.

“For a number of years IMAS researchers have worked with government, industry and the community to help improve sustainability and efficiency in Tasmania’s aquaculture industry,” Associate Professor Hurd said.

“This research from Queensland has some interesting lessons that we can learn from and I encourage anyone interested to come along and hear from Professor de Nys.

“Seaweeds assimilate nitrogen, phosphorous and carbon from seawater as they grow, making them an innovative tool to improve water quality through the removal of nutrients.

“Professor de Nys will discuss the broader application of using seaweeds to clean water with a case-study of his collaborative research with the aquaculture industry in Queensland for the treatment of discharge water from the intensive land-based production of fish and prawns.

“This seaweed-treatment process has been designed to deliver clean water back to the Great Barrier Reef, giving the land-based aquaculture industry the potential to increase production with no detrimental effects on water quality.”

Associate Professor Hurd said Professor Prof de Nys will also share his experience in developing new products derived from the seaweed biomass produced through this bioremediation process.

Authorised by the Executive Director, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
28 October, 2022