It All Starts With the Right Fish

Fish farming can be complex. At Australis, we’ve spent decades searching the globe to find the fish that are best suited for sustainable aquaculture. We've discovered one of the ocean's best-kept secrets: Barramundi.

Barramundi: The Sustainable Seabass

At Australis, we’re not just selling fish – we’re ushering in a new era of Smart Aquaculture™.

Harvesting ‘forage fish’ (like anchovy, capelin and mackerel) to feed farmed fish is one the most significant challenges facing the aquaculture industry. Our barramundi eat low on the food chain and are able to utilize grains more readily than other carnivorous fish. This leaves more fish in the oceans to support wild populations. Because of their unique natural history – spawning in the ocean and maturing in fresh water – barramundi are endowed with the rare ability to produce high levels of omega-3 fatty acids even when fed a largely vegetarian diet, a characteristic that is virtually unheard of for a mild, white fish!

 
 

Smart Aquaculture™ for a Healthy Planet 

By combining the right species with novel feeds, proper sitting and innovative practices (backed up by robust monitoring), Australis is able to deliver outstanding environmental performance in a scalable model.  

Key elements of our sustainable Smart Aquaculture™ practices include: 
  • Ideal Feed Conversion Ratio - Barramundi eats lower on the food chain and is better at converting grains into fish protein than almost any other fish. By combining barramundi’s natural advantage with our sustainable approach, we achieve food conversion ratio’s of near 1:1. 
  • Sustainable Feed - Our barramundi are fed a largely vegetarian diet with minimal use of fish meal & fish oil.  We use only sustainably-harvested meal, so there is less impact on wild stocks.
  • Clean Salt Waters, Minimal Pollution and Habitat Effects - Clean salt water with no industrial or agricultural activity characterize the areas where Australis operates. Our patented water reuse system reduces our need for freshwater and captures fish manure to be beneficially reused as fertilizer. In Vietnam, our facilities operate with low fish stocking densities and extended fallowing of the cage site between batches.
  • Addressing Disease, Predators and Escape - Tank rearing of our small fish dramatically reduces the chance of escape. Physically cleansing our nets eliminates the need to chemically treat them, decreasing the need for net changes that cause escape. We inspect our cages twice daily.  Plus, we use only local strains of barramundi. 
  • Clean. Traceable. Responsible - Independent laboratory testing assures that every bite is safe and pure; free of mercury, PCBs and other contaminants. For more on the health and nutrition of our fish, visit here.

Recognized by Leading Environmental Organizations

Australis’ greener way of farming has been recognized by major environmental organizations, including Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program, Environmental Defense, Blue Ocean Institute and many of our other sustainable partners.  In 2009, Australis was named a ‘Seafood Champion’ for sustainability by the Seafood Choices Alliance and in 2007 we were awarded the Australian Company of the Year for the Environment. 

            

Click here to learn more about our US and International Eco Farms.