AQ5006 - Aquaculture: Principles and Practices

Available to students admitted to the Graduate Certificate of Science, Graduate Diploma of Science, Master of Science, Master of Science (Professional), Graduate Certificate of Development Practice, Graduate Diploma of Development Practice or Master of Development Practice.

This subject aims to inspire and motivate students through research-informed teaching in this rapidly developing field. Aquaculture: Principles and Practices discusses the scope and role of aquaculture for increasing food and profit yields of marine, brackish and freshwater organisms. This subject integrates laboratory and field based learning so that students benefit from varied circumstances, contact and settings. Students maintain their own aquaculture organisms (fish or crustaceans, depending on availability) in an intensive aquaculture system, develop skills to propagate hard and soft corals, measure water quality parameters at the largest prawn farm in tropical north Australia, experiment with live feeds for use in hatchery production and learn about aquaculture research at the Australian Institute for Marine Science (AIMS). Students will develop practical animal husbandry skills and report writing skills. The course coordinator/lecturer has considerable experience in the aquaculture industry and associated wild fisheries. The biological principles of aquaculture including species selection, hatchery breeding and rearing and grow-out practices. aquaculture technology and systems, overseas experience and Australian potential are addressed.

Learning Outcomes

• a preliminary understanding of the biological and other principles underlying aquaculture;
• an appreciation of the potential future of aquaculture and factors that will influence it;
• an appreciation of the scope and need for aquaculture in food production;
• an awareness of the environmental demands, including aspects of pollution and disease, for sustained aquaculture;
• to enable students to evaluate their aptitude, enthusiasm and commitment for undertaking a major, and possibly pursuing a future career, in aquaculture; and a general understanding of the different types of aquaculture systems.

Subject Assessment

• end of semester exam (50%)
• assignments (50%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.