Ross Anderson, AQUNA Sustainable Murray Cod - inspiring, land-based aquaculture

Nourishing Matters to Chew On

In this episode a great conversation with Ross Anderson, all about the truly inspiring story of AQUNA Sustainable Murray Cod and the premium, murray cod they produce for consumers, restaurants, international markets and leading chef's like Josh Niland. It's an uplifting, can-do story about business leadership and innovation, smart, passionate people and their commitment to sustainability that all adds up to a world first, all grown in regional NSW.

I've long wanted to do a 'positive' story about aquaculture, especially given the impacts of large-scale industrial Tasmanian salmon production, the story Richard Flanagan tells in Toxic - The Rotting Underbelly of the Tasmanian Salmon Industry, pub 2021. Flanagan’s ‘Toxic’ is a heart and environmentally wrenching story, but it isn’t all bad news. In a webinar he presented about the issues, he shone light on where there's hope and great potential – to expand, sustainable land based, vertically integrated, closed loop land based aquaculture.

AQUNA is an award winning, land-based, producer of murray cod - one of the most ancient, delicious and highly revered fish, once prolific in the wild, listed as nationally threatened in 2003, and so special to First People's and Murray Darling basin ecosystems. During recent fish kills, the business supplied aerators to the Menindee Lakes and have released some 23 million murray cod fingerlings back into the Murray Darling river to help restore fish stocks and ecosystem health. Love it.

AQUNA is an industry leader internationally and in the local Griffith community and environment – employing people in clever jobs, growing vertically integrated, circular-resource use production. Listen in and check out their website to learn more about their commitment to sustainability and whole-of-system innovation in this space.

Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod is listed as “GREEN” on the The Good Fish Guide. The Good Fish Guide, an app and website, is a sustainability initiative by the Australian Marine Conservation Society. The guide is an independent reference that helps chefs and consumers make informed decisions on the seafood they eat and serve.

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food producing industries in the world – a key and growing source of protein. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, global aquaculture production rose 520% for the period 1990-2018 (FAO, 2020). Some 54% of seafood consumed worldwide is produced through aquaculture, but approximately 87% of seafood purchased in New South Wales is imported. So there are enormous domestic and export opportunities for sustainably produced, high quality fish and AQUNA are leading the way to do just that.

Bravo AQUNA and thank you Ross for such a great conversation (and for what you all do)!

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