Barramundi

The Barramundi is one of Australia's most well known freshwater species. It is prized by recreational anglers because it is a strong fighter, grows to a large size (60kg) and is an excellent table fish. It is also the most important freshwater commercial fish in Australia. The 14kg (33lb) Barramundi in the image was caught in March 1993 by G. Parkinson in the Victoria River, near Timber Creek, Northern Territory.

The Barramundi is recognised by its pointed head, concave forehead, large jaw extending behind the eye and rounded caudal fin. It has a first dorsal fin with seven or eight strong spines and a second soft-rayed dorsal fin of ten or eleven rays.

Adult Barramundi are blue to green-grey dorsally, silvery on the sides, and white below. Juveniles are mottled brown with a distinct white stripe from the dorsal fin to the snout.

This species has been recorded from the Persian Gulf to China and south through Asia to Australia. In Australia it occurs from the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia and around the north of the country to the Mary and Maroochy River systems in southern Queensland. It lives in a range of conditions in creeks, rivers and estuaries in clear to turbid waters.

Male and Female Barramundi's

The Barramundi eats a range of foods including fishes, shrimps, crayfish, crabs and aquatic insects.

Barramundi Description

Barramundi are among the largest and most important commercial fishes, as well as being one of Queensland’s most sought-after sport fish. Barramundi provide spectacular angling, often leaping clear of the water to avoid capture. They are also capable of forcing their way through nets using the razor-sharp edges of their gill covers.

They are greenish-bronze along the back, silver along the sides, shading to white on their bellies. Juveniles have creamy and dark blotches, and may have yellowish pelvic and tail fins. Most barramundi begin their lives as males and change to females as they become much larger.

Barramundi habitat/distribution

The barramundi (Lates calcarifer) is a large predatory fish found in tropical regions of Australia and throughout the Indo-West Pacific. In Australia, its natural distribution extends from the Ashburton River in Western Australia, throughout the Northern Territory, to the Maryborough River in Queensland.

Barramundi Farming Production

The industry can be broadly divided into three categories of farming: cage culture in purpose built freshwater ponds (including free range fish in ponds), sea cage culture in offshore or estuarine waters, and intensive production in indoor facilities.

Pond culture is the most common and currently accounts for the majority of barramundi production in north Queensland. However, in southeast Queensland and the southern states, intensive farming operations using indoor recirculation systems are used.

In the Northern Territory, of the two larger farms, one is located onshore and uses earthen ponds and free range fish, while the other, more recently established farm is a marine operation using offshore sea cages. Western Australia’s largest farm, at Lake Argyle, uses freshwater cage culture while the few producers operating in the south of the state use recirculation systems.
The opportunity to establish pond and sea operations is confined to tropical regions, whereas the more intensive, indoor facilities can be established in any climate.

In 2001-02 Queensland produced 840 tones (whole fish equivalent) of farmed barramundi.
In 2000-01, the 23 producing farms using pond based systems accounted for 97 per cent of state production, while the five producing farms using recirculation systems accounted for 3 per cent. Total ponded area was 176 hectares. The actual number of ponds stocked was 181, covering 86 hectares.

Barramundi Prices

As the barramundi is a tropical fish not native to New South Wales, juveniles for New South Wales barramundi farms are obtained from hatcheries in Queensland and the Northern Territory. The colder climate and the potential power costs involved with tank culture (all New South Wales farms use recirculation tank systems) had until recently restricted the development of the New South Wales industry. The barramundi is also known to be a potential carrier of the barramundi encephalitis virus (BEV) which has the potential to affect a number of species native to New South Wales. As a result, NSW Fisheries has imposed tight restrictions on the culture of barramundi.
There were five (or less) licensed barramundi farms in New South Wales in 2001-02. Production was 54.9 tones valued $588 700 at the farm gate (NSW Fisheries 2003). Farmed barramundi production in New South Wales is expected to continue to expand given recent expansion of some farms and the implementation of nursery technology.

South Australia produced 255 tones of farmed barramundi valued at $2.65 million in 2001-02.
Farming commenced in South Australia in the early 1990s, with several farms being established in the Adelaide Hills. Barramundi are now farmed in a variety of locations across the south of the state, including the South East and the Eyre Peninsula. As in New South Wales, the majority of barramundi farms use fully enclosed recirculation systems to maintain and control critical water temperature conditions. One farm operator uses a flow through system of warm artesian bore water. Currently there are around twenty registered barramundi growers in South Australia, including commercial producers as well as training facilities such as schools.

In Western Australia most production comes from the Lake Argyle operation, although, as previously noted, there are also several farms in the south of the state that produce barramundi using recirculation systems. Trials have also been conducted farming barramundi in artesian water in the Gascoyne Region (Department of Fisheries 1999). In 2001-02, Western Australia produced 38 tones of barramundi (valued at $420 000), slightly down on tonnage in 2000-01.
However, in the first half of 2002-03, production has increased very rapidly.

Commercialising Barramundi Fishing

A large sea farming operation that applies salmon farming technology to the farming of Barramundi is now being developed by Marine Harvest at Port Hird in the Tiwi Islands. Stage one of the project, lasting two to three years, is planned to produce up to 1000 tones of barramundi a year.
In Victoria, barramundi production has commenced in recent years under strict biosecure conditions in intensive recirculation systems (NRE 2002). There are only a few licenses at present. Production is small and all sales are being made locally.

Aggregating published and estimated production in Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia and Northern Territory in 2001-02,
Australian barramundi production was around 1250 tones in 2001-02.