Australian company claims tuna breeding breakthrough

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2008

SYDNEY (AFP) — An Australian aquaculture company claimed a world first Tuesday in artificially breeding endangered southern bluefin tuna.

Clean Seas Tuna said the successful collection of significant quantities of tuna sperm and eggs from captive fish at a breeding facility in South Australia would allow sustainable production of the species.

The breakthrough would allow the company to effectively double Australia's 5,200 tonne southern bluefish tuna annual quota within the next five years, it said in a statement to the Australian stock exchange.

"From a global perspective, successfully recreating the natural breeding cycle of one of the world's premier pelagic fish species is a key step towards ensuring sustainability of this key species at a time when wild...