Fancy a barramundi fish supper? Haddock and chips could soon be battling this Australian favourite for market share. A host of exotic seafood species is set to be served up in the UK, delegates to an auspicious conference running today and tomorrow at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, Edinburgh... And consumers could soon be washing barramundi fish suppers down with a seaweed shake, the Aquaculture Today 2006 conference will be told.

While salmon has dominated UK fish farming for the past 30 years, interest in the farming of other species continues to grow. Some of the more exotic new species being farmed in the UK are sea urchins, abalone and barramundi. If expert opinion is to be believed, UK consumers could be enjoying the “smoky” taste of sea urchin, the “haunting and subtle” texture of abalone and the firm white flesh of barramundi very soon.

Commenting on the range of seafood now being farmed in UK waters, Aquaculture Today conference spokesman, Bob Kennedy said: “The aquaculture sector has moved dramatically on from its original image as a single species sector. And the move into white fish cultivation is itself widening to put a list of exotic species onto the menu. “Diversification makes a lot of sense for any sector and this just shows how enterprising aquaculture is becoming.”

Hui Liu, Marie Curie Fellow, Associate Professor at the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute in China will tell delegates that Chinese fish farmers have always sought to expand the portfolio of species being profitably cultivated.

“In my view, the farming of new species is something that is propelling the industry forward, just like the innovation of techniques. However, some harmful alien species did arouse public concern of biological invasion in China, and introduction should be done with more caution in the future,” she said.

“Scotland could consider exotic coldwater species such as Sea Cucumber as well as non-native shellfish such as abalone that are already being cultivated in neighbouring countries. There is also the need for more scientific research into optimal conditions and techniques for cultivation of new local species such as sea urchins.”

Aquaculture Today 2006 is being held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, March 28-30 and has attracted an international delegation of leading names in commercial fish farming.

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