Creating a long-term sustainable Oyster industry in Tamaulipas, Mexico
Category:UpdatesUnder the auspices of the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR) has awarded a grant to Aquaculture without Frontiers (Australia) Limited to bring together seafood educators/professionals in Australia and Mexico to strengthen links in business, education, sustainability and applied research creating a long-term sustainable Oyster industry in Tamaulipas, Mexico. This will then be used as a model for extension to other suitably located areas in Mexico and more Latin American countries and for additional seafood species.
Aquaculture without Frontiers (Australia) Limited will be working with Universidad Tecnológica del Mar de Tamaulipas Bicentenario (UTMarT) which specialises in aquaculture; tourism; and information and communication technology. There has been a long-term arrangement between the parties which was started with an earlier AwF USA USAID Farmer to Farmer project where AwF was involved in establishing an Oyster farming concept. The objective was to assist fishermen in Tamaulipas who were dealing with a depleted oyster situation and to take them on a journey (with their families) to help them become Oyster farmers thus creating a more sustainable income model.
UTMarT, being the specialist educational centre of the area, is keen to establish a centre of excellence for oysters and other similar shellfish as part of a new plan with the Tamaulipas State Government in creating an eco-coastal area based on long-term, resilient and sustainable activities.
The launch and promotion of the COALAR Project will be at the ISPIM Conference on Building the Innovation Century 10-13 December 2017 at RMIT in Melbourne. It is planned that Dr Antonio Garza de Yta, Rector of UTMarT, will be in Melbourne for this and for meetings with some of the Australian specialists.
This Melbourne event will have an ‘Achieving Blue Growth’ stream where both Dr Garza de Yta and AwF’s Executive Director, Roy Palmer, will present. Additionally Aquaculture without Frontiers has been selected as ISPIM’s preferred charity for the Summit Dinner at the Melbourne Town Hall.
In 2018 the plan is to bring two Mexican specialists to Australia to visit various locations for detailed discussions about oysters and then for one Australian specialist to travel to Mexico where workshops and further discussions will see the project develop.
AwF is keen to meet the highest standards for the project and is having discussions with MoU partner, Deakin University through Professor Giovanni Turchini to get their input. In addition, there will be discussions with other organisations who had supported the project
Key dates
- AwF launch and promotion at Building the Innovation Century Conference, RMIT and Melbourne Town Hall, 10 December 2017 to 13 December 2017
- Launch at UTMarT, Soto la Marine, Tamaulipas, Mexico, 01 September 2017 to 15 October 2017
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