2009/740 Visit by Dr Doug Tocher, University of Stirling, Scotland

By Kathy Schuller

This visiting expert grant allowed a visit to South Australia by Dr Douglas Tocher. Dr Tocher is based at the Institute of Aquaculture at Stirling University in Scotland and he is internationally-recognised for his work as a research scientist in the area of finfish lipid and fatty acid nutrition. The objectives of his visit were to exchange information about the most recent developments in finfish lipid and fatty acid nutrition in Europe and Australia and to hold a workshop to develop international collaborative research projects between the Seafood CRC and the Institute of Aquaculture at Stirling University.

Dr Tocher met for technical discussions with research providers at SARDI Aquatic Sciences, Adelaide University and Flinders University. He also visited the Lincoln Marine Science Centre in Port Lincoln. The culmination of Dr Tocher's visit was a symposium on finfish lipid and fatty acid nutrition and the human health implications held at Flinders University on Thursday October 8, 2009. The symposium was attended by approximately 25 researchers from Ridley Aquafeed, the Seafood CRC, Flinders University, University of Adelaide, the Royal Adelaide Hospital, SARDI and Deakin University.

The symposium was followed by a workshop to discuss possible future collaborative research projects in the area of finfish lipid nutrition. The workshop resulted in a cluster of proposed Seafood CRC Honours projects adding value to the feeding trials planned within "Sustainable Feeds and Feed Management for Yellowtail Kingfish" and "Understanding Yellowtail Kingfish".