Frequently Asked Questions on Marron Farming

• Where can I find general information on marron farming?
• Where can I get marron juveniles / broodstock?
• Do I need an aquaculture licence?
• How do I decide whether to grow marron?
• Where can I get a sample of the water in my dam tested?
• How much does it cost to set up a marron / fish farm?
• My marron / fish are dying - what do I do?
• How do I get rid of yabbies in my dam if I want to restock it with marron?

One of the best places is the aquaculture section of this web site, which contains information about farming a large variety of fish species, including marron. A visit to your local library or a search on the Internet is also likely to pay dividends. A number of TAFE colleges run courses on aquaculture - visit the web sites of those TAFEs near you, or contact them by telephone.

Where can I get marron juveniles / broodstock?

Check the ‘Yellow Pages' telephone directory for marron farms that are close to where you live. You can also contact the Marron Growers Association (MGA) for a list of farmers near you

Do I need an aquaculture licence?

If your venture is purely for hobby purposes, no. If you intend to sell product, yes. If you are unsure contact the Licensing Branch for forms, telephone 9482 7345

This can be answered by looking at the ‘Do you need an aquaculture licence?' section of this web site

How do I decide whether to grow marron?

You may want to grow marron, but your property and circumstances may suit another species better. The starting point for any potential aquaculture operation is to investigate a number of potential species and match their biological requirements with the physical characteristics of your property or system.

You could follow these steps:

• Have your water quality tested (see the FAQ below) and match the results of the tests with the requirements of a particular species, eg. marron.
• Get the following parameters of your water measured/tested: oxygen, alkalinity, carbonate, calcium, chloride, copper, salinity, iron, hydrogen carbonate, potassium, manganese, nitrate, sodium, phosphorous, sulphur and zinc.
• Use the salinity calculator on thethis web site to help determine an appropriate species to culture.
• If you wish to grow a species (i.e. marron) for commercial purposes (i.e. for sale) investigate its market potential. Where will you sell them? How much (and when) will the buyers want you to supply? How much will they pay for the product?
• Consider how much time and money you want to invest into the venture.

You should also speak with existing ‘fish farmers' and visit farms to get a good picture of what is actually involved in growing the species (i.e. marron) you are thinking about.

You also need to compare your water analysis with acceptable water quality standards for the species you intend to culture (i.e. marron) or contact the Department of Fisheries' Fish Health Labs for an interpretation of the results.

Business Enterprise Centres and the Small Business Development Corporation can assist in market feasibility studies and business planning - see the ‘White Pages' telephone directory for your nearest centre.

Where can I get a sample of the water in my dam tested?

Check the ‘Yellow Pages' telephone guide under the ‘Analysts' category, where you will find laboratories that carry out water analysis listed. You could also check with local agricultural outlets to see if they have facilities to test water quality. If you need assistance with interpreting the results of the analysis, you can contact the Department's Fish Health Laboratories on (08) 9368 3649.

How much does it cost to set up a marron / fish farm?

The set-up costs of a marron/fish farm are very site dependant. A detailed site assessment of your property will need to be carried out if you intend to construct earthen aquaculture ponds like that for used for marron.

You also need to compile a comprehensive budget for the capital costs and operating costs of the venture – a business consultant should be able to assist you to carry out this work.

There is a CD-ROM available called ‘Marronprofit' that can assist you to determine financial feasibility - not the budget - of a marron farming enterprise on your property. Contact the Department of Fisheries' Aquaculture Policy and Industry Relations on (0) 9482 7201 for details of where this can be obtained.

My marron / fish are dying - what do I do?

The first step is to contact the Department of Fisheries Fish Health Laboratory - phone (08) 9368 3649. Increase the aeration of the ponds/tanks where the affected fish are living and reduce their feed rates until the source of problem is known. The staff at the Fish Health Laboratory will tell you what to do next, including whether to send in samples.

You can send samples of the dying fish to the Department of Fisheries' Fish Health Laboratory for analysis - phone (08) 9368 3649 for details of how to do this. This service is free if you have a current aquaculture licence, but charges may apply if you are unlicensed.

How do I get rid of yabbies in my dam if I want to restock it with marron?

A chemical product is available to carry out the eradication of yabbies, but you need a permit to use it. The Aquaculture Council of WA (ACWA) has historically held this permit for farmers.

The chemical product is Esfenvalerate and related products are Hallmark 50 EC insecticide and Sumitomo Sumi-Alpha 50 EC insecticide, which containing 50g/L Esfenvalerate as their only active constituent. For further details, please contact Daniel Machin at ACWA on (08) 9244 2933, or the Department of Fisheries' Fish Health Laboratory on (08) 9368 3649.

Note that the use of chemicals for treating or killing animals is controlled by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. The misuse of chemicals is an offence. See the APVMA website for more information