The Lincoln Marine Science Centre
Substantial MISA activities will be based at Australia’s major fishing port, Port Lincoln, on the Eyre Peninsula, with a planned $4.8 million expansion of the Flinders University Lincoln Marine Science Centre.
The Centre already provides tertiary level education in marine biology, marine ecology, oceanography and aquaculture, and is a research centre for SARDI and the Primary Industries and Resources South Australia, Shellfish Quality and Assurance Program.
The expansion, funded by the State Government ($4.49m) and Flinders University ($2.10m) is the first stage of four proposed expansions over the next 30 years.
The initial works, expected to begin by mid-2007, will almost double the size of the current centre, house an additional 35 scientists and educational staff, and cater for increased student numbers.
The LMSC expansion will create a national centre for excellence in marine science research and will attract significant new research for Port Lincoln involving yellowtail kingfish, hatchery-reared tuna, marine scale fisheries, abalone, oysters and prawns.
This research at the LMSC has the potential to at least triple the value of SA’s average annual value of production which currently stands at $445 million.
It is expected that the LMSC expansion will generate an additional 250 regional jobs by 2020.