Port Lincoln’s fisheries and aquaculture sector could generate millions of dollars annually through a proposal to establish a shared-use Marine Bioproducts Plant, a transformative step that could position South Australia as a national hub for blue biotechnology.
The proposal took centre stage at the Port Lincoln Economic Opportunity Workshop, hosted by the Marine Bioproducts CRC.
The event brought together key industry and research leaders, including Alex Ogg (Director, FRDC), Lukina Lukin (Managing Director, Dinko Tuna), Daniel Casement (CEO, Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association) and David Wood (CEO, Yumbah), and featured an Information Sharing Session with Wayne Adams (Strategic Sourcing Manager) from NuMega, an international company already operating a successful tuna bioproducts facility in Ecuador.
“This is what we do at the Marine Bioproducts CRC. We connect people with shared visions for a more sustainable future, both economically and environmentally,” said Dr Anthony Dyer, Chief Commercial Officer at the Marine Bioproducts CRC. “We see tremendous promise in this opportunity and want to support it coming to fruition. It will be incredibly important for the future of Port Lincoln.”
The opportunity arises from developments in South Australia’s Southern Bluefin Tuna industry, which will soon require the removal of tuna heads before export to Japan. These side streams, once considered waste, are now recognised as a valuable resource that can be processed into high-value products such as Omega-3 oils, nutraceuticals, and functional food ingredients. The facility could operate as a flexible and shared-use Marine Bioproducts Plant, enabling established Australian businesses, smaller startups, and researchers to develop and scale marine-derived bioproducts suitable for domestic and export markets.
Daniel E. Abrahams, CEO of the Marine Bioproducts CRC, highlighted the potential value for Port Lincoln: “South Australia faces multiple challenges from global market shifts and supply chain disruptions to harmful algal blooms affecting production. By driving economic diversification, regional employment, and the creation of a marine innovation hub, this project will position South Australia as a leader in sustainable marine bioprocessing.”
The proposal embodies the 100% Fish Model applied across Europe, where a whole tuna and other by-products can be transformed into valuable goods, promoting zero-waste production.
“The exciting part is that this isn’t just about Southern Bluefin Tuna,” said Daniel. “Australia produces some of the world’s best seafood, from Kingfish and Salmon to Abalone, Mussels, and other shellfish. We’ve already mapped the value of these resources, meaning the opportunity to expand into other species is already here.”
The Workshop concluded with an Open Discussion Session with the Marine Bioproducts CRC to explore the next steps toward evaluating a pilot facility in Port Lincoln. Discussions focused on establishing a Working Group to assess technological and economic feasibility, map biomass availability and quantities, and identify potential funding and investment models.
The Session closed with a shared intention to progress a coordinated strategy that positions Port Lincoln, and South Australia more broadly, as a national leader in marine bioproducts innovation and value-added processing.
The Port Lincoln Economic Opportunity Workshop was held at Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) on 28th October 2025.
The Workshop was coordinated by Marine Bioproducts CRC and centred on a proposal to establish a shared-used Marine Bioproducts Plant in South Australia (L-R): David Wood (CEO, Yumbah), Daniel E. Abrahams (CEO, Marine Bioproducts CRC), Prof. Mehdi Doroudi (CEO, PIRSA), and Alex Ogg (Director, FRDC).