By Dan Richards, CEO Humpty Doo Barramundi
Aussies love seafood. It’s fresh, versatile and part of our way of life, from cooking up a beautiful piece of fish on the barbecue to enjoying the best of Australian-grown seafood in top restaurants around the country. But increasingly, when it comes to our seafood choices, people are thinking not just about taste, they are also looking for food they can trust. With 89% of Australians saying sustainable living is important to them, knowing how the fish that’s on your plate has got there is becoming an important purchase consideration.
This shift in consumer values is reshaping the industry. Demand for seafood is stronger than ever. At the same time, climate and environmental challenges are adding pressure to our food supply and the health of our marine ecosystems. That’s where sustainable aquaculture – farming that doesn’t compromise on quality, the environment, or future food security – can be part of the solution.
At Humpty Doo Barramundi, we’re proud to have pioneered sustainable aquaculture in Australia. It’s been part of our DNA since my father, Bob Richards, transformed an abandoned rice project in the remote Northern Territory into a barramundi farm more than 30 years ago. His vision was simple but ambitious: grow the best-quality fish in a way that worked with nature, not against it, while also creating a positive impact on the community around us.
From humble beginnings harvesting just six kilos of fish a week, we’ve grown to become the largest Australian-owned barramundi farm. Today, we employ more than 150 people and supply over half of Australia’s farmed barramundi to leading restaurants, pubs, hotels and retailers like Woolworths and Costco. Our mission has always been to responsibly grow Australia’s best barramundi while demonstrating our genuine care and commitment for our people, fish, environment, and partners.
One of our proudest achievements is our award-winning saltwater wetland recirculation system. Our unique gravity-fed system filters water through natural saltwater grasses, enabling us to maintain optimum water quality for our fish and reuse our water with almost zero discharge – 99% of nutrients used during the farming process stay on the farm. It also sets us apart from sea-based and flow-through systems that discharge directly into the surrounding environment. We strongly believe that innovative closed-loop approaches like ours are critical if Australia is to increase its aquaculture production sustainably.
We also grow our barramundi in saltwater ponds on the banks of the Adelaide River – a tropical climate that mimics their natural habitat. With industry-leading stocking densities of 1% fish to 99% water, our fish have room to thrive. These farming practices are not only better for the environment, but they also allow us to deliver consistently high-quality barramundi with the clean, mild flavour and firm texture that chefs and consumers can trust and enjoy. We know from experience that healthy, happy fish are great-tasting fish.
For consumers, choosing local, sustainably grown seafood like Humpty Doo Barramundi means supporting Aussie farmers and regional communities producing food in a way that protects our natural environment and our ability to grow nutritious, high-quality protein into the future. Importantly, our leading-edge harvesting and processing preserve the freshness of our fish, so you can enjoy it in its optimal condition.
When buying seafood, we encourage people to look for independent certifications such as ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) or BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices). These labels signal that a product has been independently verified as sustainable. It’s also worth asking at the deli counter about provenance and choosing Australian seafood where possible. Always check for the signs of freshness – when you are buying barramundi you want to look for firm, bright pink-to-white flesh, shimmering silver skin and a clean, ocean-like scent.
Our ability to enjoy top-quality seafood long into the future depends on the choices we make as producers and as consumers. At Humpty Doo Barramundi, we believe that aquaculture, when it’s done the right way, can provide a secure, high-quality food source while safeguarding the environment we all rely on. That’s a commitment we’ve held since day one, and one we are proud to share with more Australians who are choosing seafood that tastes good and is grown with respect for the fish, the environment and the people behind it.
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