Sustainability
at Humpty Doo Barramundi
Why sustainability matters
As Australia’s population grows, so does our need for healthy, locally produced food. Australians now eat around 25kg of seafood per person each year (IBISWorld, 2024), and more people are choosing barramundi as a great-tasting and nutritious alternative to meat - rich in protein, Omega-3s, and essential nutrients.
At the same time, our oceans are under growing pressure- from climate change, overfishing, and pollution. Sustainably managed aquaculture is a responsible way to meet rising demand for fish like barramundi without compromising on quality, the environment and our future food security.
We’re proud to have pioneered sustainable aquaculture in Australia.
We hold multiple globally recognised certifications that ensure transparency and accountability across every part of our business - from environmental performance and animal welfare to food safety, people, and governance.
More information on our sustainability certifications can be found here.
More information on our sustainability certifications can be found here.
“Aquaculture now produces 57% of aquatic animals for human consumption”
– FAO, State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024
Our Approach
Sustainability isn’t just part of our business; it’s in our DNA.
For over 30 years, we’ve been working to find better, more efficient and low impact ways to grow the best-tasting barramundi while demonstrating our genuine care for and commitment to our people, fish, the environment, and the partners we work with including the Traditional Owners of the land our farm occupies.
Wetland water recirculation system
Our award-winning, gravity-fed wetland system uses natural grasses and molasses to clean our water for reuse again and again. This purpose-built, closed-loop system allows us to maintain optimal water quality and produce consistently high-quality fish. At the same time, it means 99% of nutrients stay on the farm -making us an ultra-low discharge site.
Our award-winning, gravity-fed wetland system uses natural grasses and molasses to clean our water for reuse again and again. This purpose-built, closed-loop system allows us to maintain optimal water quality and produce consistently high-quality fish. At the same time, it means 99% of nutrients stay on the farm -making us an ultra-low discharge site.
Healthy, Happy Fish, Naturally
- Grow our fish in saltwater ponds to mimic natural environment barramundi thrive in
- Daily health checks by our expert team
- No routine use of antibiotics
- No use of growth promoters
- No genetic manipulation
- Low stocking density: just 1% fish to 99% water
- Low-stress pump harvesting process
- Trialling world-first animal stunning technology
Smarter Packaging
- Compostable Pallet Wrap: We are the first Aussie aquaculture farm to use Great Wrap's compostable plastic wrap
- Styrofoam Alternative: Fully recyclable, food-safe solution launching in 2025
Wildlife & Biosecurity
Aquaculture attracts a lot of birds, with fish making up a large portion of the diet of birds in the wild.
Some birds, like our resident jabirus (black necked storks) and sea eagles, have minimal impact and add to the biodiversity on our farm. Unfortunately, some species can pose a biosecurity or safety risk to our fish and our people.
We actively work to balance conservation with biosecurity through a range of humane deterrents including:
- Sound horns to encourage birds to move on.
- Building a new nursery, which has enabled us to grow our fingerlings a little bigger before we place them in our ponds – making them less appealing to predators.
- Different methods of delivering feed to our fish that restrict access for the birds.
- Investigating new methods and technologies like sonic nets
