A group of present and past Flinders University students are looking at the reproductive cycles of various fish species.

Lana Roediger and Nadine Hackett are studying at the centre as part of their phD, Erin Bubner is doing her masters and Jenna Bowyer is involved in post-graduate studies.

Their work with Flinders University and the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) includes Ms Bubner’s work for local company Clean Seas on closing the lifecycle of tuna.

While the details are guarded at this stage, the project, focusing on reproduction in captivity, could provide a breakthrough for the industry.

Ms Bowyer is working on a tuna quality project, as well as a review on the proposed desalination plant at Point Lowly.

Ms Roediger is studying the breeding habits of a seastar that is endemic to the West Coast, and whether organisms living in differing environments produce different sized offspring.

“What’s unique is they give birth to live young – there’s not many invertebrates that do that.

“It’s great to be able to study it here, where it’s found.”

Ms Hackett’s research is for the local prawn industry, looking at the difference in breeding cycles between the Spencer Gulf and West Coast fisheries.