Marine biologists based at Australia's Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre have successfully started growing worms in wastewater, which could drastically reduce costs to run aquaculture farms.
Up until now, growing marine worms has been a notoriously difficult task and purchasing them is expensive. Biologist Paul Palmer said to the ABC their recent breakthrough was a "world first" and good news for prawn farmers.
"Marine prawns need a very balanced range of essential fatty omega 3 and 6 acids. Because the worms are growing up on algae produced in the water they hold a very good group of fatty acids. We're compacting that into the worms, and then the worms are fed to the prawn brood stock," he said. "Prawn farmers can produce food on their own farms to supply to their own hatcheries and have control over the quality."