BAP Spotlight Story: Murray Cod Australia

This Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) spotlight story features Murray Cod Australia (MCA), a 3-star BAP-certified producer established to create responsible white-fish industry built around native Murray cod.

GSA: What inspired you to become involved in the seafood industry?

MCA (answered by Ross Anderson, CEO): What inspired me to become involved in the seafood industry was a very personal experience rather than a planned career move. Several years ago, I tasted Murray cod at a local restaurant and was genuinely struck by its quality — the texture, flavour and cleanliness of the flesh were on par with the best white-fleshed fish I’d eaten anywhere in the world. I asked the chef where the fish came from, and he told me it was produced by a local farmer, Mat Ryan, at Bilbul near Griffith.

The following day I drove out to meet Mat. What I saw was remarkable: a land-based aquaculture system that combined agricultural discipline, fish welfare and scalability in a way I had not seen before. It immediately challenged my assumptions about what Australian aquaculture could be. At the same time, Mat had recently entered into a fish venture with Roger Commins, who had been associated with me in business for many years. This brought together deep farming expertise with proven entrepreneurial experience.

Together, the three of us recognised that this was far more than a good fish — it was an opportunity to create an entirely new, premium white-fish industry in Australia, built on sustainability, consistency of supply and global standards.That combination of an exceptional product, a scalable farming model and the chance to build something from the ground up is what ultimately drew me into the seafood industry — and continues to motivate me today.

MCA: Murray Cod Australia Ltd is an Australian aquaculture company established to create a premium, sustainable white-fish industry built around native Murray cod. The vision was to build the industry properly — from genetics and farming systems through to processing, branding and global market access. Today, MCA operates large-scale, land-based aquaculture facilities in regional New South Wales, including at Bilbul and Stanbridge. These farms use controlled water systems that prioritise fish welfare, biosecurity and environmental sustainability, allowing for year-round production and consistent supply. At full capacity, MCA’s farms are capable of producing several thousand tonnes of fish annually.

MCA’s flagship product is Aquna Murray Cod, a premium, medal-winning fish recognised for its clean flavour, firm texture and versatility. Aquna is supplied fresh, chilled and frozen to leading chefs, restaurants, foodservice distributors and retailers across Australia, with growing international interest. The company maintains strict standards across harvesting, processing and cold-chain management to ensure consistent eating quality. A core part of MCA’s long-term strategy is a selective breeding program designed to improve growth rates, consistency and eating quality. Over time, this program will establish a distinct Aquna strain of Murray cod, with genetics that are owned and controlled by the company, providing a durable competitive advantage and underpinning future scale.

Since 2017, we’ve invested significantly to expand our operations and meet growing demand in Australia and internationally. Our product range includes fresh fish, frozen and smoked formats, as well as the world-first Aquna Gold caviar. Known for its clean, snow-white flesh and delicate, buttery texture, Aquna is recognised by leading chefs here in Australia and gaining momentum around the world, particularly in Southeast Asia. With a strong focus on innovation and responsible farming, we continue to grow as one of Australia’s leading premium seafood producers.

GSA: How is your company involved in the local community?

MCA: As part of our commitment to protecting Australia’s native fish, we work closely with state government programs and local councils to support restocking efforts across the Murray–Darling Basin. Through these partnerships, we have produced and supplied millions of fingerlings that go back into the river systems for future generations.

We’re also actively involved in the local community through support of events like Griffith Springfest, presentations at schools and regional business forums, participation in the ‘Grow Our Own’ alliance to inspire local youth, and collaboration with council, tourism initiatives, and local artists to celebrate our region of the Riverina, New South Wales. We showcase Aquna at the annual Victorian Fisheries Open Days, and support local community fishing groups while actively engaging with schools and young people to inspire interest and career pathways in aquaculture. We also regularly host high-profile chefs from around the world and have welcomed government advisers, and other industry decision-makers to visit our farms. These visits give us the opportunity to showcase what’s possible through modern aquaculture and highlight the role responsible farming can play in the future of food.

Our operations create skilled, long-term employment in regional areas, ranging from aquaculture technicians and farm managers through to processing, logistics and administration roles. Wherever possible, we recruit locally and invest in training to build aquaculture capability in communities where employment opportunities can be limited. We work closely with local farmers, suppliers and contractors, supporting a broad network of regional businesses across feed supply, transport, maintenance, engineering and professional services. At its core, our involvement in the local community is about building something enduring — a new Australian aquaculture industry that provides jobs, skills and economic resilience for regional communities over the long term.

MCA: We chose to attain Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification because we are building our business for the long term and from the outset wanted to operate to globally recognised standards. As a land-based aquaculture producer supplying premium domestic and international markets, independent certification is essential. BAP provides rigorous, third-party verification of our performance across fish welfare, biosecurity, food safety, environmental management, traceability and social responsibility. Achieving these standards ensures that our farming and processing systems are robust, transparent and aligned with international best practice.

Certification has materially improved our business. The audit process has strengthened our internal systems, documentation and discipline, helping us standardise operations as we scale. It has also provided confidence to customers, retailers and foodservice partners who increasingly require independent assurance around sustainability, provenance and animal welfare. Importantly, BAP is a key enabler of market access. Many major retailers, distributors and export markets will only engage with certified suppliers. By achieving certification early, MCA has positioned Aquna Murray Cod to compete alongside the world’s leading aquaculture species and to grow into new domestic and international channels.

In short, certification has not only validated how we operate today but has helped future-proof the business as we continue to expand. As a 3-star BAP-certified producer, Murray Cod Australia is set up for growth, especially in global markets where customers care about provenance and responsible farming. Our BAP certification gives confidence that we follow the highest standards in aquaculture, backed by third-party audits. It helps us keep improving our sustainability practices and opens doors to markets that value independently verified credentials, setting us up for a strong future.

MCA: I love working in seafood because it sits at the intersection of food, nature and long-term thinking. I have always had a strong appreciation for good-quality food, and seafood, when produced properly, represents some of the finest eating experiences available. Aquna Murray Cod embodies that for me. It is a beautiful, clean, white-fleshed fish, and seeing it consistently perform at the highest level on the plate is deeply satisfying.

Beyond that, seafood is one of the most efficient and sustainable sources of animal protein. When aquaculture is done well, it has the ability to feed growing populations while reducing pressure on wild fisheries, and being part of that solution is highly motivating. I also enjoy the tangible nature of the industry. You can see, taste and measure the outcome of good decisions — from fish welfare and farming practices through to the quality of the final product. There is a direct connection between how you operate and what the consumer experiences. Ultimately, building Aquna has allowed me to combine my appreciation for exceptional food with the challenge of creating something new and enduring. Seafood rewards patience, discipline and respect for biology, and that makes it both demanding and incredibly rewarding.