How does ABLP nourish the present without compromising the future?
From humble beginnings
Australian Bay Lobster Producers Ltd (ABLP) was born in December 1994 at the Bribie Island Research Facility and has spent decades undertaking research and development. It is committed to advancing sustainable, land-based aquaculture biotechnology.
A key focus for the business has been the development of a proprietary patented process for cultivating the Bay Lobster – more commonly known as the Moreton Bay Bug.
Using controlled environments, ABLP sustainably farms high-quality lobsters, supplying them to domestic and international markets all year round.
Land-based aquaculture
ABLP is at the forefront of biotechnology in aquaculture, growing Bay Lobster in a climate-controlled recirculating aquaculture system.
“ESG and sustainability are now probably more important than ever before. It matters to governance. It matters to your people, and it matters to the environment. We will be forever grateful that BDO helped us on this journey.”
John Bryant, Finance Director, Australian Bay Lobster Producers
A crucial step in the future of their sustainable farming process is completing a saltwater pipeline that will deliver up to 19 megalitres of fresh seawater to the facility, daily. The pipeline will be a figurative umbilical cord to the ocean, allowing access to fresh, clean seawater, for multiple uses throughout ABLP’s different husbandry areas. This will allow ABLP to grow high-quality sea animal larvae on land.
While using cutting-edge automated technology with a digital vision solution - including digital processing, identification, and classification techniques - ALBP can support healthy lobster growth and maintain high water quality on a large scale.
Identifying sustainable opportunities across the business
ABLP recognises that socially-conscious consumers are pushing organisations and businesses to provide more transparency about their sustainability practices. Consumers want organisations and businesses to support their values to be more environmentally focused. Concerns around sustainability are not only limited to materials and packaging, they extend from supply partners to the conditions of the employees working for those brands.
For ABLP, business is about more than just producing unique lobster products. It’s about ensuring that they have considered all aspects of their environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda.
For ABLP, this means recycling all their cardboard, and planting trees around their facilities to bring other wildlife to their sites. They don't employ casual staff, only permanent or part-time staff to give staff entitlements, leave provisions and a sustainable income for their families.
They are working on developing their own environmentally-friendly feed which is carefully formulated to minimise waste and reduce reliance on wild fish stocks, helping to preserve the delicate balance of our oceans’ food chains. ABLP has also commissioned university research around robotics and artificial intelligence to assist with maintaining the health of the animal.
Being an active member of the community in the Tweed Valley is also very important to ABLP. They are regularly educating other organisations and local school children about sustainability and enduring environmental practices to assist with their learning.
The BDO team has worked with ABLP for several years and is inspired by ABLP’s ongoing commitment to the continuous improvement of sustainable practices in their operations.
“Sustainability is woven into all aspects of ABLP. BDO’s feedback (advice and recommendations) over the years has been the cornerstone of our impending inaugural sustainability report.”
John Bryant, Finance Director, Australian Bay Lobster Producers
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Continuously improving sustainability
Now, more than ever, retailers face increasing stakeholder pressure to address sustainability. This global sustainability movement is becoming critical as part of a business’s social licence to trade, with companies that fail to act in this space risking potential impacts on their reputation, risk mitigation, market opportunities, culture and even value proposition.
Where is your organisation on its sustainability journey? Our new Sustainability activation checklist is designed to help guide retail organisations as they start their sustainability journey.
BDO's retail services
BDO's team of expert advisers can help your retail business in a whole range of areas, including:
• Recommending new technology available to support your retail business
• Operational performance improvement
• Evolution of traditional retail business models
• Fraud and loss prevention
• Acquisitions, disposals and Intial Public Offers
• Sustainability strategy and mandatory reporting.
Contact a retail adviser to see how BDO can help your retail venture.