NaturalShrimp Inc. announced the beginning of a prawn farm wastewater trial in Mackay, Australia. The study is funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and the Australian Prawn Farmers Association. This collaborative effort between NaturalShrimp, its wholly owned subsidiary Natural Aquatic Systems, industry, suppliers and the FRDC aims to evaluate the Company's patented electrocoagulation (EC) technology for the coagulation of microalgae and reduction of total nitrogen in wastewater.

The reduction of total nitrogenous output in the pond culture of prawns remains a challenge for the Australian prawn industry. In response to this, a project has been initiated to investigate the use of EC technology to remove microalgae and total nitrogen from settlement pond discharge. The project is being conducted by Nautilus Collaboration, Natural Aquatic Systems, and Fresh By Design.

EC has been proven to be an effective method for wastewater treatment and is highly favored over chemical coagulation because it does not require additional chemicals. The EC technology developed by the Company removes ammonia and nitrites while producing an anti-oxidative water chemistry that is beneficial to the receiving ecosystem. The results of this project will provide valuable insight into the potential of EC technology to address the challenge of removing nutrients and allow farms that currently operate within permitted nutrient discharge limits to provide scope for increased production.

The trial started in January 2023 and, if the key performance indicators are realized, could present an additional use-case for EC technology. A feasibility study will form a part of the project, and this includes commercialization pathways into the wider shrimp and prawn industries.