This project will address three persistent issues that adversely impact the redclaw industry (a species of freshwater crayfish native to the northerly flowing rivers of northern Australia and southerly flowing rivers of Papua New Guinea). How to: 1) improve the management of the microbiology within the incubator system to maximise production efficiency, reliability and predictability. 2) investigate methods to maximise survival from hatchery to pond and formulate best practices for the hatchery operator and farmer; and 3) understand why significant losses of adult redclaw occur shortly after handling.