Tasmania passes bill to support offshore marine aquaculture research
Signals ‘a key step’ to sustainably growing Tasmania’s salmon farming industry
On March 10, the Tasmanian government passed the Living Marine Resources Management Amendment (Aquaculture Research) Bill 2021.The Amendment Bill will enable marine aquaculture research in Commonwealth waters adjoining Tasmanian state waters. The amended bill will help establish a framework to deliver offshore aquaculture in Commonwealth waters off the coast of Tasmania.
With the passing of the bill, the Tasmanian government is now working with the Commonwealth to establish a “fisheries management arrangement” – which will provide for aquaculture research permits to be granted and managed under Tasmanian legislation.
“This is a key step in supporting sustainable growth of Tasmania’s world-leading salmon industry through the 10-year Salmon Plan, to be in place by January 1, 2023,” the government wrote in a press release. “A core principle of this plan is to develop new research and innovation programs and to focus on offshore salmon farming. Importantly, it is intended that any marine aquaculture research would only be for fixed-term, limited-scale activities and in a defined research area.”
The Memorandum of Understanding between the Tasmanian and Commonwealth governments supports the implementation of the National Aquaculture Strategy and aligns with the new 10-year Salmon Plan. Both the Tasmanian and Australian Governments have joined with other stakeholders to invest in the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre to conduct research and development into future offshore industries.
The Bill will help also enable research to be conducted, initially by the Blue Economy CRC, as the first step towards a potential future industry that benefits Tasmania.
“This opens up a new frontier to explore opportunities for growth in Tasmania’s already successful and sustainable aquaculture industry – not just salmon, but also other sectors including seaweed and shellfish,” wrote the government.
Follow the Advocate on Twitter @GSA_Advocate
Now that you've reached the end of the article ...
… please consider supporting GSA’s mission to advance responsible seafood practices through education, advocacy and third-party assurances. The Advocate aims to document the evolution of responsible seafood practices and share the expansive knowledge of our vast network of contributors.
By becoming a Global Seafood Alliance member, you’re ensuring that all of the pre-competitive work we do through member benefits, resources and events can continue. Individual membership costs just $50 a year.
Not a GSA member? Join us.
Author
Related Posts
Health & Welfare
Developing a breeding program for Tasmanian salmon
A research partnership focused on Atlantic salmon selective breeding aims to improve growth and resistance to amoebic gill disease in Tasmanian salmon.
Innovation & Investment
In Australia, aquaculture is looking up – and ahead
Pathogen-resistant crawfish and microencapsulated aquafeed supplements are two examples of how Australia’s aquaculture industry is always innovating.
Innovation & Investment
Bringing Australian aquaculture into view
Australian aquaculture gets some needed attention later this month when Fish 2.0 holds a regional workshop focused on innovation and investment in Melbourne.
Innovation & Investment
Australia incentivizing innovation in aquaculture
A government-funded $3 million (AUS) project by innovationXchange, WWF and others seeks transformative solutions from entrepreneurs for small-scale producers in the Indo-Pacific region. The competition’s three challenges include fresh thinking on feed, “new ocean products” and sustainable design.