A new restricted marine research zone for Atlantic salmon and kingfish farming has been established 12km north of Burnie off Tasmania’s north-west coast.
The Blue Economy Zone, located in Commonwealth waters, was officially gazetted on May 9 by Business, Industry and Resources Minister Eric Abetz.
According to the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), fish will be introduced in two phases, with the first stock arriving in July and the second in October.
“The trial is a three-year research program designed to test sustainable offshore aquaculture farming systems for Tasmanian Atlantic salmon and kingfish,” the CRC website states.
“It aims to assess operational feasibility, examine environmental conditions, evaluate economic viability, assess impacts on other marine users, monitor community sentiment and develop governance models for aquaculture in Commonwealth waters.”
Navigation markers will define the restricted zone, with vessels prohibited from entering, transiting through or anchoring within the boundaries without explicit approval.
Local independent MP Craig Garland has criticised the designation, which comes after mass salmon deaths in the state’s south, calling it “totally in the face of the community” and a risk to the local tuna fishery.
“We’ve got a great fishery, the ecosystem is thriving, the birds are going off and more importantly we’re not getting hammered by seals when we get our bluefin on,” Garland said.
“This just shows the ignorance and the arrogance of these pricks. It’s all about money, it’s not about community. We won’t get any benefit from this.”
The CRC believes the research could bring community benefits “by exploring sustainable economic opportunities” when it comes to the “financial and economic viability of sustainable aquaculture in Commonwealth waters”.
Environmental monitoring throughout the trial will examine wildlife interactions, conduct benthic surveys and monitor finfish welfare.
The CRC said Atlantic salmon and kingfish were selected for their “complementary biological characteristics suited to Bass Strait conditions”.
“This pairing allows researchers to study how different commercial species respond to offshore conditions including deeper waters, stronger currents and more stable temperatures, potentially yielding improved growth rates and lessened disease risk.”
