Tassal fish farm proceeding despite review

Tassal is pushing ahead with a controversial fish farm without waiting for a review of its 20-year-old approval.

Rowan Armitage says aquaculture could exacerbate algal blooms. Picture: Luke Bowden.

The company behind a controversial fish farm proposed for Tasmania’s east coast is pushing ahead with the project without waiting for a government review of its 20-year-old approval.

Community groups had thought Tassal Group’s 28-pen salmon farm proposed for Okehampton Bay was effectively on hold when the state government announced an independent review of fish farming at the location.

The Hodgman government said the review, conducted by the Marine Farming Planning Review Panel, was needed because the fish farming plan relied on by Tassal was 20 years old.

“There have been significant changes to science and technology over that time and as such this assessment is important for community confidence,” Primary Industries and Water Minister Jeremy Rockliff said when announcing the review last month.

However, Tassal sustainability manager Linda Sams told The Australian there was no need to put the project on hold while the review was carried out, with the outcome focused on monitoring regimes, rather than a yes or no approval.

“As far as I’m concerned, we have a lease in place and we have a licence,” Ms Sams said. “The lease belongs to Spring Bay Seafoods; we sublease it.

“We have the licence in place for growing finfish, so in theory we could put a pen out there tomorrow if we wanted to and start growing fish.”

The review panel began deliberations last week and is due to report in February. Mr Rockliff appeared to confirm that the project could go ahead before the review was completed. “There is a valid marine farming lease and licence approved for finfish at Okehampton Bay,” he said.

“The … review panel is undertaking an independent assessment of environmental manage­ment and monitoring of salmon farming at Okehampton Bay … to ensure (it) … is appropriate.’’

Marine Protection Tasmania, formed to fight for tougher oversight of fish farming, which is rapidly doubling into a $1 billion industry, said Tassal was “putting their finger up” by not putting the project on hold until after the panel reported.

“I don’t think they should be doing anything while the review is pending,” said the group’s Grant Gaffney. “Hypothetically, the lease could be scrapped.

“It’s a slap in the face to the review process. If Tassal continues on their merry way, they are virtually putting their finger up and ignoring the review.”

Under Tassal’s plan for the bay, near Triabunna, commercial quantities of salmon would not be placed in the 28 pens until 2018.

However, the timeline of works includes shore-based construction and a trial growing salmon alongside mussels and seaweed, all in this financial year. Tassal hopes the bay will produce up to 10 per cent of its salmon.

The fish farmer behind the original farming proposal for Okehampton Bay, Rowan Armitage, yesterday criticised Tassal’s plans, saying water temperatures had increased and aquaculture there today could exacerbate algal blooms.