Tassal trial on waste in final phase

TASSAL has entered the final stages of its waste capture trial in Macquarie Harbour, but the company is remaining tightlipped about how the technology has progressed.

Tassal has tested two waste capture traps beneath pens during the trial, and a third is due to be installed today.

The Environment Protection Authority will allow Tassal to farm an additional 15 tonnes of salmon per hectare above the 13 tonnes per hectare biomass cap applied across the harbour, if the waste capture system is approved.

If the trial is deemed unsuccessful, Tassal will be required to remove up to 4000 tonnes of salmon from the harbour.

The EPA said Tassal was still operating below 13 tonnes per hectare yesterday, but the company had approval to operate at up to 28 tonnes per hectare and use up to five waste capture units until the first week of July.

EPA director Wes Ford said the EPA was receiving weekly biomass reports and verbal reports on the effectiveness of the waste capture units.

Mr Ford said Tassal would monitor the sea floor to assess the level of recovery, and the EPA would monitor and audit the results to determine the effectiveness of the technology.

Captured waste is being transported to a commercial waste water treatment plant.

A spokeswoman said Tassal would provide an update on the trial “in due course”.