Tassal to reopen Long Bay fish farm

TASSAL plans to farm salmon at Port Arthur’s Long Bay for the first time in more than a decade.

The company is preparing to open seven pens at a 15ha site at Long Bay, which hasn’t been farmed since 2006.

There are plans for seven more pens in the future.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said mooring work was under way at Long Bay.

Ms O’Connor said more community consultation was needed and called on Tassal and the State Government to be more upfront.

“It’s a concern when you have an industry that’s so poorly regulated ... that they think that they can go back into a bay in Port Arthur and start works without letting Tasmanians know,” she said.

A Tassal spokesman said that was incorrect.

“We have been nothing but transparent in our communications with stakeholders about our plans for the Port Arthur lease,” he said.

“Tassal has met with a range of stakeholders ... in the Tasman region there were two advertised public meetings and numerous one-on-one stakeholder meetings and farm tours. New baseline studies have been completed and the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment has been consulted about restocking.”

THE Mayor of Circular Head has welcomed the potential for aquaculture to expand into the region, as the Government moves to extend fish farms into new coastal waters.

The State Government has announced a new “grow zone” around Circular Head and King Island under the soon-to-be released Sustainable Salmon Industry Growth Plan. Petuna Aquaculture has expressed interest in expanding in the North-West and has been granted an environmental monitoring permit.

Circular Head Mayor Daryl Quilliam said Petuna’s interest was great news for the region, which is set to lose more than 100 jobs when the Edith Creek milk-processing factory closes.

Cr Quilliam said he understood fish farming could create about 50 jobs. “This is great news for Circular Head,” he said. “Circular Head has always been proactive when it comes to being open to investment in our area.”

Although Tassal’s plan to expand fish farming to the East Coast has been met with opposition, Cr Quilliam said he did not foresee similar conflict in Circular Head.

“I don’t believe it will be a problem at all.

“It is going to have to go through a rigorous process,” he said.

Labor primary industries spokesman Shane Broad said Labor would welcome the expansion of fish farming into the far North-West.

“Unfortunately, a lack of leadership from the Liberals has eroded community trust in the regulation of the salmon industry,” he said. “The Liberal Government must work with the community to restore and maintain trust in the industry through any expansion process.”

Meanwhile, Environment Tasmania continues to investigate whether there are legal grounds to launch an appeal against the approval, under the Commonwealth Environmental and Biodiversity Conservation Act, of Tassal’s fish farm at Okehampton Bay.

Tassal plans to have fish in the water at the site by the end of this month. Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the approval would do nothing to allay the fears of those against the fish farm.

“None of the announcements made yesterday as part of the approval will change the hearts and minds of people who want to see the East Coast fish-farm free,” she said.

Tassal has said it has no plans to move into the NorthWest.