Land-based fish farming the future

PLANS revealed by Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest for a new land-based aquaculture facility have been labelled as a game-changer by staunch critics of Tasmania’s seabased salmon industry.

Dr Forrest said his company Tattarang would commit to developing the landbased facility, with project scoping and feasibility studies already under way.

The investment, anticipated to be more than $100m, has been described by Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection’s Peter George as sounding “the death knell of the highly destructive sea-based Tasmanian salmon industry”.

“Unless Tasmania’s salmon industry starts an immediate transition to land-based production, their environmentally destructive sea-based methods will doom their very future – and the Tasmanian jobs that go with it,” Mr George said.

“That means out of the sea and on to land now. Anything less will risk Dr Forrest’s clean, green fish being heavily marketed against Tasmania’s dirty salmon with the irreparable brand damage to Tasmania that will ensue.”

Booker Prize-winning author Richard Flanagan, who took aim at the Tasmanian aquaculture industry in his book Toxic: the Rotting Underbelly of the Tasmanian Salmon Industry, also welcomed Dr Forrest’s announcement.

“It is in accord with what the Tasmanian community has consistently asked for: land-based fin fish farming,” Flanagan said.

Dr Forrest said the landbased facility would provide consumers choice to support products produced sustainably and without impacting the environment.

He has put the heat on the new owners to commit to animal welfare and environmental sustainability.

JBS is set to take control of the Tasmanian salmon company on Friday, after the Foreign Investment Review Board ticked off on the move on Monday.

Shareholders will vote on the $500m acquisition on Friday at the agreed rate of $3.85 a share.

Dr Forrest, whose company Tattarang increased its holding from 4 per cent to 18.5 per cent, had promised to keep an eye on Huon’s environmental behaviour.

“My message to these massive protein producers remains clear: your animals deserve NPNF [no pain, no fear] in their life cycle, and your customers expect you to change the management of your business to accommodate this,’’ he said.

JBS Australia chief executive Brent Eastwood said the company “unequivocally supports the principle of ‘no pain, no fear’ animal welfare across its global operations”.

Mr Eastwood said JBS would uphold high standards of fish health and sustainable farming practices.