Guy Barnett, Minister for Primary Industries and Water and Roger Jaensch, Minister for Environment,
The Tasmanian Government is committed to a vibrant and sustainable aquaculture industry – one that strives to be world leading, innovative and underpinned by strong regulation.
The public is invited to have their say on the development of three new aquaculture standards that will support the sustainability of aquaculture industries in Tasmania. These proposed new standards will offer certainty and transparency to all farmers, regulators and the community alike.
The standards aim to provide a contemporary, best practice framework that ensures consistency and streamlining of regulation across all sectors, while also building on existing voluntary measures undertaken by the industry.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) is progressing consultation on the development of proposed standards that are part of a continuous improvement process that build on existing regulatory requirements for our sustainable industry and are an action arising from the Sustainable Industry Growth Plan for the Salmon Industry (2017).
The proposed standards are designed to enhance finfish farming biosecurity management, improve environmental regulation, and ensure state-wide consistency of marine farming management controls across all aquaculture sectors.
Once finalised, ongoing compliance with the standards will be monitored by NRE Tas and the independent Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
The development of the new 10-Year Salmon Plan has also begun, with early engagement with key stakeholders to commence in coming weeks, with formal public consultation opportunities to follow shortly after.
The new 10-Year Plan, which will come into effect in early 2023, will look to establish new long-term actions that support a vision for our sustainable industry, and which continues to support Tasmanian jobs and businesses across the supply chain.
For a copy of the proposed salmon biosecurity standards, proposed marine farming management controls, marine finfish environmental standard position paper, along with supporting documents and information on how to provide comment on the three areas of consultation, including on how feedback will be used, please visit: www.nre.tas.gov.au/aquaculturestandards.
Public consultation on the proposed new standards is open for six weeks, with comments closing on at 11.59pm on 20 May 2022.
