Guy Barnett,Minister for Primary Industries and Water
The Tasmanian Government is supporting the Tasmanian seafood processing sector and today grants worth more than $740,000 were awarded to help the sector diversify and invest in value-adding infrastructure.
Through the Government’s Wild Fisheries Action Plan, 10 successful businesses have been granted between $44,500 and $80,000 each to encompass value-adding and diversification.
The 10 projects supported in this first round include high-grade freezing for product quality and diversification; business diversification to local sales and marketing; innovative high-grade abalone processing facilities; and the holding, processing, and packaging of rock lobster.
The Tasmanian Government committed $2 million over two years for a Wild Fisheries Action Plan to support the seafood sector. This reflects the fact that the seafood sector has been particularly hard hit by COVID-19, ongoing access restrictions to key export markets and limitations in the chain of supply.
The Seafood Processor Grants program has been developed to support Tasmanian seafood processors to innovate and invest in new infrastructure and to supply products to emerging and established markets.
The Tasmanian seafood industry is a key part of the economy of Tasmania. With the support of these grants, local Tasmanian seafood processors will be able to realign business operations to meet future processing needs, and in doing so support the wider Tasmanian fishing sector.
The successful applicants are:
- ABTEC
- Ashmore Foods Tasmania
- Banjofish Pty Ltd (trading as Kyeema Seafoods)
- KS Seafoods
- Peter and Una Seafoods
- Redrock Lobster
- SALCO
- Tasmanian Seafoods (Smithton)
- Triabunna Lobster Pty Ltd and
- Trigonia Seafoods (trading as Lobster Shack Tasmania)
All businesses were required to provide a level of co-funding to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to the seafood sector.
