The overarching aim of this research was to provide an improved understanding of the environmental interactions of salmon farming and to provide recommendations to both government and industry on monitoring and management strategies that are appropriate to the level of risk associated with these interactions.

06/01/2022

Salmonid aquaculture production in Macquarie Harbour (both Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar, and rainbow trout, Onchorynchus mykiss) has steadily increased from <1,000 tonnes in the early 2000’s to >20,000 tonnes in 2015/16.

06/01/2022

For the Tasmanian Salmon Industry to expand into new coastal and offshore areas it needs to demonstrate responsible stewardship and sustainable use of natural resources to maintain the support of Government agencies and the Tasmanian community.

21/04/2023

To expand into new coastal and offshore areas, the Tasmanian Salmon Industry needs to maintain the support of State Government and the Tasmanian community by clearly demonstrating responsible stewardship and sustainable use of the marine environment.

21/04/2023

This report provides an update on the status of dissolved oxygen (DO) and benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour. It follows on from the results previously outlined in the IMAS reports released through 2017 – 2020.

10/01/2020

The study aims to satisfy the regulatory requirements of Environmental Licence 10172/2 from the Tasmanian EPA around Tassal’s use of Okehampton Bay for salmonoid aquaculture, particularly the possible fate of material released within Okehampton Bay into the receiving environment.

01/01/2021

Comprehensive spatial decision-support tools can assist planning for and assessment of primary industries operating in the marine environment. Such tools require accurate, relevant and sufficient spatially-explicit information (data).

03/01/2021

Data collected through the Rapid Reefs project enabled us to better understand the functional health of reefs in the southern D’Entrecasteaux Channel, as well as establish a baseline in this region for future monitoring.

04/01/2021

This study, undertaken by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) was commenced to investigate deteriorating benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour; in particular the very low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels observed in the middle and bottom waters in spring 2016 (Ross & Macleod 2016a).

07/01/2021

This research program is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the potential interactions between salmon farming and the water column, soft-sediment, inshore reefs, deep reefs and seagrass habitats.

07/01/2021

Aquaculture releases nitrogen to the marine environment, potentially changing dynamics of local plankton populations and causing adverse impacts. Metatranscriptomics have been used to study planktonic nutrient cycles and community dynamics.

10/01/2021

In 2019, the Derwent Estuary Program (DEP) engaged IMAS to assess the functional status of inshore temperate reef ecosystems within the Derwent estuary using the rapid visual assessment (RVA) methodology.

10/01/2021

This paper analyses mediatised environmental conflict over the Tasmanian salmon aquaculture industry's performance. It compares the Senate Inquiry into the “Regulation of the fin-fish aquaculture industry in Tasmania”, the influential Four Corners investigative journalism television program ‘Big Fish’ and news media coverage following each of these mediatised public investigations.

02/01/2019

The strategic growth of the Tasmanian Salmonid Industry is contingent upon ecologically sustainable development. Current Tasmanian production is not meeting domestic demand, and the industry is in the process of expanding farming operations to meet strategic growth targets.

11/01/2021

A major storm event in southern Tasmania during May 2018 resulted in substantial damage to salmonid farming infrastructure located off the east coast of Bruny Island and the escape of an estimated 120,000 Atlantic salmon.

03/01/2019

Two major escapes of farmed Atlantic salmon occurred in south-eastern Tasmania during late 2020. The first involved the loss of an estimated 50,000-52,000 fish with an average weight of about 4 kg and the second, nine days later, the loss of 120,000-130,000 fish averaging about 550 g in weight.

12/01/2021

This report comes from the Tasmanian Global Salmon Symposium partnership and reflects the international conference, Planning for a Blue Future, that was held in Hobart in December 2017. It contains information about the conference, provides a record of the knowledge shared at workshops and provides a summary discussion on each of the three themes of the conference: Future Farming, Biosecurity, and Environment.

04/01/2019

This report is an evaluation of one of the largest longer term data sets of water quality collected in a major waterway in Australia in recent years. Storm Bay at the mouth of the River Derwent, Tasmania, was sampled monthly for five years 2009-2015 for water quality – physical characteristics, nutrients, and phyto- and zoo-plankton - by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania.

01/01/2022

This report provides an ongoing update on the status of dissolved oxygen (DO) and benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour. It follows on from the results previously outlined in the IMAS reports released throughout 2017 and 2018

07/01/2019

This study was commissioned by the Department of Primary Industries (DPIPWE), Tasmanian Abalone Council (TAC) and representatives of the Tasmanian salmonid farming industry (Tassal Pty. Ltd and Huon Aquaculture Pty. Ltd) to establish whether salmon farming has a major contribution to sedimentation on reef ecosystems in farming regions and to determine what analyses and methods might be most appropriate for detecting fish farm signatures.

01/01/2022

The main aim of the project is to develop and trial a spatial assessment decision support tool that identifies potentially competing resource uses which may pose challenges under different development scenarios within the marine environment.

01/01/2020

This report provides an ongoing update on the status of dissolved oxygen (DO) and benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour. It follows on from the results previously outlined in the IMAS reports released through 2017 - 2019.

02/01/2020

This research program is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the potential interactions between salmon farming and the water column, soft-sediment, inshore reefs, deep reefs and seagrass habitats.

07/01/2020

Maugean Skate (Zearaja maugeana) are only known from two isolated estuarine systems located on the west coast of Tasmania, representing one of most restricted distributions of any elasmobranch.

10/01/2020

This report provides an update on the status of dissolved oxygen and benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour. It follows on from the results reported in the IMAS reports released in January and May 2017 which described the deterioration of benthic and water column conditions in Macquarie Harbour in spring 2016 and subsequent observations in early 2017, respectively.

10/01/2017

The salmon farming industry has significantly expanded in the last decade in South-eastern Tasmanian both in production (total production from Tasmania now estimated at 55,000 tonnes per annum) and in number and location of farms.

02/01/2018

This report provides an update on the status of dissolved oxygen (DO) and benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour. It follows on from the results reported in the IMAS reports released in January, May and September 2017 which described a deterioration of benthic and water column conditions in Macquarie Harbour in spring 2016 and some early signs of faunal recovery observed in May 2017.

02/01/2018

This report provides an update on the status of dissolved oxygen (DO) and benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour. It follows on from the results reported in the IMAS reports released in January, May and September 2017 which described a deterioration of benthic and water column conditions in Macquarie Harbour in spring 2016 and some early signs of faunal recovery observed in May 2017

02/01/2018

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06/01/2015

Aquaculture, like most farming practices, has the potential to impact the environment through the introduction of nutrients; nitrogen (N) in particular can have an impact as it generally limits primary productivity of coastal marine systems.

03/01/2018

Not supplied

06/01/2015

This report provides an update on the status of dissolved oxygen (DO) and benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour. It follows on from the results outlined in the IMAS reports released in January, May, September 2017 and January 2018.

07/01/2018

The present study, undertaken by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, represents the first major investigation of the ecology and biology of the endangered Maugean Skate (Zearaja maugeana).

02/01/2016

A 3D ecosystem model was used to quantify changes in water quality brought about by salmon aquaculture in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and Huon Estuary in southeast Tasmania.

08/01/2018

The salmonid aquaculture industry is worth about $400 million to the Tasmanian economy and directly employs over 1200 people. This industry has plans to double production by 2030, which will require finding new localities for farms that are conducive to large scale production.

03/01/2016

This report provides an update on the status of dissolved oxygen (DO) and benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour. It follows on from the results outlined in the IMAS reports released in January, May, September 2017 and January and June 2018.

12/01/2018

The production of marine protein from fishing and aquaculture is influenced by environmental conditions. Ocean temperature, for example, can change the growth rate of cultured animals, or the distribution of wild stocks.

04/01/2016

This project was developed in response to questions raised by the salmon industry about the potential for adverse impacts on macroalgae as a result of the additional nutrient inputs from farming operations in marine systems.

06/01/2016

The strategic growth of the Tasmanian Salmonid Industry is contingent upon ecologically sustainable development. Current Tasmanian production is not meeting domestic demand, and the industry is in the process of expanding farming operations to meet strategic growth targets.

09/01/2016

The combined biomarker approach (C:N, isotopes, fatty acids and genomics) provided valuable insight into the source, composition and transformation of organic matter in the harbour

09/01/2016

The expansion of salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour is contingent upon ecologically sustainable development. Underpinning such development are management regimes designed to regulate and minimise the impact of farming on the benthic environment.

10/01/2016

The Macquarie Harbour water column is highly stratified due to the significant freshwater inputs from the Gordon and King Rivers, deep central basin (maximum depth ~ 50m) and shallow sill at its mouth (<5 m) that restricts exchanges with the ocean.

02/01/2017

This report provides an update on the status of dissolved oxygen and benthic conditions in Macquarie Harbour. It follows on from the results reported in the IMAS report released in January 2017 which described the deterioration of benthic and water column conditions in Macquarie Harbour in spring 2016.

05/01/2017

To understand dispersal and assimilation of aquaculture waste subsidies in a naturally low-productivity environment, we applied a novel, rapid transmethylation technique to analyse sediment and biota fatty acid composition.

07/01/2017

This study was undertaken at the instigation and with the collaboration of the Tasmanian Salmon Aquaculture industry, the Department of Primary Industry, Water and Environment (DPIWE) and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC).

08/01/2004

Farm based monitoring has shown copper concentrations in sediments under salmon farms in the Huon and D’Entrecasteaux Channel are elevated relative to background conditions as a result of long-term use of copper-based antifoulants.

05/01/2014

This study was undertaken to fill a significant gap in our understanding of the system ecology of the two main estuaries in southern Tasmania and to provide baseline information to assist in the ongoing management of these systems.

11/01/2005

Not supplied

06/01/2014

This report covers the work of project CRC 4.2 (FRDC 2001-097). This is part of a 7- year program which will be completed through project CRC 4.2(2) (FRDC 2004-074) by mid-2008.

01/01/2006

The strategic growth of the Tasmanian Salmonid Industry over the next decade is contingent upon ecologically sustainable development in Macquarie Harbour. In coastal bays and estuaries, it is well known that sediment - water column interactions are a major driver of ecosystem condition and health.

05/01/2015

This scoping study was conducted under the Australian Government’s National Agriculture & Climate Change Action Plan: Implementation Programme1 which identifies and supports initiatives for coordinated action on climate change.

12/01/2008

The strategic growth of the Tasmanian Salmonid Industry over the next decade is contingent upon ecologically sustainable development in Macquarie Harbour. In coastal bays and estuaries, it is well known that sediment - water column interactions are a major driver of ecosystem condition and health.

05/01/2015

The salmonid aquaculture industry depends on a healthy and suitable marine environment to maintain production and profitability. Over recent years, the industry has faced a number of environmental challenges, including algal blooms, jellyfish swarms, warm waters and high salinities.

04/01/2009

Commercial in confidence. To know more about this project please contact FRDC.

02/01/2010

This project has established a basline assessment program for water quality and productivity in Storm Bay, and collected environmental data monthly for 12 months. These data are important towards understanding climate variability and assessing the longer term impacts of climate change in the region.

08/01/2011

Not supplied

09/01/2011

Information about the future will be useful if decisions can be modified on the basis of that information. For a range of industries, environmental conditions can impact on business activities and hence profitability.

10/01/2011

Commercial in confidence. To know more about this project please contact FRDC.

01/01/2012

The Tasmanian salmonid industry is planning for a significant expansion of salmon aquaculture in Macquarie Harbour. This will result in an increase in nutrients – nitrogen and phosphorous – from salmon farming waste products into the environment.

12/01/2012

The Tasmanian salmonid aquaculture industry is the largest seafood sector in Australia. In the 2010 – 2011 financial year the industry produced 32,328t of salmonids with a farm gate value of $379 million.

01/01/2013

This study was undertaken to assess the Gunpowder Jetty site(Marine Farm lease No.76) 10 years after it was finally vacated to determine whether the benthic, visual and physicalchemical conditions were consistent with background conditions and to what extent the system has recovered.

04/01/2013

Not supplied

05/01/2013

The Broadscale Environmental Monitoring Program (BEMP) provides a comprehensive assessment of ecological condition in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Huon Estuary.

12/01/2013

Farm based monitoring has shown copper concentrations in sediments under salmon farms in the Huon and D’Entrecasteaux Channel are elevated relative to background conditions as a result of long-term use of copper-based antifoulants.

05/01/2014