Regulation of the fin-fish aquaculture industry in Tasmania

160 Pages·2015·1.11 MB·English

The Senate

Environment and Communications
References Committee
Regulation of the fin-fish aquaculture industry
in Tasmania

August 2015
© Commonwealth of Australia 2015
ISBN 978-1-76010-276-0

Committee address
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.aph.gov.au/senate_ec

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0
Australia License.

The details of this licence are available on the Creative Commons
website: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/au/.

This document was printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House, Canberra
Committee membership

Committee members
Senator Anne Urquhart, Chair ALP, Tasmania
Senator Anne Ruston, Deputy Chair LP, South Australia
Senator Joe Bullock ALP, Western Australia
Senator James McGrath LP, Queensland
Senator the Hon Lisa Singh ALP, Tasmania
Senator Larissa Waters AG, Queensland

Substitute member for this inquiry
Senator Peter Whish-Wilson (AG, Tasmania) for Senator Larissa Waters
(AG, Queensland)

Participating member for this inquiry
Senator Jacquie Lambie IND, Tasmania

Committee secretariat
Ms Christine McDonald, Committee Secretary
Mr Colby Hannan, A/g Principal Research Officer
Ms Fattimah Imtoual, Senior Research Officer
Ms Kirstyanne Cattanach, Research Officer
Mrs Dianne Warhurst, Administrative Officer

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iv
Table of Contents
Committee membership ................................................................................... iii
List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................vii
Chapter 1 - Introduction .................................................................................... 1
Conduct of the inquiry ............................................................................................ 1
Acknowledgement .................................................................................................. 2
Structure of the report ............................................................................................. 2
Chapter 2 - Overview of the fin-fish aquaculture industry in Tasmania ...... 3
Development of the fin-fish aquaculture industry in Tasmania ............................. 3
State government regulatory framework ................................................................ 5
Research and development ................................................................................... 11
International certification of the industry ............................................................. 13
Community perception ......................................................................................... 18
Chapter 3 - Waterway health data .................................................................. 21
Introduction .......................................................................................................... 21
Adequacy and availability of data on waterway health ........................................ 21
Issues raised in relation to waterway health monitoring ...................................... 24
Committee comment ............................................................................................ 39
Chapter 4 - Impact of fin-fish aquaculture on waterway health .................. 43
Waterway health in Tasmania .............................................................................. 43
Issues concerning waterway health in Tasmania ................................................. 47
Threatened and endangered species ..................................................................... 58
Marine debris ........................................................................................................ 67
Chapter 5 - Environmental planning and regulation
of the fin-fish industry ...................................................................................... 73
Adequacy of the environmental planning and regulation .................................... 73
Independence of decision making ........................................................................ 74
Marine Farming Planning Review Panel .............................................................. 76
Lack of integration of the planning process ......................................................... 79
Merit review mechanisms ..................................................................................... 82

v
Adequacy of resourcing ........................................................................................ 83
Committee comment ............................................................................................ 84
Chapter 6 - Interaction of state and federal laws and regulations ............... 87
Commonwealth regulation ................................................................................... 87
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ...................... 87
Expansion of farming in Macquarie Harbour and application of the EPBC Act . 90
Committee comment .......................................................................................... 104
Chapter 7 - The fin-fish industry's contribution to the Tasmanian
economy and employment .............................................................................. 107
Economic value of the fin-fish aquaculture industry ......................................... 107
Jobs, skills and workforce development ............................................................. 110
Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 116
Chapter 8 - Possible impact of fin-fish aquaculture on human health ...... 117
Impact on nearby communities .......................................................................... 117
Other possible impacts on human health ............................................................ 122
Committee view .................................................................................................. 126
Government Senators' Additional Comments ............................................. 127
Australian Greens' Dissenting Report .......................................................... 129
Appendix 1 - Submissions, tabled documents, additional information
and answers to questions taken on notice ..................................................... 139
Appendix 2 - Public hearings ......................................................................... 143
Appendix 3 - The regulation of aquaculture in other jurisdictions ........... 145

vi
List of Abbreviations

ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics
APVMA Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
ASC Aquaculture Stewardship Council
BAP Best Aquaculture Practice
BEMP Broadscale Environmental Monitoring Program
BOD biochemical oxygen demand
CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation
DEA Doctors for the Environment Australia
DO dissolved oxygen
DPIPWE Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and
Environment (TAS)
DSS Decision Support System
EA Environmental Assessment
EDO Environmental Defenders Office
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
EPA Environment Protection Authority (TAS)
EPBC Act Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
Act 1999
FHI Fish Health Inspectorate
FRDC Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
FTE Full-time equivalent
GRI Global Reporting Initiative
GSI Global Salmonid Initiative
HDPE high density polyethylene
HVTTC Huon Valley Trade Training Centre
IMAS Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
IMS Invasive Marine Species
LMRMA Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995 (TAS)
LUPAA Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (TAS)

vii
MFDPs Marine Farming Development Plans
MFP Act Marine Farming Planning Act 1995 (TAS)
MHEMP Macquarie Harbour Environmental Monitoring Plan
MHMFDP Macquarie Harbour Marine Farming Development Plan
MIC Marine Inspection Cleaner
NRM Natural Resource Management
NRS national residue survey
NWQMS National Water Quality Management Strategy
PCBs polychlorinated biphenyls
RD&E research, development and extension
RMPS Resource Management and Planning System
SALTAS Salmon Enterprise of Tasmania Pty Ltd
STT Seafood Training Tasmania
TasFRAB Tasmanian Fisheries Research Advisory Body
Tassal Tassal Group Ltd
TPC Tasmanian Planning Commission
TSFA Tasmanian Scalefish Fisherman's Association
TSGA Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association
TSGA-IPA Industry Partnership Agreement
UTAS University of Tasmania
WQIP Water Quality Improvement Plans

viii
Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 On 24 March 2015, the Senate referred the following matter for to the
Environment and Communications References Committee (the committee) for inquiry
and report:
The regulation of the fin-fish aquaculture industry in Tasmania, with particular
regard to:
(a) the adequacy and availability of data on waterway health;
(b) the impact on waterway health, including to threatened and endangered
species;
(c) the adequacy of current environmental planning and regulatory mechanisms;
(d) the interaction of state and federal laws and regulation;
(e) the economic impacts and employment profile of the industry; and
(f) any other relevant matters.1
1.2 The committee was initially required to report by 10 August 2015. However,
on 10 August 2015, the Senate granted an extension of time to report until 18 August
2015. On 18 August 2015, the Senate agreed to a further extension of time to report
until 21 August 2015.
Conduct of the inquiry
1.3 The committee advertised the inquiry on its website and in The Australian
newspaper. The committee also wrote to relevant organisations and individuals
inviting submissions by 1 June 2015. The committee received 103 submissions, which
were published on the committee's website and are listed at Appendix 1.
1.4 The committee held public hearings relating to its inquiry in Hobart on 15 and
16 July 2015. As well as witnesses from organisations and the Tasmanian
Government, the committee allocated time during the hearing on 15 July for
individuals who had provided submissions, with an opportunity to make short
statements to the committee. A list of witnesses who appeared at the hearings may be
found at Appendix 2.

1 Journals of the Senate, 2013–15, No. 88–24 March 2015, p. 2371.
2
1.5 On 14 July 2015, the committee undertook an inspection of Tassal's
Rockwood hatchery, a tour of fish farming activities on the Huon River and an
inspection of Tassal's Huonville Smokehouse. While undertaking its tour of the Huon
River, the committee was able to watch monitoring activities being conducted by
Aquenal Pty Ltd.
1.6 The committee wishes to thank the Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association
Ltd, Tassal Group, Huon Aquaculture, Petuna Seafoods Tasmania and Aquenal Pty
Ltd for their assistance in facilitating the committee's inspection. The inspection was
invaluable in providing the committee with an understanding of the operation of the
salmonid industry and the way in which companies integrate activities from hatchery
to processing the end product.
Acknowledgement
1.7 The committee would like to thank all the organisations, individuals and
government departments that contributed to the inquiry.
Structure of the report
1.8 This chapter outlines the conduct of the inquiry. Chapter 2 sets out
background information relating to the fin-fish aquaculture industry in Tasmania, the
Tasmanian Government regulatory framework, research and development activities,
third-party certification of the fin-fish companies and public perception of the industry
in Tasmania.
1.9 Chapters 3 and 4 address waterway health. Issues covered in chapter 3 include
adequacy of monitoring, access to information and independence of monitoring,
analysis and research. The discussion in chapter 4 canvasses issues including in-water
cleaning of nets, broadscale impacts on rocky reefs and hatcheries on inland rivers.
This chapter also includes comments on threatened and endangered species and
marine debris.
1.10 Chapter 5 outlines the current environmental planning and regulatory
mechanisms pertaining to the fin-fish aquaculture industry and the adequacy of these
mechanisms.
1.11 Chapter 6 canvasses the interaction of state and federal laws and regulation
and, in particular, comments on fin-fish aquaculture in Macquarie Harbour.
1.12 Chapter 7 examines the fin-fish aquaculture industry's contribution to the
Tasmanian economy and employment.
1.13 Chapter 8 examines issues related to the possible impact of the fin-fish
aquaculture industry on human health.