Cage Culture of Salmonids in Lakes: Best practice and risk management for Tasmania

Abstract

Marine cage farming of salmonid fish (salmon and trout) is well established in Tasmania. There is an established regulatory framework, administered by the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (DPIWE), which controls licenses, leases and environmental conditions on cage farms and associated land-based facilities. Similarly, there is an established land-based freshwater hatchery industry primarily focussed on producing juvenile/pre-smolt fish for the marine cage sector, but also involved in producing some table fish. Again, there is a regulatory framework for this sector, with licensing, EIA and EPMP requirements, administered by DPIWE and the Inland Fisheries Commission (IFC), now the Inland Fisheries Service (IFS). The aquaculture industry is seeking the establishment of cage salmonid culture facilities at several locations in freshwater lakes. There is, at present, no specific policy or regulatory framework in relation to this development. This report has been commissioned by IFC to address several key issues including: - identification and assessment of any environmental risks, including any disease management issues, that are relevant to a decision to allow or disallow freshwater lake cage culture in Tasmania; - investigation of best practice in the cage farming sector; - proposal of a best practice environmental management approach to lake cage farming, with an emphasis on methods to reduce potential risks and impacts; - documentation of overseas experiences with freshwater cage culture.