Economic contribution
To find out more about the Tasmanian Wild Fisheries Assessment, click here 
Salmon life cycle
Atlantic salmon lifecycle Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are a member of the Salmonidae family and native to the Atlantic Ocean. They are not native to Australia despite the Atlantic salmon grown in Tasmania often being referred to as Tasmanian salmon. In salmon farming, the lifecycle of the fish starts with laying down of eggs in the hatchery during the early winter months. Eggs are harvested from local broodstock. Eggs and milt are ‘stripped’ once a year by hand from brood stock that have been anaesthetised.

Eggs are fertilised and then incubated. Depending on water temperature, eggs hatch between 40 and 80 days. The incubation period is measured in ‘degree days’ (preferred temperature multiplied by the number of days incubated) and is around 450 degree days. This means that if, for example, the water temperature during incubation is 8ºC, the incubation period is around 56 days. In salmon farming, water temperature can thus be used to manage hatching time to suit the production requirements. The hatchlings — or ‘alevins’ — absorb nutrients from a yolk sac attached to their bodies. It is not until a month or more after hatching that the fish — now called ‘fry’ — are ready to eat a formulated diet. At this stage, fry are transferred to small tanks where they grow into ‘parr’. As they grow, they are transferred to larger tanks where they remain for 8 to 12 months. All this time, they are reared in fresh water.

At about 80-150gr live weight or when salmon have lost their characteristic stripy parr marks, the f ish — now called ‘smolts’ — are ready to be transferred to the sea. ‘Smoltification’ is triggered by increasing day length, so hatcheries use light and light intensity to mimic the day length changes salmon would experience in the wild as winter turns to spring. At this point they are transported in tanks from the land-based hatchery to the marine pens.

​Salmon continue to grow in their new saltwater environment where they remain until they are ready for harvest approximately 14-18 months from the time they entered the sea (at which time, the average weight of each fish is around 5kg). Atlantic salmon have a natural life span of 4 to 6 years but some can live up to 10 years. In salmon aquaculture systems, fish spend 10 to 16 months in fresh water (on land) plus 14 to 18 months in the marine pens before they are ready for harvest
Meet your tasmanian Salmon producers
SAlmon RECIPES
Salmon fun facts
  • Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is the species of salmon farmed in Tasmania.  The original bloodlines of the Salmo salar were imported from Canada in the 1960s. The first fertililsed Atlantic Salmon eggs were purchased from NSW in the 1980s. This saw the start of salmon farming in Tasmania.


  • ​Farmed salmon is a sustainable protein. It produces more fish per kilogram than what is utilised in the production process. [Tassal] 0.7kg of forage fish is needed to produce 1kg of Salmon. In contrast, wild Salmon need 10kg of forage fish for 1kg of growth.

  • Salmon feed is made up of :
  1. Fish meal and fish oil, these are sourced from forage fish which are a precious marine resource
  2. Land animal ingredients (chicken meal, blood meal and chicken oil)
  3. Vegetable ingredients (grain and protein meal)


  • The pink colour of salmon flesh, and that of sea trout, is species specific and results from the presence of carotenoid pigments. There are more than 600 naturally occurring carotenoids. For example, they produce the colours of autumn leaves. The group of carotenoids found in fish are known as xanthophylls and include astaxanthin. The red colour in salmon comes from these carotenoid pigments which are found in the fishes’ diet, in the wild these usually come from shrimp-like krill or other crustaceans that the salmon eat. Salmon extract these pigments and store in their muscles. Astaxanthin is not just a pigment, it is closely related to beta-carotene (the precursor of vitamin A), and plays a role in the fish’s immune system and acts as a powerful antioxidant, promoting the good health of the fish. As salmon are unable to synthesise these pigments, wild and farmed salmonids must take them in as part of their diet. ​
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  • Salmon is recognised as a superfood because of its nutrient profile and health-protecting qualities, making it a great way to fuel your body. The superfood status is a result of salmon containing large amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids and being low in saturated fat and calories yet high in protein.
SAlmon and the community
  • The industry directly creates around 2,300 jobs and a further 10,000 jobs indirectly. Primarily in regional communities, where the job opportunities are traditionally lower.

  • The industry supports local businesses, spending $500 million on products, equipment and transport in Tasmania each year.

  • The Tasmanian salmon industry is Australia’s most valuable seafood producer. In 2020- 2021, the industry saw a gross value of $1.18 billion.


  • All salmon farming businesses engage in marine debris clean ups and also encourage the general public to contact them if marine debris is found. . You can find out further infomation about Petuna, Tassal and Huon Aquaculture here.
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  • One in 20 Tasmanians in the workforce works either directly or indirectly in the salmon industry, making this one of Tasmania’s biggest employers and supporters of regional communities.
Where to purchase tasmanian Salmon
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Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council
117 Sandy Bay Road
SANDY BAY TAS 7005
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tsic@tsic.org.au
Phone: +61 03 6224 2332

​ABN: ​61 009 555 604
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