Farmed abalone
There are currently four active abalone farms in Tasmania, located in the North West, North, North East and South East. The industry has undergone significant reinvestment and growth recently, with the farms in the North West and South East reopening after a period of closure.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Abalone Growers Association, whose members are also part of the Australian Abalone Growers Association.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Abalone Growers Association, whose members are also part of the Australian Abalone Growers Association.
Salmonids
The Tasmanian salmonid aquaculture sector is made up of three main companies, Tassal, Huon Aquaculture and Petuna (which includes Van Diemen Aquaculture). These companies are fully vertically integrated, with hatcheries, nurseries, marine grow-out, processing, value adding and retail all part of the company structure.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association.
Commercial Dive
Commercial divers harvest a number of different species, including short spined sea urchin, long spined sea urchin, periwinkles, and undaria (Japanese kelp). Commercial dive species are harvested by divers using surface supply compressed air hookah gear operated mainly out of small trailerable boats.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Commercial Divers Association.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Commercial Divers Association.
Mussels
The Tasmanian mussel industry is based around the blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis). There are currently only two businesses farming mussels in Tasmania, both of which operate on the east coast. In the 2017-2018 Financial year, 602 tonnes of mussels were harvested which had an estimated value of $2.4 million.
Sector organisation: Oysters Tasmania.
Sector organisation: Oysters Tasmania.
Wildcaught abalone
Abalone divers use relatively small, trailer size vessels as a platform for harvesting abalone. These vessels may be towed to the dive location or used from a larger mother boat operation. The holder of an abalone dive licence must also have access to abalone quota.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Abalone Council Ltd.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Abalone Council Ltd.
Southern rock lobster
Approximately 75% of the rock lobster fleet is greater than 12 metres in length. By law, these vessels are required to have a skipper and a deckhand, however, there are some exemptions in place, meaning no crew is required. Majority of the remaining vessels are in the 10 – 12 m size range.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Rock Lobster Fisherman's Association.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Rock Lobster Fisherman's Association.
Processing
Seafood harvested in Tasmania will in general pass through a licenced seafood processor or fish handling facility. At a processor, product may be stored, packaged live for transport to mainland and export markets, processed for delivery to markets and/or value-added. The Tasmanian seafood processing sector works with a wide variety of product from scalefish, shellfish, and scallops, to sea urchin, rock lobster, and abalone.
Scalefish
The Tasmanian scalefish fishery includes a diverse array of licences, fishing gears and target species. Some of the species commercially targeted include: banded morwong, southern calamari, octopus, tiger flathead, school whiting, southern garfish, wrasse, Gould's squid, bastard trumpeter, blue warehou, silver warehou, flounder, silver trevally and striped trumpeter.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Scalefish Fisherman's Association.
Sector organisation: Tasmanian Scalefish Fisherman's Association.
Science & Regulation
There are many different career paths that come under science and regulation. At the end of the day, the effectiveness, safety, and growth of our seafood industry relies on good science hand in hand with good regulation. There are many different organisations operating within this space offering positions both in the field and within office spaces.
Oysters
The Tasmanian shellfish industry is based primarily on the Pacific oyster. The Pacific oyster industry produces around 4 million dozen oysters each year, with an estimated farm gate value of $24 million. Hatchery-reared juveniles are grown in one of five hatcheries. The spat is then grown to market size on a licensed marine farm, with the majority of the product being sold live to domestic markets.
Sector organisation: Oysters Tasmania.
Sector organisation: Oysters Tasmania.
