Aquaculture operators must report and remove marine farming debris in a timely manner, to reduce the risk of navigational safety, marine wildlife and environment hazards.
What is Marine Farming Debris?
Marine farming debris is any aquaculture equipment located in state waters outside of a marine farming lease area, including the shoreline, without authorisation.
Examples of marine farming debris includes buoys, pipes, ropes, oyster baskets and associated equipment components that have come adrift from aquaculture operations.
Marine farming debris can injure marine wildlife, cause hazards to navigational safety, threaten natural habitats and interfere with surrounding aquaculture operations.
Managing Marine Farming Debris
The risks and hazards associated with marine farming debris can be reduced through the timely reporting of debris and management strategies implemented by the Department. Aquaculture operators must:
- report loss of marine farming equipment and make all reasonable efforts to recover marine farming debris as soon as is reasonably possible
ensure that all floating aquaculture equipment is identifiable (finfish only)
supply to the Department a register identifying the equipment (finfish only)
notify Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST) of any hazards to navigation.
To ensure compliance as part of its Compliance and Inspection Program, the Aquaculture Branch also conducts regular shoreline inspections and marine farming equipment audits.
Marine farming equipment located outside of a lease area is a breach of s. 94(1)(b) of the
Marine Farming Planning Act 1995. When applicable, authorised officers will take compliance action, which may include an infringement notice and fine.
Reporting Marine Farming Debris
Marine farming debris outside of a lease area, for example, on the water or washed up on the shoreline should be reported to the Department as soon as possible.
If marine farming debris is collected at the time of sighting, please retain a sample to enable further investigation. Taking photographs of the debris can also help assist with an investigation.
Marine farming debris can be reported via the following methods:
Marine farming debris that poses a navigational hazard
If you see marine farming debris that poses a navigational hazard, contact Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST) on 0418 145 439.
Whale, dolphin or seal (dead or alive) is entangled in marine farming debris
If a whale, dolphin or seal (dead or alive) is entangled in marine farming debris, contact the Department’s
Marine Conversation Program via the whale hotline 1427 WHALES (0427 942 537). Do not attempt to disentangle the animal. Wild animals can present a significant safety risk.
All other marine farming debris
All other marine farming debris should be reported via:
Instructions for using the DECKEE boating app
The Department, together with MAST and the Environment Protection Authority have partnered with DECKEE to develop incident reporting functionality on the DECKEE app.
Users of the app are now able to report incidents and hazards including oil spill, navigational safety issues and marine farming debris in real time, allowing government agencies to receive accurate and timely information to aid swift response effort.
Users just press and hold on the map to drop a pin on the incident location, then select the type of incident (‘marine farming debris’), then follow the prompts.
The DECKEE boating app is available for free to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.