Permits authorise specific activities that can take place in Tasmanian marine State waters that are activities not otherwise permitted under the Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995 and include conditions relating to the authorised activity.
Acquiring a Permit
Any person can apply for a permit. In aquaculture, permits are typically issued to scientific researchers, community and educational groups, and aquaculture operators, to trial new initiatives, farming techniques and research activities.
Factors the Aquaculture Branch considers when assessing permits include legislative requirements, resource sustainability, environmental interactions and costs and benefits of the proposed activities. These factors, where relevant, should be addressed as part of the permit application process.
Under the Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995, the Minister for Primary Industries and Water may be required to consult with relevant fishing bodies as part of the permit assessment process.
Approval of permit applications or re-issuing of a permit for the same activity is not guaranteed. As permits are only issued for a period of up to 12 months, applicants are advised to exercise caution when investing in an operation based on access provided under a permit.
Permit Fees
Marine farming permits may be subject to a fee. This is determined during the permit assessment process and is generally based on the nominated permit purpose, and potential commercial benefit that the permit may provide.
If applicable, an application fee will be invoiced prior to or at the time a permit is being issued.
How to Apply
As a first step, applicants may want to review the
existing Marine Farming Development Plans to determine if a plan covers the area of interest. The respective plan may contain information relevant to the permit application including marine farming zones, allocated species and management controls.
Before proceeding further, applicants are then advised to contact the Aquaculture Branch.
As every application is different, a staff member will explain the process in full and discuss options specific to individual permit applications.
More information
The legislative and legal frameworks and related processes have been developed to provide for marine aquaculture research activities in adjacent Commonwealth waters. Aquaculture activities in these areas will be regulated and managed by the Tasmanian Government.