Marine Farming Operations

​​​​​​The DRAFT Standardised Marine Farming Management Controls (‘DRAFT Standardised Controls’) are intended as a uniform and contemporary set of management controls to replace the management controls in existing Marine Farming Development Plans (the Plans).

The DRAFT Standardised Controls primarily:

  • remove anomalies between the management controls in the various plans; and

  • update management controls in older Plans with contemporary controls.

They are intended to provide:

  • consistency for the aquaculture industry across all Plans, where operators can work in accordance with the same controls across all areas;

  • greater efficiency in regulation, where the Department can regulate to a uniform management framework;

  • more effective stakeholder engagement about regulation of marine farming; and

  • continuous improvement by ensuring all Plans apply management controls that are consistent with contemporary management practices.

It is intended these Standardised Controls will apply to all marine farming activities in Tasmanian State waters, including farming of finfish, shellfish and seaweeds. The Standardised Controls do not, and are not, intended to reduce the marine farming controls that apply to any Plan.
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The Department has prepared the DRAFT Standardised Marine Farming Management Controls, along with a Background Paper to the Standardised Controls, and a Questions and Answers Information sheet.

As part of the new Aquaculture standards approach, compatibility across proposed measures has also been considered during the preparation of the DRAFT Biosecurity Program​ and Introducing an Environmental Standard for Marine Finfish Farming – Position Paper.

 Standardised Marine Farming Management Controls - Background Paper (PDF 1Mb)

 DRAFT Standardised Marine Farming Management Controls (PDF 1Mb)

 Questions and Answers Information Sheet for Standardised Marine Farming Management Controls (PDF 261Kb)

Submissions were sought specifically in relation to the DRAFT Standardised Controls. Matters that are outside this scope may be raised as part of the development of the Government’s 10-year Salmon Plan.​


​​Next Steps

Submissions closed on 20 June 2022. ​Submissions may be published in accordance with the Tasmanian G​overnment’s Public Submissions Policy​. ​

The Department will prepare a report containing:​

  • a response from the Department in relation to any major issue raised in each submission; and​

  • the Department’s statement of its opinion as to the merit of each submission and the impact on the draft Standardised Controls as a whole

Once the Standard is finalised, the Government intends​ to progress amendments to all fourteen Plans to incorporate the Standardised Controls. These amendments would follow the processes specified in the Marine Farming Planning Act 1995. ​​​