SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2015

Nitrogen Cap
Approximately five per cent of the total
feed input from Salmon farming is
released into the receiving environment
as a form of nitrogen (Wild-Allen,
2005), of which 85% is released
as dissolved nitrogen. Because
nitrogen is the limiting nutrient in the
D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Huon
Estuary, the environmental impacts
of Salmon farming in these areas are
managed by regulating the TPDNO
that enters the receiving environment
as emissions from feed input. The
determination of individual TPDNOs by
the Secretary (DPIPWE) for the Huon
Estuary and D’Entrecasteaux Channel
was a management initiative that was
implemented in response to the Aquafin
CRC Project (2002) and the Huon
Estuary Study (1996) projects.
The TPDNO was implemented in the
D’Entrecasteaux Channel Marine
Farming Development Plan area
by the Secretary (DPIPWE) in 2008
and effectively placed a cap on
the production of salmonids in this
plan area, considered to be set at
sustainable levels of feed input. Tassal
is 100% compliant with the TPDNO.
To date, we have not yet reached
our TPDNO limits specified for the
D’Entrecasteaux Channel or Huon
Estuary MFDP area.
Compliance in Marine
Operations
The legislation and regulations that
the Tasmanian Salmon industry must
comply with is complex, and includes
Commonwealth, State and Local
government components. Industry has
Total Permissible Dissolved Nitrogen Output
operated within this framework for 30
years and Tassal has been active in
the development of a contemporary
planning and regulatory environment.
The Tasmanian salmonid industry
is currently governed by almost 70
Commonwealth and State Acts. These
Acts and their subordinate regulations
serve to regulate and support the
responsible development and growth of
the industry.
In addition to these statutory obligations,
Tassal participates in or is directed by
a number of State and Commonwealth
policies and voluntary programs, for
example, an industry led voluntary
program that is internationally
recognised and considered progressive
by global Salmon industry peers,
is the Tasmanian Salmonid Health
Surveillance Program (TSHSP). This
is a joint venture between the DPIPWE
and the Tasmanian salmonid industry.
Other examples are technical or
research working groups, stakeholder
groups and industry programs.
During the reporting year, Tassal
achieved excellent compliance with
marine farming regulations across
our marine operations. We received
zero letters from DPIPWE advising us
of breaches to management control
relating to the position of navigational
markets, buoys and moorings, as
well as farming equipment outside of
our lease boundaries. No monetary
penalties were incurred nor infringement
notices issued.
Benthic and Water Quality
Management Compliance –
Marine Operations
Impacts on marine waterways can
be divided into two broad categories
- seafloor or benthic impacts (solids)
and water quality (dissolved) impacts
both near field and broadscale. Benthic
impacts are related to the deposition
of excess feed and the waste that fish
excrete to the seafloor. Soluble wastes
associated with finfish aquaculture
include ammonia, phosphates, and
dissolved organic carbon emissions.
DPIPWE marine farming licence
conditions require us to undertake
annual compliance surveys at all active
marine operation sites. These surveys
are conducted by our environmental
officers using a specialised remote
operated vehicle (ROV), which provides
video footage of the seafloor under and
near Tassal leases. For each annual
compliance survey, up to 10 dives are
completed within the lease and at least
six dives are conducted at compliance
points at a 35 metre distance from the
lease boundary.
During the reporting year, Tassal
advised DPIPWE of seven out of lease
non-compliances in Macquarie Harbour.
In response, the DPIPWE Marine
Farming Branch has set a requirement
for quarterly monitoring. This response
is designed to track these non-compliances
and provide data for the research
projects undertaken in Macquarie
Harbour, and around Tasmania (TRF
Dorvilleid project and FRDC sediment
characterisation project). This increased
frequency of monitoring will continue
for the remainder of 2015, and will be
reviewed in 2016 depending on the
outcomes.
3000
2500
2000
ROV Dives & Compliance
1500
Tassal Limit
Year
Number of
ROV Dives
Number in
Compliance
%
Compliance
1000
Total Tassal Farms
FY2013 183 180 98.3%
500
Total Tassal Channel
FY2014 122 121 99.2%
0
Tassal
Limit
2013 2014 2015
Total Tassal Huon
FY2015 329 322 97.9%
52 Tassal Sustainability Report 2015