41 new aquaculture sites for Victorian commercial fishers
Mussel, oyster and abalone aquaculture to double production in Port Phillip Bay and Western PortThe largest ever allocation of new aquaculture sites for Port Phillip and Western Port Bay has been announced by the State Government as part of its new Victorian Aquaculture Strategy.
Besides supplying seafood, the new shellfish farms might help alleviate some of the angst in the Victorian commercial fishing industry following the reduction in scallop harvesting and the removal of pro netters from the Port Phillip Bay.
The Victorian Aquaculture Strategy is intended to keep the industry productive, sustainable and valued by the community. The Strategy, which will be in place from 2017-2022, provides a blueprint for public and private investment and action to develop the sector.
The first action of the strategy will see the release of an additional 41 crown lease sites situated within the seven existing aquaculture fisheries reserves in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port this year.
The new lease sites will be allocated via a public tender process commencing on May 1, 2017, and successful investors will be awarded long-term registered Crown leases for up to 21 years.
"Melbourne is the food and wine capital of Australia, and with 41 new
crown lease sites available, consumers can look forward to even more
premium oysters, abalone and mussels on their plate," said Minister for
Agriculture, Jaala Pulford.
The new sites are predicted to double the area available for mussel, oyster and abalone aquaculture in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port and will supply Melbourne’s restaurants and export markets.
An offshore aquaculture reserve at Portland and a land-based reserve at Point Lillias, near Geelong, are also likely to be allocated in future years.
Victorian aquaculture production is currently worth approximately $40 million annually and is expected to grow significantly with the tendering of these additional sites. Mussel farms also improve water quality through filter feeding, making a positive contribution to the ecology of Port Phillip and Western Port Bay.
"This will be the largest allocation of new sites for aquaculture ever undertaken in Victoria providing significant expansion opportunities and support for the sector," the Minister said.
"This will be great for jobs, with considerable interest from domestic and international investors keen to take advantage of Victoria’s reputation for clean and green seafood and well developed infrastructure."
More at Vic Fisheries Aquaculture page.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
