The school has received a Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations grant for the centre and should receive final approval of its plans by the end of this month.

The single-level centre is to be built adjacent to the new Croagh Patrick year-9 building and will feature a laboratory, hatchery tanks, workshop, classroom, aquaponics area and office.

Principal Simon Cobiac said the environmentally sustainable centre would be the only one of its type in the North for teaching secondary students interested in learning about the industry.

``We've worked with Seafood Tasmania and the Australian Maritime College in terms of what is the best way of approaching training for secondary students,'' Mr Cobiac said.

``And the strongest advice we've had is not to try and replicate what they do in industry exactly because the industry standard requirement is quite high and in terms of maintenance and equipment and expenditure.''

The centre is a co-operative venture with Launceston Christian School, Scotch Oakburn College and Launceston Church Grammar School and will be open to all year-10 students in the North.

Students will learn aquaculture processes, cycles of fish breeding and all that it involves.

Mr Cobiac said the centre would work with only freshwater species due to the cost and general ease of operations.

Any water left over from the processes would be used on the school's gardens.

Upon completion of their studies, students will attain a certificate 2 in vocational education and training.

He said there was growing interest in taking aquaculture studies at the school with 15 year-10 students taking related subjects this year and six undertaking the vocational education and training coxswain course at the Australian Maritime College.