As part of the company's plans to operate a 28-pen farm off Okehampton Bay from 2018, a new 3000 megalitre dam on the Tea Tree Rivulet has been proposed to provide the operation with fresh water. 

However, DPIPWE’s water management and assessment branch has responded to an application to take water from the rivulet during winter months by asking for “additional environmental assessments related to the allocation of water”.

A DPIPWE spokesman said the branch was yet to receive a response from the applicants and consequently could not put a timeline on when a decision would be reached.

“Timing for any determination on the application is entirely dependent upon the proponent providing additional information and the consequent assessment of that information,” the spokesman said.

“The application cannot be determined until this information is provided for assessment.” 

The spokesman said DPIPWE had not yet received an application from Tassal for a dam works permit.

Glamorgan Spring Bay mayor Michael Kent said council could neither support nor object to the salmon farm plans until it received a business plan from Tassal. 

“We can't officially say yes or no to anything until it's put on the table,” Cr Kent said. 

“From a council perspective we have to sit back and wait to see if there's a licence approved, and if it will it be used depending on the business plan.” 

The expansion plans have been met with considerable community concern since Tassal announced the plans in February.

An online petition opposing the scheme garnered 1736 signatures in about two months while the No Fish Farms in Tasmania's East Coast Facebook page has attracted 746 likes since its inception earlier this year.

The backlash prompted Tassal to hold a community information session in June, with a team of representatives visiting Triabunna to speak with concerned residents about the project.

Responses to questions received at the forum were posted on the Tassal website last week.