
A Tasmanian salmon giant plans to invest $12 million into its onshore capabilities in a project aimed at reducing pollutants and increasing finfish mass by 50 tonnes.
Petuna Aquaculture lodged a development application with the Northern Midlands Council for the project which would see a system upgrade including an additional "recirculated aquaculture system" at their Cressy site.
Two existing RASs at the site, off of Burmbys Creek, were installed in 2011 and 2015 and the company said they resulted in an immediate reduction in pollutants put out by the site.
The DA detailed the third RAS would reduce nitrogen pollution by 46 per cent, or 18 tonnes, and phosphorous discharge by 73 per cent, or four tonnes.
The company said the new system would improve the "environmental performance" of the site.
"The growing system represents best-practice technology to ensure optimal fish health and ... net reduction in environmental risk," the application said.
"It will also provide a net improvement in the environmental performance of the site, predominantly due to the substantial reduction in water quality pollutant mass loads discharged to Brumbys Creek."
The environmental impact statement received as part of the development application remained under assessment by the Environment Protection Agency.
The statement said the site produced 900 tonnes of by-product sludge each year that was captured by the current systems.
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Regular site production of 600 tonnes, or three million fish, was not proposed to change, however an extra 50 tonnes of on-site biomass was expected due to the new facility allowing hatchlings to grow larger before they are relocated to the company's marine farms.
The application said the proposed changes would not alter or intensify the existing site use.
Local contractors were set to be employed to undertake the project.
The DA remained open for public comment until November 2.
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