South Australia’s State Government has introduced changes to its aquaculture regulations in a move to simplify regulatory requirements, streamline operations and reduce red tape for its AUD 225 million (USD 172.4 million, EUR 155.6 million) industry.
The new Aquaculture Regulations 2016 replace the Aquaculture Regulations 2005 and incorporate reforms identified during the aquaculture regulations review led by Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA), in consultation with aquaculture industry and community stakeholders, as well as State Government agencies.
They update, strengthen and simplify regulations in key areas, including environmental monitoring, biosecurity and risk management. Key changes include:
- Introducing a new environmental monitoring program based on internationally-recognized, best practice techniques
- Simplifying and improving stock register reporting requirements to improve stock traceability and biosecurity measures
- Elevating the development of risk management strategies to a sector-based level to reduce the regulatory burden for individual operators
- Improving public reporting of aquaculture activities to increase transparency
“These changes ensure our regulations keep up to date with a best practice approach to aquaculture management, reduce red-tape and allow greater businesses efficiencies that will have flow-on effects to the regional communities in which sectors are based,” said Dr. Heidi Alleway, general manager aquaculture policy and environment for PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture.
“As worldwide demand for seafood increases, these changes will support the South Australian aquaculture industry to expand and diversify, ensuring our state is well placed to meet the growing market demand for premium, sustainably-sourced seafood.”
South Australia’s aquaculture industry produces almost half of the state’s total seafood output and is the second largest aquaculture industry in Australia. Species farmed in the state include southern bluefin tuna, Pacific oysters, yellowtail kingfish and greenlip abalone.
