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The proposal is
currently being assessed by Aquaculture SA and the
Development Assessment Commission, and a decision
from them is expected to come within three to four
weeks.
"We have spent
considerable time and resources looking for
aquaculture sites in various parts of Australia
and the decision to focus on Wallaroo was
influenced by both assistance from PIRSA, and the
strong local support we received - from the Yorke
Regional Development Board staff and from the
District Council of the Copper Coast", commented
Flinders Seafoods Pty Ltd Company Director, Peter
Brierley.
"Mayor Paul Thomas
and CEO John Shane, and Development Board CEO
Warwick Welsh and aquaculture specialist Matthew
Muggleton, have all gone out of their way to
assist us", Mr Brierley said, "and we appreciate
this support".
Mr Brierley said
other reasons for choosing the Wallaroo area
included site potential, environmental
considerations, licence requirements, the
excellent local port facilities and the
availability of labour, land, power, water and
transport.
Mr Brierley was
keen to stress, once the development licence was
granted, the actual shellfish growth potential of
the sites had to be established before commercial
mussel production could start. That was expected
to take 12 to 18 months from the time the
development licence was granted.
He said all six
sites - located approximately 12 kilometres south
west offshore from Wallaroo - would be developed
in stages, with the company hoping to produce
between 2,000 and 3,000 tonnes of Blue mussels per
year. Additional processing and adding value to
part of the crop for export was also envisaged.
The project
involves establishing processing and farm support
operations, with its worth at full operation
estimated at between $6 and $8 million.
"The Wallaroo area
shows advantageous characteristics for mussel
farming, considering Blue mussels are native to
the area and good settlement can be seen on the
Wallaroo jetty pylons", said Matthew Muggleton,
Aquaculture Technical Support Officer for Yorke
Regional Development Board.
He said the
proposal, if approved and subsequent trials were
successful, had the potential to do for Wallaroo
what tuna had done for Port Lincoln.
"If approved, this
proposal will be the biggest shellfish approval in
South Australia", he said.
"Although there is
considerable work to be done, this proposal
highlights a very exciting opportunity for
aquaculture in our region", added Warwick Welsh,
CEO of Yorke Regional Development Board.
"The Board has
worked extensively with the New Zealand proponent
over the past 12 months in all facets of this
project and, should they be successful with their
application, will continue working with them
during the trial period."
He said the Board
has liaised with a cross-section of local fishing
industry representatives regarding the site
locations, and feedback had been positive.
Minister for
Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, the Hon. Paul
Holloway, confirms the Aquaculture Tenure
Allocation Board had recommended the sites be
granted to Flinders Seafood Pty Ltd.
Mr Holloway said
the company was a consortium of successful marine
farmers, processors, and marketers, and is a firm
with a successful investment and project
management record in primary industry developments
in New Zealand and internationally.
"PIRSA
Aquaculture's assessment will examine the
potential environmental and socio-economic issues
associated with the proposal and, in addition, the
Environmental Protection Authority will make an
assessment to ensure the development will not
cause any significant environmental harm to the
area", Mr Holloway said.
General Manager for
Aquaculture SA, Ian Nightingale, confirms many of
the decisions regarding the project have been
made, and the next step is working through
environmental assessments.
He said he foresees
"nothing to upset" the project, and adds "that the
real exciting thing for this State, and Yorke
Peninsula, is the expertise this group will bring
to the State, which will flow-on benefit the
region". |
