Saw this on the news and had to look it up for a giggle.
I think its a good thing that tassal are trying something to improve the situation and it may be more than just public goodwill, as long the expense doesn't blow out.
Could there be extra benefits to the fish catching poop tarp, does it reduce seal strikes ? can tassal sell it as fertiliser?
The EPA seem onboard with it, with some minor adjustments.
Anatinus
Tassal plan to put treated waste water back into Macquarie Harbour raises concerns
By
Tim Morgan
Updated yesterday at 4:09pm
PHOTO: Tassal has already tested a tarp to collect fish waste in March, and will now begin a four-week trial. (Supplied: Tassal)
RELATED STORY: EPA boss defends Tassal waste capture system approval
RELATED STORY: MP Adam Brooks backs fishermen's call to end Tassal's seal dumping
MAP: Strahan 7468
Salmon giant Tassal has outlined plans to temporarily dump treated liquid waste extracted from its Macquarie Harbour salmon pens back into the harbour.
In a submission sent to the Federal Government for approval, Tassal stated it intended to pump waste from its pens directly to a purpose fitted ex-navy vessel from as early as next month.
On board, the waste would be separated and disinfected before the treated liquid would be discharged in the Kelly Channel, two kilometres inside the harbour's narrow entrance known as Hells Gates.
Meanwhile, the solid emissions from the pens would be transported to an approved land-based disposal facility.
The six-month plan has been proposed to run from November 2017 to May 2018, with Tassal predicting just a "relatively small" amount of discharge would be put put back into the harbour.
How salmon farming pushed Macquarie Harbour to the limit
A timeline of salmon farming on Tasmania's west coast
The company expected to discharge 867 to 1,531 cubic metres a month.
At the high end of that range, that would equate to about 3.5 Olympic swimming pools of treated waste water discharged over six months.
Environment Tasmania has raised concerns about the initiative and its impact on the endangered maugean skate in the harbour.
"Seventy-seven maugean skate have been recorded within 10 kilometres of Tassal's preferred waste discharge point," strategy director Laura Kelly said.
"The entire reason this waste has been removed from the harbour is to prevent further damage to the skate.
"At this point Tassal's application has insufficient information to demonstrate that their waste will not cause further harm to oxygen levels and protected species in Macquarie Harbour.
"Putting more concentrated waste back into the harbour after it's been taken out of the harbour doesn't really pass the pub test.
"It will dilute, but there are concerns about the impact it will have on localised water quality in an endangered species habitat."
In response, Tassal's accused Environment Tasmania of "jumping the gun", saying the proposal is in its early stages.
PHOTO: A condition of salmon farming's expansion in Macquarie Harbour was that the maugean skate would not be adversely affected. (Supplied: Neville Barrett)
"Tassal is simply going through the correct approval processes and no decision has been made," a Tassal spokesperson said.
"Tassal has been exploring a range of options and is committed to adopting the best environmental solution under independent EPA regulation.
"These options are being assessed by the EPA and have involved extensive scientific and community consultation."
The plan still requires approval from the Commonwealth Government and the Environment Protection Authority before proceeding.
Best option on offer: EPA
EPA director Wes Ford said he would make an assessment in the coming weeks as to whether the treated water was safe to discharge.
"We'll work with them in terms of analysing both the level of disinfection and the level of effectiveness of removing solids," he said.
"When we're satisfied that they've reached the appropriate water quality standards then we will discuss allowing them to discharge it into the harbour on an outgoing tide."
Mr Ford said it was "too early to tell" whether the strategy could work long-term but said it was currently the best option on offer.
"In my view, it will have a lower environmental impact than having been left in the water in the first place," he said.
"My preference would be that they discharge the water at the heads.
"If they're going to discharge it in to the harbour they're better off discharging it at the heads on an outgoing tide."
Topics: fishing-aquaculture,
environmental-management,
strahan-7468,
tas
First posted Tue at 6:25pm
