A review has commenced on the Aquaculture Regulations 2005 in conjunction with the amendments proposed to the Aquaculture Act 2001, planned for proclamation in July 2011. The regulations outline the Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) reporting requirements for each industry sector, specifically:
• Regulation 22 – farming of molluscs in subtidal area
• Regulation 23 – farming of molluscs in intertidal area
• Regulation 24 – farming of finfish
• Regulation 25 – navigable vessels
• Regulation 27 – general (land-based Aquaculture (Cat A, B and C))
• Regulation 28 – live organisms reared during transport
PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture EMP programs have been in place since the early 1990’s, commencing with the intertidal oyster sector then expanding to other sectors overtime. EMP requirements were initially outlined as a licence condition for each industry sector until being legislated as regulations in 2005.
The review of the regulations provides PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture, other relevant government agencies and industry sectors with an opportune time to review the current requirements in place to determine their ongoing effectiveness, and if recent technologies can provide a more robust and cost effective environmental monitoring process.
