Fishy freight lands in Tasmania ahead of Bass Strait trial

Fifteen thousand yellowtail kingfish fingerlings have arrived in Tasmania, marking the next phase of a three-year aquaculture research trial in Bass Strait. The trial aims to gather evidence on growing a new species and building Australia's capability in offshore aquaculture. Set to run until 2028, the pens will be decommissioned afterward, with the trial's success assessed.

Placed in oxygenated bags and packed into insulated boxes, the juvenile kingfish journeyed 3,000 kilometers from Fremantle to Hobart. Maxi Canepa, the researcher leading the trial, noted the fish arrived healthy and displayed rapid growth, making them ideal for aquaculture. The fingerlings will first grow at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) before being transported to the trial site for acclimatization and release into a sea pen.

This offshore aquaculture trial, led by the Blue Economy CRC, is the first of its kind in Commonwealth waters. Last year, a bacterial disease caused the deaths of nearly 15,000 tonnes of salmon, but the trial continues to gather valuable data for future governance of aquaculture in government waters.