Life Below Water
SDG 14

The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) is a specialist institute at the University of Tasmania with a mandate to deliver research, industry development and education for the agri-food industry of Tasmania. TIA offers community outreach programs on water irrigation practices and water management as part of their normal activities. Some relevant examples are:

• The Water Use Efficiency program (2024-2025), which offers free online education resources and events aimed to the local and regional community (specifically Tasmanian producers) to learn more about how to improve water use efficiency on farms. By exploring ways to use water efficiently on-farm and adopting best-practice water management practices, producers can build resilience to the increased risks of climate change. Resources and events are free and open to the public, and cover topics such as irrigation maintenance and performance, optimising irrigation, such as on-farm water storage.
• The Field Days program (ongoing) is a TIA flagship educational program, a free annual event conducted in their dairy and vegetable farms, which covers various topics including water irrigation practices and water management. In 2024 the Forthside Vegetable Research Facility Field Day included a topic on growing value from irrigation. Field Days include short research updates with opportunities for attendees to ask questions, a Q&A with local growers, networking opportunities at an industry expo, and an opportunity to walk around the farm to view current trials.

The University of Tasmania offers various educational community outreach programs and opportunities to the local and national communities in relation to sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and tourism. Some relevant 2024 examples include:

• Sea Change Australia Program (2024 – ongoing), through the University’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) and Centre for Marine Socioecology (CMS) has partnered with state and national government and other agencies around Australia to bring together fishers, aquaculture producers, industry, managers, and researchers to facilitate knowledge exchange and co-develop climate-resilient options for sustainable and healthy fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Australia. The program offers free access to information and resources relevant to the seafood sector. For example, individuals can access a tool for adaptation of fisheries management to ensure sustainable fisheries in the face of climate change.
• The Centre for Marine Socioecology (CMS) is a unique collaboration between the University of Tasmania and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), with support from the Australian Antarctic Division. CMS was created to provide the knowledge needed to support informed and sustainable management of multiple uses in marine and coastal systems such as food production (including sustainable fisheries and aquaculture). CMS organises and/or participates in educational community outreach activities, including an annual CMS Showcase, which is free of cost  for all participants. The 2024 CMS Showcase was structured around a series of panels with researchers, government, industry representatives and traditional owners, presentations from interdisciplinary researchers (including experts in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture), and interactive workshops focused on identifying risks, opportunities and critical marine issues, including  for the years ahead.
• The Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) contributes to the people and place of Tasmania and beyond, and covers fisheries and aquaculture, ecology and biodiversity, and oceans and cryosphere. IMAS believes in community engagement and opportunity, as they work to improve the marine environments of our local, national and international communities. IMAS is involved in many community events around Tasmania, including school engagement programs, events and citizen science. These initiatives have an educational component, with many covering sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
• In 2024, the University’s Creative Antarctica research group organised the ‘Growlers, Bergy Bits and Behemoths’ program, a series of four talks and an immersive art installation that brought together creatives, researchers and policy-makers to discuss the cultural and social influence of Antarctica. The program’s talks included the topic of ethical and sustainable tourism in the South, promoting and ensuring low impact tourism in Antarctic pristine sea and land environment. The events were free and open to the public.

The University offers free educational outreach activities around overfishing.

A key example is the Tuna Champions (2019 – ongoing), an initiative of the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation in collaboration with the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania. The initiative educates fishers on best practices for handling, keeping, and releasing tuna species to improve fish welfare, minimise waste, and reduce mortality, ultimately contributing to the long-term health of tuna populations and fisheries. Its inception was the result of the historical overfishing of Southern bluefin tuna (SBT), which rendered them a threatened species, requiring urgent conservation efforts, and the acknowledgement that addressing the impact of the recreational fishery is crucial for effective conservation management. Current ‘Testimonials’ include: “What a great idea to educate recreational fishers about better ways to catch and respect their SBT”; “Being a Tuna Champion is all about knowing and respecting what you’re catching”.

The University’s Institute of Marine and Antarctic Sciences (IMAS) has also developed the Big Fish Card Game, a tabletop game about sustainable fishing and ocean literacy. Players must balance the desire to catch high-value big fish with the need to preserve fish populations for long-term ecosystem health. The game introduces real-world challenges such as illegal fishing, poor water quality, and ocean acidification as part of its mechanics, encouraging players to consider the consequences of unsustainable practices. By simulating the impacts of human and environmental pressures on fisheries, the game promotes awareness and understanding of the importance of conservation and responsible resource management. In 2024, the game was brought to various free community outreach events including the launch of the game inviting the community to attend and play, game nights with Environment Tasmania (a non-for-profit NGO), Seadragons Dive Club and the Bottom of the Earth students society, as well as presenting the game at the Festival of Bright Ideas where hundreds of school students and a host of families played. In 2025, the team is bringing the Big Fish game to schools, and they are developing and trialling various lessons that would facilitate learning about the ocean and sustainability through fun play and hands on activities.

The University’s Centre for Marine Socioecology (CMS) was created to provide the knowledge needed to support informed and sustainable management of multiple uses in marine and coastal systems.

In 2024 CMS organised their annual CMS Showcase, which brought together marine stakeholders from across research, government, industry, and the community, including Indigenous voices with the goal to work together to help support responsible stewardship and sustainable use of our unique marine systems, to ensure they can be appreciated by many generations to come and facilitate reflective discussion on how to achieve knowledge sharing, collaboration, and real integration across sectors in practice. A major focus of the 2024 Showcase was Integrated Ocean Management’, including presentations and discussions about integrated management offers a holistic, ecosystem and knowledge-based approach that can ensure the sustainability and resilience of marine ecosystems, while also taking into account the perspectives of multiple stakeholders and diverse ocean use.

Various presenters also addressed the complex and novel challenges in ocean conservation. Speakers from various backgrounds stressed the need for holistic approaches to marine management, acknowledging the challenges of aligning diverse interests across sectors including commercial fishing, conservation, and emerging industries like offshore energy. The development of Australia’s Sustainable Ocean Plan was also a focal point of discussion, with participants exploring how to translate high-level commitments into actionable policies.

The University of Tasmania has developed a University position on sustainable food on campus, including eight sustainable food strategic principles. “Principle 4: Prioritise suppliers with health, nutrition and sustainability initiatives" directly addresses food on campus being sustainably farmed or harvested, from both aquatic and land ecosystems.

Furthermore, the University recognises the need for a planned transition to more healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems for our students and staff across our campuses using a rights-based approach. The Healthy, Sustainable, and Equitable Food Strategic Plan 2023-2028 provides collective actions required to support informed and strategic decisions to achieve this goal and reduce food insecurity among students and staff. The Plan covers nine priority areas, including “Priority 5: Sustainable food procurement, commercial and social enterprises”.

This Priority builds on the University’s Procurement Policy that guides evaluation and purchasing to incorporate holistic sustainability outcomes, and the associated Sustainable Procurement Guide with further guidance on decision making for sound sustainable purchasing. The Guide is publicly available and specifically includes guidelines for food service providers, including that food from on-campus providers should not compromise the environmental, health, economic and social wellbeing of present and future generations and should consider sustainably and ethically produced supply chains including food from aquatic and land ecosystems (e.g., Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified).

The University's Institute of Marine and Antarctic Science (IMAS) undertakes a range of research that contributes to maintain and extend marine ecosystems. One of their main research themes is ‘sustainable use and conservation’, which aims to protect, repair, and regenerate marine environments in the face of increasing challenges. This is essential for enhancing biodiversity and maintaining crucial ecosystem services.

Researchers at the IMAS Centre for Ecology and Biodiversity working on this research theme lead pioneering research to guide decisions that balance conservation efforts with the sustainable use of marine resources to ensure the long-term health of ecosystems and the continued provision of their benefits. Some of their main focus areas include:

• Marine ecosystem restoration, providing the science behind restoration techniques, monitoring outcomes, and supporting ambitious plans for marine ecosystem restoration.
• Conserved and protected areas, focusing on supporting the management of marine protected areas in Australia with geospatial mapping, ecosystem assessments, and ongoing monitoring.
• Threatened species and ecosystems, with a focus on understanding the drivers of population decline in these species, monitoring their status, and supporting action for remediation and recovery.

The University's Institute of Marine and Antarctic Science (IMAS) Aquaculture Production team undertakes sustainable aquaculture research that seeks to improve our understanding of production biology and the environmental impacts and interactions of aquaculture. Their sustainable aquaculture research seeks to improve our understanding of production biology and the environmental impacts and interactions of aquaculture in temperate marine environments, while ensuring food security for the future. This research combines biology with innovative technology, with one of the main objectives being to reduce environmental impacts to prevent aquatic ecosystem damage.

Likewise, IMAS Modelling team supports sustainable fisheries and aquaculture by applying a range of quantitative and statistical methods – from established approaches to customised stock assessment models and broader ecological and population dynamics modelling. This team contributes directly to stock assessments used by managers and stakeholders, including regular updates for the national Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) reports. Their work spans biological and ecological research, resource assessments, and strategic advice for fisheries policy and management to prevent aquatic ecosystems damage.

Furthermore, the Environmental Interactions team focuses on understanding and managing the interactions between aquaculture and coastal ecosystems. Ensuring the monitoring of the environment is based on scientifically robust methodology and measures of performance is pivotal to minimising the environmental effects of activities such as aquaculture.

The University's Strategic Framework for Sustainability commits to water conservation and highlights the intention to "maintain a perfect record of no stormwater pollution control incidents" to protect our land and aquatic ecosystems.

In addition, our University’s Contractors and Building Users Sustainability Guide also has guidelines for water discharge and indicates that the University is subject to stormwater and trade waste regulatory requirements, to ensure no pollutants are discharged into the stormwater and local waterways.

Wastewater treatment is conducted before discharge to reduce land, freshwater and marine water pollution. Treatment is conducted either on-site at specialised University facilities (e.g., integrated wastewater treatment at the Experimental Aquaculture Facility; reed beds at various experimental farms) or by TasWater (the single state-wide utility in Tasmania).

The University's Strategic Framework for Sustainability commits to “apply a circular economy model to waste management, including reducing waste generated by the University community [including plastic waste] through reduced generation (avoidance), increased re-use and recycling and minimised disposal to landfill advancing to eliminating landfill disposal.”

In addition, our University’s Contractors and Building Users Sustainability Guide also has guidelines to minimise the amount of materials going to landfill through careful selection of items when purchasing, repairing and reusing as much as possible, and recycling appropriately. This includes plastics that can be recycled though local services, but also soft plastics.

Furthermore, the University's Waste Minimisation Action Plan 2021-2025 lists several actions that aim to minimise plastic use, which will result in reduction of plastic waste. Some key actions include: implement preferred procurement guidelines in catering contracts that eliminate single-use plastics and non-compostable items; influence key suppliers to reduce or avoid the excessive use of packaging including materials such as plastic and foam; and implement a single-use petroleum-based plastic ban.

The University is committed to reduce water pollution and has a number of initiatives for water treatment, discharge and other initiatives to reduce land, freshwater and marine water pollution.

• The University's Strategic Framework for Sustainability highlights the intention to "maintain a perfect record of no stormwater pollution control incidents" to protect our land and aquatic ecosystems, including marine environments.
• The Contractors and Building Users Sustainability Guide (PDF 302.2 KB) assist all University contractors, staff, students, and visitors to be more sustainable in their activities on University properties. The Guide indicates that reducing stormwater pollution is a key sustainability priority and notes that the University is also subject to stormwater and trade waste regulatory requirements, to ensure no pollutants are discharged into the stormwater and local waterways (which includes marine environments).
• The Chemical Management Principles indicate the proper way to dispose of hazardous chemicals to avoid water pollution, in accordance with the relevant State and local regulations. It also provides guidance to prevent and control accidental spills to avoid land and water contamination.

The University is committed to protect aquatic ecosystems and has plans and guiding documents to minimise alteration of aquatic ecosystems. For example, the University's Chemical Management Principles indicate the proper way to dispose of hazardous chemicals to avoid water pollution, in accordance with the relevant State and local regulations. It also provides guidance to prevent and control accidental spills to avoid land and water contamination.

Some initiatives that have resulted from plans and guiding documents include:

• Wastewater treatment is conducted on-site at specialised University facilities. For example, the Experimental Aquaculture Facility (Institute of Marine and Antarctic Sciences) in Taroona has integratedwastewater treatment for discharge from research experiments for release into an existing outfall.
• At the Small Animal Farm (Cambridge) facility and other experimental farms, water from septic and holding tanks feeds into a reed bed, where it’s treated (water trickling through the reed bed is cleaned by microorganisms living on the root system and in the litter).
• Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) wetlands were installed in some locations (e.g., TUSA car park at Sandy Bay Campus) to slow down, filter and evapotranspirate stormwater run-off, to slow and clean water entering the stormwater drainage system that empties into the Derwent River.
• Drainage and grease traps exist at relevant locations in various campuses (e.g., cafes).
• All other wastewater is treated by TasWater in Tasmania (the single state-wide utility), including primary, secondary and tertiary treatment. In some cases, TasWater is able to recycle the treated water and biosolids from treatment plants for suitable farming applications.

The Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at the University of Tasmania is internationally recognised for excellence in marine and Antarctic research. The IMAS Ecology and Biodiversity Centre focuses on marine biology and ecology, conservation, sustainable development, climate change mitigation, restoration techniques and management, as well as understanding threats and impacts on marine ecosystems. More specifically, they provide accurate, relevant, and reliable information about marine ecosystems. IMAS monitors these environments, utilising advanced observational techniques, modelling, cutting-edge ocean technology, and geospatial information systems, to supports effective management practices, promote sustainable resource use, and strive to improve biodiversity outcomes in aquatic ecosystems.

Likewise, the IMAS Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre produces many reports and resources for the benefit of the broader community (see the Tasmanian Wild Fisheries Assessments website). These include a range of reports on the status and condition of marine species, fisheries assessments for Tasmanian waters, and recreational fisheries reports. Their research supports key commercial and recreational fisheries in Tasmania, including Abalone, Lobster, Octopus, Scalefish and Scallops, as well as ecosystem and fisheries management. These assessments and report include monitoring the health of aquatic ecosystems.

The Environmental Interactions group within the Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre also works on delivering the science needed for the effective environmental monitoring and management that supports a sustainable future for Tasmania's aquaculture industry. For example, the Macquarie Harbour Benthic Health Survey project involves extensive monitoring of benthic health around finfish farming operations in Macquarie Harbour, on Tasmania's west coast. These surveys include macrofauna assessments, examination of sediment chemistry and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveys across farm transects and control sites.

The The Centre for Marine Socioecology (a collaboration between the University of Tasmania and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) regularly organises outreach activities and programs, free to all participants, focusing on the complex issues that are developing in the management of the marine environment with the aim to support good aquatic stewardship practices. In 2024, some examples are:

• ‘Targeting behavioural change in fisheries and aquaculture’ – this webinar included examples of opportunities for applying behaviour change interventions in the fisheries and aquaculture context. People interact with their environment through their behaviour. Therefore, promoting sustainable natural resource management, stewardship behaviours, safety at sea, or animal welfare, requires efforts to maintain certain behaviours and change others.
• Student-led Stakeholder Engagement Workshop: ‘Shift it! Conflicting Perspectives on Access to Marine Resources Tasmania’ - This event brought together representatives from science, industry, and First Nations communities to discuss how Tasmania's marine resources can be managed sustainably and inclusively.
• ‘Monitoring and Managing Coastal Areas: Challenges and Evidence-Based Solutions’ - This talk explored how scientific research, data-driven approaches, and monitoring techniques can inform the sustainable management of coastal areas. By highlighting real-world examples, it illustrated how science-based solutions can address these pressing challenges, and discuss the obstacles encountered in their implementation.
• CMS annual showcase - In 2024 CMS organised their free annual CMS Showcase, which brought together marine stakeholders from across research, government, industry, and the community, including Indigenous voices with the goal to work together to support responsible stewardship and sustainable use of our unique marine systems, to ensure they can be appreciated by many generations to come and facilitate reflective discussion on how to achieve knowledge sharing, collaboration, and real integration across sectors in practice. A major focus of the 2024 Showcase was Integrated Ocean Management’, including presentations and discussions about integrated management offers a holistic, ecosystem and knowledge-based approach that can ensure the sustainability and resilience of marine ecosystems, while also taking into account the perspectives of multiple stakeholders and diverse ocean use.

Furthermore, the University’s Institute of Marine and Antarctic Sciences (IMAS) has also developed the Big Fish Card Game, a tabletop game about sustainable fishing and ocean literacy. It brings together and showcases research about the importance of Big Fish (large individuals within a species) in marine ecosystems and how through sustainable fishing we can help ensure they return and are present in the future. The game uses various gaming mechanics to allow fishers to manage a fishing spot and understand the importance of Big Fish and how various external factors and events affect marine habitats.

The University collaborates with local communities and other partners to maintain aquatic ecosystems in various ways. For example, the Derwent Estuary Program (DEP) is a regional partnership between local and Tasmanian governments, commercial and industrial enterprises, scientists and the community to restore and promote the Derwent Estuary, where the University’s main campus is located. The DEP purpose is to understand the Derwent Estuary, use science to enhance and protect its values, and inform and involve the whole community with the aim to maintain an estuary with a healthy and diverse ecosystem that supports a wide range of community uses and is a source of pride and enjoyment. The University of Tasmania co-invest in this project through our research, which contributes to the DEP four central themes: managing human pressures on the Estuary, protecting estuarine ecosystems, enhancing human uses, and promoting understanding, awareness and participation.

A specific example is a University project funded by the Australian Government National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Climate Systems Hub entitled ‘Southeast Tasmania marine heatwave hazard baselines for species and resource risk assessments’. The project aims to provide marine heatwave hazard maps around southeastern Tasmania to help marine managers make informed planning decisions to maintain aquatic ecosystems. The group has begun working to develop an understanding of the background marine heatwave hazard in the Derwent and Huon estuary system and D'Entrecasteaux Channel regions, based on the analysis of ultra-high-resolution model simulations and in situ observations. Together with other stakeholders, DEP representatives have contributed to the co-design of the project and contributed with observations collected in the Derwent Estuary.

With five Tasmanian campuses across three local government areas, the University  aligns our operations with local government water and watershed management strategies. This includes:

• Operate in a sustainable way to improve environmental and social outcomes by reducing resource consumption (including water)
• Ensure water conservation by minimising consumption and increasing rainwater harvesting and use and recycling for use in greywater or irrigation activities
• Maintain a perfect record of no stormwater pollution control incidents

For example, the University south campuses (Sandy Bay and Hobart CBD facilities) are located within the watershed of the River Derwent, a significant river and tidal estuary that flows through Hobart and eventually empties in Storm Bay and the Tasman Sea. The University actively contributes to the implementation of watershed management initiatives from the Tasmanian Government-backed Derwent Estuary Program (DEP). Some of the main focuses of the Program are stormwater management, litter and water sensitive urban design (WSUD). The University is committed to reduce water pollution and protect our shared watersheds, and has a number of initiatives for water treatment, discharge and other initiatives to reduce freshwater and marine water pollution.

• The University's Strategic Framework for Sustainability highlights the intention to "maintain a perfect record of no stormwater pollution control incidents" to protect our surrounding watersheds.
• The Contractors and Building Users Sustainability Guide (PDF 302.2 KB) assist all University contractors, staff, students, and visitors to be more sustainable in their activities on University properties. The Guide indicates that reducing stormwater pollution is a key sustainability priority and notes that the University is also subject to stormwater and trade waste regulatory requirements, to ensure no pollutants are discharged into the stormwater and local waterways.
• The Chemical Management Principles indicate the proper way to dispose of hazardous chemicals to avoid water pollution, in accordance with the relevant State and local regulations. It also provides guidance to prevent and control accidental spills to avoid land and water contamination.
• Furthermore, the University's Waste Minimisation Action Plan 2021-2025 lists several actions that aim to minimise waste and ensures proper disposal of various waste streams to avoid accumulation of litter in our natural environment, including along the foreshore of our rivers.

Some initiatives that have resulted from plans and guiding documents include:

• Wastewater treatment is conducted on-site at specialised University facilities. For example, the Experimental Aquaculture Facility (Institute of Marine and Antarctic Sciences) in Taroona has integratedwastewater treatment for discharge from research experiments for release into an existing outfall.
• At the Small Animal Farm (Cambridge) facility and other experimental farms, water from septic and holding tanks feeds into a reed bed, where it’s treated (water trickling through the reed bed is cleaned by microorganisms living on the root system and in the litter).
• Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) wetlands were installed in some locations (e.g., TUSA car park at Sandy Bay Campus) to slow down, filter and evapotranspirate stormwater run-off, to slow and clean water entering the stormwater drainage system that empties into the Derwent River.
• Drainage and grease traps exist at relevant locations in various campuses (e.g., cafes).
• All other wastewater is treated by TasWater in Tasmania (the single state-wide utility), including primary, secondary and tertiary treatment. In some cases, TasWater is able to recycle the treated water and biosolids from treatment plants for suitable farming applications.