The Experimental Aquaculture Facility (EAF) was opened in 2015 in partnership with Huon Aquaculture, Skretting, IMAS, and the Tasmanian and Australian Governments.
Located at IMAS Taroona, the EAF features recirculation aquaculture systems, 12 tanks of 7000 litres, 12 tanks of 2500 litres and two stock tanks of 13 000 litres.
This modern Experimental Aquaculture Facility (EAF) is designed for directed, commercially relevant research. It is fundamental to ensure the economic and environmental sustainability of these important industries for Tasmania, Australia and internationally – now and into the future.
The EAF is:
- advancing understanding of Tasmania’s aquaculture industries by addressing issues of animal physiology, genetics, health, nutrition, welfare and production, environmental management, food safety and climate change impacts
- facilitating the economic, social and environmental sustainability of Tasmania’s aquatic-based resource industries, and increasing research, innovation and service capacity in coastal communities
- enabling production, health and environmental research to co-exist, enhancing collaboration and facilitating more innovative research over a broad range of issues and potential problems, to meet the industry’s strategic needs and agenda
- providing a hub to enable the University and industry to focus its efforts, and build regional and national seafood research and innovation capacity, and
- providing new specialist research capabilities to support the growth and sustainability of aquaculture in Tasmania, specifically the salmon and oyster sectors, as well as climate research capabilities for both the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
Research for a sustainable industry
The primary purpose of the EAF is to provide specialist research facilities to support the growth and sustainability of the salmonid industry. The EAF is seen as fundamental to the Industry’s strategic future, providing research capability that will underpin growth, sustainability and the ability to adapt to a changing environment, including rising sea water temperatures.
While the University has provided important research through existing facilities, a dedicated facility and increased tank capacity is required where environmental characteristics such as temperature can be controlled, and nutrition and other important research can be conducted on larger fish.
For salmonids this capability will accelerate the economic and environmental benefits through:
- furthering research into Amoebic Gill Disease management
- reducing the environmental impact of salmonid farming
- reducing fish losses due to high sea water temperatures
- maintaining the size of fish during extreme high temperatures.