The EPA is responsible for the environmental regulation of marine and land based finfish farms in Tasmania. Regulatory activity involves issuing environmental licenses, assessing compliance against environmental license conditions, reviewing associated environmental monitoring data and reports, and requiring fish farmers to undertake management actions where environmental issues are identified arising from fish farming activity. The EPA also has a role in the assessment process for new finfish farm developments.
The Tasmanian finfish industry has been operating since the 1980s and has experienced significant change and expansion in the last 20 years. Salmonid species currently commercially farmed in Tasmania include Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
To ensure progressive improvement of environmental management and regulatory systems for industry the EPA provides scientific input and support to aquaculture research conducted by the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (University of Tasmania) and Fisheries Research and Development Corporation research projects. The outputs of scientific research and environmental modelling are used by the EPA to support and develop the regulatory framework.