Huon is one of the largest employers of full-time staff in the Huon Valley region in southern Tasmania.
Photo: Huon.
Leading Australian salmon farming company Huon Aquaculture has announced it is investing AUS $110 million (USD 73m / EUR 68m) to expand its freshwater Atlantic salmon nursery facility in regional Tasmania by building a new Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS).
This expansion, at Whale Point in Port Huon, will allow Huon to grow salmon for longer on land, resulting in larger fish that spend less time in the marine environment and enhancing year-round production, the company said.
According to Huon, fish will spend around 10 months at sea instead of the industry average of 14 months.
The project is expected to generate 150 jobs during construction and 8 permanent jobs once operational. Pending approval, construction is planned to start in early 2025, with the facility expected to become fully operational by 2027.
While construction is still awaiting formal approval, Huon's project has already received political backing from Tasmanian government.
Tasmania's Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, Eric Abetz, welcomed Huon Aquaculture’s expansion plans for its Whale Point Facility at Port Huon, saying the "significant investment" showed "a clear demonstration of business confidence in regional Tasmania."
"Proposals such as this highlight industry’s focus on innovation and best practice production systems that will support continued sustainable salmon farming operations in Tasmania," Abetz added.
According to information released by the company, staff numbers at Huon’s Port Huon site have expanded from 10 fulltime staff in 2017 to 52 full-time staff in 2023, making Huon one of the largest employers of full-time staff in the Huon Valley region in southern Tasmania.