The University of Tasmania has opened a $6.5 million aquaculture research facility at Taroona, co-sponsored by Skretting Australia, the Commonwealth and Tasmanian governments, the Australian Seafood Cooperative Research Centre, the University of Tasmania, and Huon Aquaculture Group.

Construction on the facility was completed in September and the first salmon arrived last week.

The site will test the use of recirculation water systems in salmon production, and has specially designed tanks to control environmental conditions including temperature, that will enable researchers to examine climate change effects relevant to local conditions.

It will also support development of different types of feed; feeds that optimise the use of marine ingredients, feeds that can be used to supply health treatments, and feeds that produce efficient growth over a range of temperatures.

The experimental research facility is managed by the University’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) and will facilitate collaborative research, particularly with the Atlantic salmon industry, on fish health and nutrition. In particular, the facility will support the control of amoebic gill disease, Tasmania\'s most costly disease, by speeding up investigations into suitable treatments.

\"The realisation of this project demonstrates how innovation can drive industry expansion, and we anticipate much interest from finfish producers from across the globe, as well as researchers and students.

\"This facility puts our state squarely at the forefront of best-practice in global finfish production, and makes us a world-leader in this field,\" said University of Tasmania Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Rathjen.