The Tasmanian Government welcomes the additional $1 million announced today by the Federal Liberal Government to support the Australian Seafood Industries (ASI) to continue its selective breeding research program into the development of POMS resistant oysters. This is in addition to $1.47 million already provided by the Commonwealth.
Helping the Tasmanian Oyster Industry through the recent outbreak of Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) has been a priority of the Hodgman Liberal Government.
By getting the state finances back on track we have been in a position to invest nearly $8 million to limit the spread of the disease and to develop recovery actions.
We have listened and worked closely with the industry and affected oyster farmers.
The ASI selective breeding program is a long-term solution that is vitally important for the industry’s future and shows what can be achieved through the co-operative efforts of a State Liberal Government and a Federal Liberal Government.
The State Government’s efforts have centred on immediate financial help and working with our Pacific oyster farmers to develop a financial assistance package to ensure the long-term future of the industry in the state.
In February, the Tasmanian Government announced provision of immediate fee relief for all Tasmanian Pacific Oyster growers, which included waiving this year’s licence fees, the next lease rental fees, the Tasmanian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (TSQAP) levy and the Primary Produce Food Safety Accreditation Scheme fees worth about $1.6 million.
We have also established a $5 million Oyster Recovery Loan Scheme to provide funding for stock recovery and clean-up of affected farms; to help re-start and re-develop hatcheries; to provide POMS related infrastructure modifications and re-stock affected oyster farms, and for debt reconstruction.
The Tasmanian Government also provided a $1 million contribution towards clean-up costs in the wake of the POMS virus outbreak.
Congratulations also to Biosecurity Tasmania which has worked alongside the oyster growers to look at alternative methods of management of Pacific oysters and explore options to ensure that oysters can continue to be grown sustainably into the future.
Information about the Oyster Recovery Loan Scheme can be found on the State Growth website: www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/oysterrecovery
Information about the POMS investigation and POMS differing disease risk areas is available on the DPIPWE website: http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity/aquatic-pests-and-diseases/aquatic-biosecurity-threats/poms
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
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