The Hodgman majority Liberal Government is a strong supporter of Tasmania’s shellfish industry, which is an important part of our $911 million seafood sector that supports regional communities and provides thousands of jobs.
Today I had the pleasure of opening the annual Shellfish Futures Conference held in Orford.
Attracting growers, scientists, tourism experts and representatives from across the seafood industry, the theme of the 2019 conference is ‘Making the Grade’.
The government has been working very closely with the shellfish industry and we have a clear plan to take it to the next level, investing $400,000 over four years for the Tasmanian Shellfish Market Access Program (ShellMAP).
ShellMAP is improving the capacity of the oyster industry to manage market access, food safety and Tasmania’s reputation for quality seafood.
We are also investing a further $400,000 over four years for the sector to enhance the real time monitoring sensor network, a vital initiative to protect oyster and shellfish farm biosecurity and ensure continued market access.
This support comes on top of our $1.2 million investment last year into the new shellfish biotoxin testing facility at Analytical Services Tasmania, which is ensuring faster results, helping protect our Tasmanian brand and continued access to local, national and international markets.
This sector is an important part of our iconic Tasmanian brand and we are committed to growing its value and reputation.