Current Spring

SPRING 2018

04 PRAWNS FOR CHRISTMAS PAG E

OUR EXCITING NEW ACQUISITION!

FEEDING 18 FISH IN THE CITY PAG E

REMOTE FEEDING PROVING A SUCCESS

#1 News from Tassal and the communities we proudly call home.

Contents

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P14 P18

P4 3 A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO Mark Ryan

18 HOBART HURRICANES Supercharging Tassie’s Team

4 PRAWNS In time for Christmas

20 EDUCATION FEATURE How we are inspiring the next generation

7 STORM BAY Our plans

27 TASSAL LAUNCHES NEW RANGE

8 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Documentary on our eco-aquaculture venture 12 INNOVATION How our industry is changing 14 FEED CENTRE Feeding fish from the city 16 ALONNAH CLEAN-UP CURRENT is a publication produced for Tassal employees and our stakeholders.

If you have information you would like to share, please email: current@tassal.com.au

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28 OfCOURSE Tassal joins the menu 30 WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES 32 ACHIEVING GREAT THINGS TOGETHER 38 MEET OUR PEOPLE Retail Sales and Marketing

A MESSAGE FROM

Mark

Since our last edition of the Current we have announced a number of very exciting initiatives at Tassal! I’m extremely proud of all the people, both at Tassal and those working for other fantastic services and businesses who support us, who have been instrumental in helping us to achieve these awesome outcomes.

These initiatives have included: • The acquisition of three prawn farms, which will see our business expand to become Australia’s leading salmon and prawn supplier – the two most in demand seafood products by Australian consumers; • The successful first harvest of our kelp alongside our Okehampton Bay lease. This is part of our Aussie first initiative to embed eco-aquaculture practices alongside leases, where species such as giant kelp consumes excess nutrients, aiming to support a reduced environmental footprint; • The release of our FY 2018 Sustainability Report where key highlights included improved husbandry processes resulting in zero use of antibiotics in the marine environment and achievement of 100% environmental compliance across leases and excellent compliance across our processing sites. With world leading industry safety results in reduced injury frequency rates and record profits – it shows that what is good for people, the planet, our product and performance are intrinsically linked.

• Storm Bay plans approved by the Tasmanian Government following more than six years of consultation and research into farming in the wildest conditions globally.

I’m also thrilled to announce we have agreed to bolster our relationship with the Hobart Hurricanes to become the Principal Partner for Tasmania’s Team. As a super food, we think it is a fantastic fit becoming the protein of choice to our local heroes in the Big Bash League and look forward to delivering the multitude of benefits which come with the partnership. This includes Breakfast Clubs for regional Tasmanian schools, particularly in our operating areas, a Community Christmas Eve Spectacular featuring members of We Will Rock You at the first match of the season at Blundstone Arena, as well as high performance coaching for our senior business leaders from Hurricanes staff – transferring applicable skills in leadership and resilience between teams.

We are about to enter what are the busiest months for us at Tassal. Our Community Engagement team will work closely with community members as we embark on harvesting plans across the warmer months for many of our sites. It is always our aim to keep noise to a minimum, and the team is there to support anyone experiencing issues.

On the topic of community we are also wrapping up the first series of our Tassie’s Tassal campaign, which featured ambassadors from within our business.

Feedback from this campaign, which aimed to inform the community on important facts regarding our industry, has been very positive.

I would like to acknowledge our incredible employees who put themselves into the spotlight to share these messages – Steve, Will, Heidi, Depha and Bek – we are very proud of you! Thank you also for feedback from community members prior to the campaign, who helped shape the topics we needed to address.

Looking forward we are continuing to work with the broader Tasmanian salmon industry on a biosecurity framework for all operations, preparing for a steady and responsible transition into unchartered farming territory in Storm Bay and embarking on a bold Towards Zero marine debris strategy where we aim to tackle and reduce our contribution to marine debris significantly over a three-year period. I look forward to sharing further details on these initiatives as they progress.

M A R K RYA N

Tassal Managing Director and CEO

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Salmon and Prawns – in time for Christmas!

In late September, we were excited to officially announce a $31.9 million acquisition of the Fortune Group – one of the largest footprint farming bases in Australia. The completed acquisition means we now own three prawn farms located in Yamba, New South Wales; Proserpine, Queensland and Mission Beach, Queensland.

Our Managing Director and CEO, Mark Ryan, said Tassal would invest ~$34 million in a development program across the prawn farms.

“In fact, the development program is already now underway,” Mark told Current. “We have a successful recruitment plan in place and through the right people, informing the right processes we are confident of achieving our plans to increase prawn yield significantly over five years and enhance Tassal’s overall seafood offer across Australia.”

Tassal already processes and sells prawns through its De Costi Seafood facility in Sydney.

“ We are very conscious our customers are demanding more prawns than we can currently supply,” Mark said.

MISSION BEACH PROSERPINE

QUEENSLAND Brisbane YAMBA

NEW SOUTH WALES Adelaide

VICTORIA Melbourne

Hobart

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Sydney

Tassal will take this acquisition as an opportunity to modernise prawn farming, transferring innovation in science and technology from current salmon farming practices to the new prawn sites.

We are pleased to have secured an experienced team to manage our prawn farms.

All the team players have valuable experience across salmon and prawn farming to bring to the table.

B E N D A L E Y Tassal Head of Supply Chain

The development program to date has included: • Remediation works to pond banks and new pumps at Yamba. The ponds are now being filled with stocking to occur after.

Looking forward:

An all-star leadership team has taken on the challenge of kickstarting the newly acquired prawn farms, led by Ben Daley, The leadership team held a workshop in Brisbane recently where Heads of People & Culture, Environment, Engagement, Safety and Supply Chain teams met the newly appointed prawn operational management team, consisting of:

• Proserpine will have pond remediation, new hatchery and processing upgrades with harvest scheduled for next year.

• The first prawn harvest will commence at

Mark Porter Head of Aquaculture Land Based

the end of November at Mission Beach.

Nick Moore Technical Specialist

David Wood Senior Manager – Commercial Performance

John Moloney Senior Manager – Prawn Operations

Courtney Remilton Prawn & Hatchery Performance Manager

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this year we have also released a compact 12

2018 S U S TA

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Along with our detailed Sustainability Report,

2018 SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLIGHTS

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2018 Sustainability Report Available Now!

our data in graphic style.

Our People

Both reports feature extensive data in an easy to understand format.

Download the full report and the highlights at: issuu.com/tassal

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OUR PLANS FOR STORM BAY In October, Tassal was excited to announce the Tasmanian Government’s confirmation of approval for its Storm Bay plans following a six-year planning and stakeholder consultation process.

Located west of Wedge Island in Storm Bay, the new site would provide the company a total area of four, 45-hectare leases.

“The lease is located in some of the most exposed, highest energy leases ever farmed in the world,” Tassal Managing Director and CEO, Mark Ryan, told Current. “The site will have the capacity to produce in total between 8,000 and 16,000 tonnes of salmon every year.”

Mark said the move to higher energy farming demonstrated the Tasmanian salmon industry’s commitment to investing into regional Tasmania and transition to areas further from shore.

The planned Storm Bay farm would generate over 70 new full-time employees and contribute significantly to the Tasmanian economy.

STORM BAY New Site

Throughout the process, Tassal will be testing the site to confirm the infrastructure will be appropriate for operations to thrive in the physical environment of Storm Bay. “The safety of our people, of our stock and also the community is paramount to us,” Mark told Current.

The Storm Bay proposal is currently only in the first stages of the approval process, with the next steps being to secure a lease and the appropriate licenses. We will keep the community updated along the journey!

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Short documentary on Eco-Aquaculture to be hosted on National Geographic website!

Over the past two years, Tassal has been replanting species of Macrocystis pyrifera (commonly known as Giant Kelp) throughout sites in southern Tasmania to deliver ecological and environmental benefits as part of its eco-aquaculture program.

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Recently, Tassal’s efforts in delivering nationally leading integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) have been recognised by honours and PhD students from mainland Australia, who have produced a film about the initiative with funding from National Geographic.

Former teacher and honours student, Stefan Andrews, joined forces with PhD student, Kingsley Griffin, to establish Ocean Imaging, an underwater imaging and media service. The pair was investigating the disappearance of Giant kelp forests throughout Southern Tasmania, which led them to meet Tassal eco-aquaculture researcher, Craig Sanderson.

“Tassal’s IMTA program is a great example of what can be achieved when scientists and industry work together to raise the bar,” Stefan told Current. “There are many examples of scientists and farmers working together to lift sustainable primary production in Australia, but often all we hear is a polarised debate.”

The documentary was filmed at Tassal’s Okehampton Bay site, which is the focal hub for the IMTA Giant kelp cultivating trials. Other locations throughout the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Tasman and Dover regions have also been trialled for replanting projects with promising results so far.

Craig said the growth of the kelp adjacent to Tassal’s farms is performing above expectations. “We are taking hatchery produced kelp seed outside our leases with the aim to repopulate Giant Kelp forests where they have disappeared,” he said.

The film, which will appear on National Geographic’s national website details how the recultivating trials are feeding back into the health of the ecosystems.

“Temperate reefs are highly diverse and productive ecosystems, which play an iconic role in Australia’s traditional and contemporary cultures,” Kingsley said. “Despite providing a wide range of ecosystem services and defining >8000 km of the Australian coastline, public and political awareness of the significance of the Great Southern Reef is nominal.”

Giant Kelp is also considered a major drawcard for divers with marine organisms and various fish species taking refuge in the forests.

“It is also believed to be important to the health of local abalone and lobster populations by providing food, shelter and helping to keep larvae on reefs,” Craig said.

In early September 2018, Craig harvested the cultured Giant Kelp in Okehampton Bay with the plants performing above expectations.

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1

1. The Tassal Okehampton Bay dive team 2. Stefan and Kingsley reviewing footage on the day 3. The team taking control of the drone 4. Tassal marine biologist, Craig Sanderson 5. Tassal Senior Manager – Eco Aquaculture Tim Stephens being interviewed

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6. Giant Kelp growing at the Okehampton Bay site 7. Tassal Head of Environment, Sean Riley and Tassal marine biologist Craig Sanderson showing off the harvested kelp

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Make sure to check out the full video on our Facebook page: Tassal – Our Community

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And while we’re talking innovation….

Innovation is paramount to continuous improvement and responsible growth. It has been a critical platform to support Tassal’s sustainability journey since 1986, with the company and its people recognised as local, national and global leaders for many areas of innovation, including processing, marine operations and IT. Current caught up with a few of our people to find out how innovation has shaped and changed their roles over the years.

Gary Branch INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES MANAGER “I have been with Tassal for 18 years and began my time here as Senior Networking Administrator in 1999. Working in IT, I have seen many changes in the development of IT systems and Marine Operations capabilities, although none quite so incredible as the new remote feed centre at our Hobart head office.

To give some insight into change; when I began work here, people would go out on the water and manually feed the fish from a silo with spray cannons. One of my duties was to create a program to measure the amount of feed distributed to each pen, which was a seemingly impossible task! From this manual method to where we are now is so impressive - there is much more accuracy and a lot less waste.

I don’t think we should ever be complacent though – there is potential for further improvement in the future! We will begin to collect more environmental data from the farms available in real time to the feed centre, which will help resolve issues more efficiently in the future. We will be able to see how certain environmental conditions have affected the fish in the past, and therefore pre-empt the best way to effectively respond to those events if they occur again.”

Gavin McAuliffe DIVE TEAM LEADER CHANNEL ZONE “I moved to Tasmania from New Zealand eight years ago to work with Tassal as a diver in our Channel zone. I am now pleased to be the Dive Team Leader.

I’ve seen some huge changes during my time at Tassal, with more advanced gear and an excellent focus on safety, which has been amazing. We also have new technologies and applications, which continue to improve diving operations.”

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Vicki Burleigh AFTERNOON SHIFT MANAGER (MARGATE) AND CLEANING MANAGER (HUONVILLE) “I began working for AquaTas (a company which merged to form Tassal) in Margate as a Processing Manager, before becoming a Shift Manager and then a Cleaning Manager at our Huonville Processing facility.

Everything was done manually when I worked in processing initially – and there were no automated trimming or pin boning machines we enjoy today. I had to remove all the bones from each fillet manually, in fact, we would have competitions to see who could remove all the bones the fastest – just to make the task a little more interesting!

It has been amazing to see the automated processing (filleting, de-boning, slicing and labelling) rolling out during my time here, and to contemplate how we once did it all by hand. The machines are monitored by our people, which gives greater assurance to quality, accuracy and enhanced efficiency.”

“One of these innovations is the new dive helmets. We can now communicate underwater and discuss work operations with employees on the surface, via an inbuilt microphone and speaker. This communication between the diver underwater and the team on the surface helps to improve safety and productivity.

Our dive boats have also evolved, including the ability to disinfect the vessels between pens and leases to ensure a higher standard of biosecurity, the installation of hard plumbed G cylinders supporting enough air to be stored on the vessel for two to three days of operations, and all dive vessels are now equipped with defibrillators.”

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Fish Feeding in the City Tassal is leading the industry through a major investment into its remote feeding centre in Hobart Tassal Chief Information Officer, Matt Leary, said the introduction of the innovative centralised remote feeding technology, involving the combination of local and international capabilities to bring worldleading technology to Tasmania, enabled Tassal to feed more efficiently, reduce waste, keep staff safe and produce overall better environmental and performance results.

“The technology has been secured in conjunction with local technology partners including Intuit Technologies and Steinsvik,” he said.

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“It involves connecting high definition cameras to all our active pens, as well as feeding barges through a combination of fibre optic and wireless networks, allowing centralised feeding to the sites remotely from our Hobart head office.”

Matt said Tassal was the first company globally to embrace this technology fully and the success of the centre was a result of the collaboration with Tasmanian ICT companies.

Intuit Technology has played a pivotal role in achieving high definition video feed to be transferred from remote operating areas back to the feed centre in Hobart.

Intuit Technology Founder and Executive Director, Dane Bignell, said there was no network infrastructure in the majority of areas it was working in and the company had to work from the ground-up.

“A major advantage of this project has been the requirement to implement backbone ICT infrastructure in regional areas, which not only benefits Tassal but potentially other businesses and the broader community,” he said.

The technology delivers high definition video-feed to the centre, while also measuring dissolved oxygen levels, water temperature, currents and salinity levels.

Tassal’s Head of Aquaculture, Mark Asman, said as well as allowing the company’s feed technicians the opportunity to control camera depths and angle, there is the capacity to have access to real-time environmental and fish performance data 24/7.

“Feeding is not as simple as just distributing pellets at set times during the day. Feeders monitor for environmental conditions and fish behavioural conditions, which optimise the feeding environment, promoting better feed conversion rates and less wasted feed,” he said.

Mark told Current the feed centre was performing above expectations, with an 11 per cent lower feed conversion ratio for the 2017-year class stock being fed remotely from the centre compared to the previous year.

Fish Performance Manager, Tim Shepherd, has played a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth rollout of the Feed Centre.

“Feed technicians now have greater involvement in the analysis of realtime time data, which enables feeding regimes to be adapted and growth to be optimised,” Tim told Current. “Technicians thrive on this information and it is a pleasure to work with a team with an enormous passion for their work.”

Installing infrastructure in collaboration with Intuit Technologies

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Alonnah Clean-Up Day 2018 The community clean-up day took place mid-August, with over 120 people from the community, industry and volunteer groups coming together to help beautify Bruny Island.

Over the course of the day, the volunteers helped remove over 10m3 of debris in the waterways and coastlines running from Alonnah to Simpsons Bay. “It was empowering to work together with so many groups and organisations to protect our valuable waterways,” said Dr Amelia Fowles, NRM South’s D’Entrecasteaux and Huon Project Officer.

Tassal was happy to head out on the boats and help, with volunteers from our Southern and Channel marine operations and Engagement team coming along to lend a hand.

“We are continuously focusing on reducing the amount of marine debris from the farms,” Troy Hein, Senior Manager – Channel Zone told Current. “We take the issue seriously, and debris is a daily part of our team discussions.”

Troy, along with his son Fergus came along to the clean-up day, scouring the shorelines between Alonnah and Simpson’s Bay for debris.

Depha Miedecke, Senior Manager – Community Engagement said it was important to have the industry involved in the day.

“Having the team come along and help, reiterates the fact marine debris is everyone’s problem, and we need to work collaboratively to combat it,” she said.

How Tassal is tackling marine debris: To date, Tassal staff with the support of pakana Land Services has completed over 1900 hours of shoreline clean-ups around marine farming operation zones throughout 2018.

We are proudly part of an industry marine debris collaboration in Macquarie Harbour, where all companies perform regular clean-ups and work together to coordinate areas to cover.

Companies have been allocated areas of shoreline and ocean in the Storm Bay, Nubeena, Okehampton, Dover and Channel regions where Tassal will collect any reported debris, either industry, commercial or domestic.

The issue of marine debris is a daily discussion in our operation teams, as we continue to strive towards minimising our impact.

HOW TO REPORT MARINE DEBRIS: Call the Marine Debris hotline – 1300 706 973

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Email us at community@ tassal.com.au

Private message our Facebook page Tassal – Our Community

We have been assisting the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council with its Great Eastern Clean Up initiative and contributed towards the Open Day to raise awareness for marine debris!

Make sure to check out the next edition of Current for the story.

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For ticket details, visit:

Tassal set to supercharge the Hurricanes!

hobarthurricanes. com.au/tickets

We have supercharged our partnership with our protein of choice – the Hobart Hurricanes – to proudly become the Principal Partner!

This partnership aims to bring a suite of community benefits, which kick-starts on Christmas Eve with Tassal igniting the Community Carols at Blundstone Arena, after the first home game, set to feature cast members of the We Will Rock You stage performance.

The partnership will continue to deliver community programs – including the successful Hurricanes’ Breakfast Club program in schools, with the BBL role models engaging with students in regional Tasmanian schools on health and nutrition.

Internal culture at Tassal is also very important and we are really pleased to have an excellent partnership with 18

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the Hurricanes’ high performance management team who assist coach our leaders in transferrable leadership, resilience and coaching skills.

Tassal has extended its agreement for a further three seasons until the end of BBL|10 in early 2021.

Hurricanes’ General Manager Phil Rigby said the team was excited Tassal stepped up to be the BBL Hurricanes Principal Partner. “Tassal has been fantastic allies of both the Hurricanes and local community since joining our journey last year,” Phil said.

“Our new BBL Principal Partnership with

Tassal is the largest and most important in the Hurricanes’ history and on behalf of all players and staff at the Hurricanes, I would like to thank Tassal for their ongoing support. Tassal’s support allows us to provide Hurricanes Foundation Breakfast Clubs at schools throughout the State and really deliver value to our member and fan experiences on Big Bash match-days.”

As the ‘Protein of Choice’ for the Hurricanes, Cricket Tasmania’s Dietician is working with Tassal’s chefs on creating healthier, easier-to-prepare salmonbased meals for its players.

The company will also continue its proud

visit our Margate processing facility

sponsorship of the Tassal Indigenous XI which competes with other BBL clubs’ Indigenous squads and will retain their branding on Hurricanes Academy Squad shirts.

This partnership announcement aligns during an important period for the Hurricanes with tickets for the BBL|08 season now on sale, which features five games in Hobart and two in Launceston as part of a full home and away season – headlined by a blockbuster Christmas Eve date with the Melbourne Stars.

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Education Feature From work experience to facility tours, mentor programs and innovation seminars - Current takes a look at how Tassal and our employees inspire the next generation.

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Students studying the Biology of Aquaculture Animals and Plants unit.

Photo/s courtesy of University College.

Aquaculture Opportunities at University College The University College was established in 2016, with the goal to develop and deliver a variety of courses shaped to meet existing and future workforce needs. The College was designed as an extension of academic offerings from the University of Tasmania to provide flexible programs to cater to students who are industry-orientated and aiming to be work-ready upon graduation.

Focusing on aquaculture, the University College in collaboration with the Tasmanian industry, developed the Associate Degree in Applied Science – Aquaculture, assisting to shape the course structure in response to industry demand.

Industry experts are actively involved in developing and teaching the course, utilising an innovative online delivery platform, practical workshops and tutorials as the focus continues to be on integrated work-orientated learning opportunities.

University College Course Coordinator for the Associate Degree in Applied Science (Aquaculture), Robin Barnes, said the hands-on learning experiences undertaken during the course are an excellent way for the students to put the theory they are learning into practice.

understanding of what the requirements are to operate in the aquaculture industry.”

Tassal has been thrilled to be involved in shaping the associate degree structure and we are also offering scholarships to students studying Applied Science – Aquaculture. Applications are open to Tasmanian students commencing their first year in the degree in Term 1 of 2019.

The course is offered at the University of Tasmania’s Cradle Coast, Newnham and Sandy Bay campuses through a combination of online and face-to-face programs.

“It is so rewarding for the students to be able to apply their knowledge of Aquaculture in a practical setting,” she said.

The next intake of students in the course will commence in February 2019, with applications now open.

“Through the industry workshops we hold, students have the opportunity to meet some of the key players in the Tasmanian aquaculture industry,” Robin told Current. “They’ve gained an

For students wishing to find out more information visit: utas.edu.au/college/study-with-us.

To apply for a scholarship, please visit apply.scholarships.utas.edu.au/

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Helping Deliver Aspirations program to Tasman District School with Australian Business Throughout September and October 2018, Tassal was thrilled to partner with the Australian Business and Community Network (ABCN) to help deliver the Aspirations Program to year 10 students at Tasman District School.

ABCN is a purpose-led, not-for-profit organisation, which brings business and schools together to deliver workplace orientated mentoring programs to develop students’ understanding of careers.

The Aspiration Program helps familiarise students with what a modern workplace is and provides skills to shape their future pathways through a mentoring program. Tassal employees from a range of departments who demonstrated strong leadership qualities and had successfully formed their career pathways had the opportunity to be involved as mentors.

Tasman District School Principal, Ted Barrance, said the school was very excited about the business partnership with Tassal.

“This gives our students an insight into industry and business, which is really important for us in supporting our students from formal education to the workforce,” Ted said.

“It is partnerships with companies like Tassal which provide a global view of current workplaces with a mix of local context.”

The Aspirations program is structured as a set of sessions, all of which focus on a different aspect of success and helping shape the students’ future.

“It’s essential to ensure we are supporting rural communities which we are operating in,” Depha Miedecke, Senior Manager Community Engagement told Current.

For over 30 years, Tassal has been operating in the Tasman region, with marine farms in Nubeena and Port Arthur. Currently, Tassal employs over 50 people at its Nubeena based site, the majority of whom live in the region.

Depha played a pivotal role in involving the Tasman District school with the Aspirations program.

“Statistically, students living in rural areas are less likely to complete higher education,” she said. “The Aspirations program aims to equip the students with skills to shape their pathways and expose them to mentors who have all successfully pursued higher education and gained employment.”

“The Aspirations program has been a great initiative to be involved in. After spending the day with the students and sharing our career stories and challenges, it was amazing to see the confidence and interest grow in the students!”

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Below: The students and mentors came together to build the tallest card tower in 10 minutes.

Bottom: The year 10 Tasman District High group with Tassal mentors.

Mentors from Tassal included members of the retail team, finance, fish health and performance, engagement, operations and workplace health and safety.

“I am privileged to be able to help these students progress their skills, attributes and build confidence to develop their future career goals. The program is both challenging and rewarding for mentors and the students.”

Brittani Walker, SALMON TRUCK 2IC

“I believe the students would have taken away a couple of key learnings from the first day, with the second session reinforcing those learnings and helping them continue to build their selfconfidence and knowledge of what opportunities are out there and how to best access them.”

Angus Peters,

TECHNICAL TEAM LEADER – CHANNEL ZONE

“As a major employer in regional Tasmanian communities we have a responsibility to work closely with the next generation and be accessible to answer questions and share our own journey from education into the workforce, providing examples and guidance of what is possible and how it can be achieved. I was very impressed with the students from Tasman District School who demonstrated a real passion for empowering themselves to take their education to the next level to reach their goals.”

Barb McGregor,

HEAD OF ENGAGEMENT.

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FutureFest at Our Feed Centre!

FutureFest has landed in Tasmania, showcasing some of the best innovation our Island offers! Running over five days in October, the program consisted of workshops, tours and lectures throughout the cities of Hobart and Launceston.

Students studying Aquaculture, Technology and Cyber Systems Degrees, Associate Degrees, Diplomas and related qualifications were invited to express an interest in touring our Hobart Feed Centre.

Hosted in collaboration with Tasmanian company Intuit Technology, 30 students were given the opportunity to learn about our world-leading remote Feed Centre.

Tassal’s Fish Performance Manager, Tim Sheppard, helped host the tour. “We have had lots of students come through the feed centre, and I always find it interesting how they compare feeding fish to playing video games – which is a major hobby for some of our Feed Technicians too!”

“The students are also captivated by the clarity of the high definition cameras,” he said.

For more information about our Remote Feed Centre, visit pages 14 and 15.

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Students explore our operations New Town High students set to sea After six students from New Town High were given the opportunity to gain their boat license with help from Tassal, the group came to check out what exactly we do! On a sunny day in September, the students were given the VIP tour of our Channel region farms, seeing Tassal’s dayto-day operations close up. Tassal Senior Manager – Community Engagement, Depha Miedecke, hosted the students, sharing her years of experience in the aquaculture industry.

Hey Depha, I would like to say a huge thank you to you

and the guys at Tassal. I enjoyed the experience

out on the water and the farms, but most of all, I enjoyed the salmon platter and sandwiches. I really liked watching the divers and the bathing side of the operations, it was all a great experience and we all enjoyed it.

Kind Regards,

Alex

Friends School students gets to know our business Grade six students from Hobart’s Friends’ School had an exclusive tour of our Rookwood Hatchery, Huonville Processing facility and Hobart Central Feed Centre.

The small group all expressed an interest in global sustainability and gained some great insight into how aquaculture contributes to this.

Tassal’s Head of Engagement, Barbara McGregor, gave the students the VIP tours of the facilities.

“It was fantastic to see the students so engaged in the egg-to-plate story,” Barb told Current, “They had such a genuine interest in sustainability and found the experience fascinating! We were very impressed at their well researched questions, which centred on many aspects of the business – from our sustainability practices, to quality control and through to financial performance.”

Japanese students get the tour of Russell Falls Hatchery Inabe exchange students from Glenora District School had the opportunity to visit Tassal’s Russell Falls hatchery in Mount Field. The students were fascinated to see the process of where salmon begins, and at first, found it difficult to grasp the idea of how the small egg could turn into the salmon they all loved!

Hatchery Manager, Mike McMann, gave the students an excellent and informative tour of Russell Falls, explaining the process of breeding and growing salmon.

The group of students even had the opportunity to taste-test some of our fresh Tasmanian salmon!

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Huon Valley Trade Training Centre students take on Tassal!

In early September, seven certificate II aquaculture students from the Huon Valley Trade Training Centre engaged in 10 days of work experience across Tassal operations.

The students spent the majority of their time on the water, either in our Channel or Southern regions, learning the fundamentals of working within our marine operations teams.

Fish health checks, fish bathing and farm maintenance were a large part of their days on the water, ensuring the stock and staff were kept safe.

“Before this experience, I had no idea what the marine operations work crew did,” Huon Valley Trade Training Centre student Josh said. “There is a lot involved with maintaining nets and bathing the fish.”

Tassal was also able to develop a skills passport for the students, which allowed them to gain an understanding of what abilities are required to succeed in the industry.

Huon Valley Trade Training Centre Aquaculture Coordinator, Steve Harrison, told Current the work experience program allowed the students to begin building a relationship with the industry.

“Overall the students were very impressed with the experience,” said Steve. “They were able to see every facet of the company’s operations and the fact CEO and Managing Director, Mark Ryan, took time out to meet them left them feeling very valued.”

The students also spent time at Tassal’s Rookwood hatchery and nursery in Ranelagh and processing facility in Huonville.

Maile Erger, Senior Manager – Culture and Capability said the aim was to showcase all aspects of Tassal to the students and show them just how broad the opportunities are.

“From the remote feed centre in our Hobart office, to the Tassal Salmon Shop in Salamanca, the students got the full experience of what we do at Tassal,” Maile said.

Ending the program on a lighter note, the students had the opportunity to taste test some of the salmon products available at the shop, with Tassal’s National Business Manager, David Forrest, cooking up a storm of entrees for the students to taste.

Given the opportunity to reflect upon their work experience, most students found they had a keen interest in the marine operations aspect of the company.

“I found the technical side of the operations interesting,” Huon Valley Trade Training Centre student Reuben said. “I would like to work hands-on and am fascinated in the fish health aspect of the job.”

Other students found their interest lies with land-based aquaculture.

“The hatchery was my favourite part of the work experience,” student Zach told Current. “It’s very similar to the hatchery we operate at the Trade Training Centre, just on a much larger scale.”

Tassal will continue to be actively involved with the Huon Valley Trade Training Centre, working with the students and staff to deliver valuable learning experiences to support skill enhancement and transitional opportunities into employment.

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Back Row, L-R: Ethan Hutchinson, Zach Young, Henry McGuire, Ruben Blake-Murphy, Reuben Leary Front Row, L-R: Brad Thompson, Josh Doughty WINTER 2018 CURRENT

Tassal launches new range!

Recently, we have revamped our fresh prepackaged range at Woolworths to ensure everyone can continue to enjoy fresh, delicious salmon for lunch and dinner with the family!

Senior Brand Manager, George Dimkin, told Current the convenient to grab on-the-go, fixed weight pack sizes are sealed for freshness while marinated products are sealed for flavour.

“Just 100g of our new range provides you with 159% of the recommended daily intake of Omega-3 EPA & DHA fatty acids,” George said.

Studies have shown Omega-3 fats play an integral part of cell membranes throughout the body and provide a starting point for creating hormones which regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of artery walls and inflammation.

They also suggest Omega-3s are essential for brain development and function throughout all stages of life.

Tassal was the first company globally to achieve 100% Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification across salmon farming operations; a standard for responsible aquaculture based on best practice and sound science.

As part of this certification, we are proud to continue to display the ASC logo on our products.

Tassal Sustainability and Certification Manager, Heidi Hansen said the ASC logo on-pack gives consumers the assurance they’re purchasing salmon from farms which responsibly manage their environment and social impact to the highest global standards.

“The ASC logo is globally recognised as world’s best practice for aquaculture,” Heidi told Current.

Keep an eye out on your supermarket shelves for the latest ranges.

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Tassal joins the OfCOURSE menu!

Tassal is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with Black Beetle Media, producing a five-episode series entitled ofCourse, which showcases the best produce Tasmania offers.

The series will be narrated through the unscripted banter of two well-known characters – John X and Paul Foreman, travelling around Tasmania to prepare, cook and critique their creations using local produce.

Each episode will be inspired by a local producer, with the five-course meals created by the OfCourse hosts driven by specific ingredients.

About our hosts…

John X is a born and raised Tasmanian, diving into the world of acting and comedy over 20 years ago. He has performed on the stage, known predominately for his role of Pumba in Disney’s theatrical production of the Lion King, which earned him a Mo Award nomination.

John has also had his share of television appearances, acting in popular Australian series including Winners and Losers and City Homicide.

In 2010, John co-founded Hobart’s independent theatre company, Blue Cow Theatre Inc. Paul Foreman moved to the Apple Isle at the ripe age of 14, going straight from high school to undertake his chef’s apprenticeship at the local pub.

Working in many establishments around Tasmania, Australia and internationally, Paul has created a name for himself in the industry with 30 years of experience behind him.

Make sure to keep up-to-date on the show, by liking our Facebook page Tassal – Our Community!

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Paul Foreman

John X

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Within Our Communities Tassal’s Community Foundation underpins our intention to thoughtful, meaningful and sustainable partnerships in the communities where we operate.

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The Foundation is supported by four core pillars aligned to our company values - Health & Wellbeing, Environmental Stewardship, Youth & Education and Social Inclusion. It offers communities an opportunity to support an array of programs, events and organisations dependent on the local needs, priorities and aspirations of the community. Our Foundation is flexible and versatile, understanding all community needs are different.

We love supporting local community events and sporting teams: 1. The team at the Kingborough Rotary Club sizzling salmon on the BBQ at the Channel Heritage Museum Open Day. 2. Tassal staff at the Skretting Australia Open Evening in Cambridge.

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3. Peter Handy gives another impressive cooking demonstration at the Salamanca Salmon Shop.

4. Members of staff present to year nine students about their future at the Create My Career day at TasTafe.

5. Tassal staff represent at the Speak Up Stay ChatTY Ball.

6. The aquaculture industry was proud to be part of a community BBQ in Dover recently.

7. Students at Tasman District School attended Blue Cow Theatre Co’s production of Hamlet in partnership with Tassal.

8. Tassal salmon was top of the menu at Flavours of Tasmania, hosted at parliament house in Canberra!

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Lidcombe’s Christmas in July!

As Christmas is a hectic time for the teams in our Lidcombe factory, the site instead celebrated Christmas in July, letting their hair down before the hectic season ahead!

Passion

We own it

Every year, Tassal3 recognises the remarkable efforts of employees who demonstrate our company values.

Pictured left are this year’s winners: PASSION Jason Craus & Chriag Patel WE OWN IT Hayden Wyker

Can Do Safely

Achieve

Together

CAN DO SAFELY – Derek Waters & Socrates Nuevas ACHIEVE TOGETHER Dipendra Rawal & Luckie Koliandris

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ACHIEVING GREAT THINGS TOGETHER It’s not just all about salmon at Tassal! We love working within our communities!

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Fundraising for Farmers

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Winners are Grinners

In early October, our Hobart head office held a fundraising morning tea for drought-stricken farmers.

Team Tasmania, proudly supported

by Tassal, took home first place at the Fine Food Awards in Melbourne.

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Proud to Represent Tassal

Tassal’s Product Development Manager, Nik Du Moulin and his family ventured to Mudgee, NSW to represent the company at a fundraiser for farmers affected by drought.

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Biggest in History!

Tassal saw its biggest harvest/wet processing week in history during September, with over 1 million kilograms of salmon harvested.

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Tour of Macquarie Harbour

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Salmon takes over the senate

Members of Tassal’s Engagement team joined forces with the Western Zone operational team and IMAS scientists for a public tour of Macquarie Harbour, hosted by the industry.

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Our Tassal team showcased our fresh, Tasmanian salmon at Parliament House in Canberra, presenting a variety of delicious salmon dishes for tastings.

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Safety superstars

Throughout October, the WHS team at Lidcombe promoted National Safe Work Month with the theme being ‘a moment is all it takes’ to align with our ‘Take Five’ approach to working safely, celebrating afterwards with a barbeque.

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Combating Difficult Items

Hobart head office has been embracing our new “difficult to recycle” items initiative pioneered by Tassal’s Fish Planning Coordinator, German Diaz.

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Thermal Challenge Trials

Tassal’s Senior Manager – Breeding and Research, Brad Evans conducted some fascinating thermal challenge trials at the Experimental Aquaculture Facility in Taroona.

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Raising Money for Kids Cancer

Our Margate Processing team banded together to raise funds towards Fighting Cancer for Kids at their Footy Colours Day.

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Meet Our Team “Santa Claus would be exciting; travel the world, oversee a challenging timeline (deliver all those gifts in one night!), then see your hard work pay off with smiles all round!”

Belinda Van Schalik

NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER (WOOLWORTHS)

“I’d be Randy Marsh from Southpark - he’s a family man that’s still a big kid deep down and a little bit left of centre who tells it like it is”

“Hulk - Certified Boxfit and Karate instructor/ Procurement Manager - Fresh Seafood”

Peter Rota

SEAFOOD MARKET BUYER

Brendan Riordan BUSINESS MANAGER (WOOLWORTHS)

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Our Tassal and De Costi teams are made up of some real characters – but, what if they could be anyone else?

Current caught up with our Retail Sales and Marketing to see which famous superhero character they’d be and why …

“Han Solo from Star Wars. What could be better than cruising the galaxy with your best mate winning laser battles and ladies hearts?”

“I would like to be Wonder Woman; a woman with confidence and power - and not to mention a hot bod!

Sandra Kazzi SEAFOOD BUYER

Matthew Wassnig

NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER (WOOLWORTHS)

"I would be a cross between Aquaman and Dr Strange!

Aquaman because my job would be easier if I could just go and catch the seafood myself!

Anthony Mercer

NATIONAL SEAFOOD PROCUREMENT MANAGER

Dr Strange because I also like to wave my arms around and he has a kick-ass watch collection."

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HOBART

CAROLS

MONDAY, 24 DEC Visit hobarthurricanes.com.au/tickets 36

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