AUTUMN 2018
04 TOURING STORM BAY PAG E
WITH TASSAL CEO, MARK RYAN
TRAIL 20 WASTE WHAT HAPPENS TO WASTE PAG E
FROM ROOKWOOD NURSERY
PAG E
26
WITHIN OUR
COMMUNITIES
FEATURE:
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING 06 PAG E
News from Tassal and the communities we proudly call home.
Star t your day with
Tassal Smoked Salmon
sti ge ug s ing serv
on
Salmon Bagel with Scrambled Eggs 100g Tassal Smoked Salmon slices
Step 1 Remove smoked salmon from packet and peel apart slices.
6 eggs
Step 2 Use a fork to gently whisk egg and cream. Toast bagel under grill for 2 minutes or until toasted.
50ml thickened cream 2 bagels, sliced & toasted 20g butter 2 Tbsp chives, finely chopped 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
2
For recipe inspiration visit tassal.com.au and follow us on /TassalSalmon AUTUMN 2018 CURRENT
Step 3 Melt butter in a medium size pan until foaming. Add egg mixture and stir gently; when ž of the egg mixture is cooked and take off the heat. Step 4 Spoon eggs on top of bagel, top with slices of smoked salmon and sprinkle chives and parsley.
The Tasmanian Salmon
CONTENTS P20
P6
P14 P18
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TOURING STORM BAY With Our CEO and Managing Director Mark Ryan
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TAKING A CLOSER LOOK At Our Remotely Operated Vehicle
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18
20 FOLLOWING The Waste Trail 22
INTRODUCING ‘JULIE’ Our New Salmon Truck
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NEXT GENERATION Of Aquaculturalists
WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE Our Brave Team Members
10 INTRODUCING Tassal’s New Webpages 12
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ON AND OFF THE PITCH Our Hurricanes Partnership
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WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES
A GRAND OLD LADY Restoring the S.S. Cartela
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ACHIEVING GREAT THINGS TOGETHER
OFFICIAL LAUNCH Farming Virtual Reality
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MEET OUR PEOPLE Senior Zone Managers
THE BIG PICTURE Nubeena
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 CURRENT AUTUMN 2018
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Touring Storm Bay
with our CEO
More than 150 people have toured Tassal’s operations to date as part of an initiative to allow the public to learn more about salmon farming. Our Managing Director and CEO Mark Ryan said the company had taken engagement to the next level.
“I am really pleased with my team at Tassal, taking time out of their day to proudly show what they do.
“We made the decision last year to openly invite people to come and see our farms first-hand, meet our people and gain a better understanding of operations, including environmental monitoring,” he said.
“This has included our environmental team, placing an ROV (remote operating vehicle) under pens so guests can see live footage from there.”
“There is a lot of misinformation, particularly in the social media space, which needs addressing and in order to do this we have adopted a stewardship approach, which we believe leads to more informed conversations.”
Feedback from the tours has been overwhelmingly positive with some great learnings for both those who have attended, and Tassal also. “I have personally really enjoyed the opportunity to meet with people from around Tasmania, including King Island, and to show them what we do,” Mark said. “We have had some great conversations. We have listened and made commitments to improving provision of access to information, which is now available on our website.
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Guests toured the new central feeding floor.
Guests were able to walk around our new Sanctuary Pens and meet our salmon up close at Creeses Lease.
Resident dolphins joined the fun.
What our guests had to say ... “It was fantastic to be able to get out there to see the Storm Bay sites, experience operating aquaculture, see the animals and meet senior management to discuss and ask questions - there really is no substitute for checking it out yourself and having a first-hand impression if you want to participate in the ongoing discussions. Well done, Tassal, thank you for being so transparent and open in what you’re doing!” Steve “Thank you for the Storm Bay tour and overview of Tassal and the remote automated fish feeder today. The weather was perfect and the day was excellent (all parts). I have been shown that the new lease to the west of Wedge Island will not adversely impact on the bay nor the environment. As a shack owner at White Beach I was a bit sceptical before I went, but I am convinced the new lease will be fine.” Mike “I was very impressed by Tassal’s huge investment in all areas, technology, equipment and especially in its dedicated staff. Everyone I spoke to was proud of the company and what they have achieved. It must be a great place to work. Thanks to the Tassal team and also the crew from Pennicott Wilderness Journeys for an enjoyable and informative tour. I learnt so much about aquaculture and it was great to get facts about the industry from experts.” Brendon
Tassal has also launched a number of other engagement and transparency initiatives in 2018, including: •
A new website, with access to education videos, which feature all aspects of operations, including videos from under pens, taken during live environmental monitoring exercises - view it at www.tassalgroup.com.au
•
A new sustainability reporting dashboard www.dashboard.tassalgroup.com.au with real-time updates on company data and performance, including environmental and wildlife indicators
Mark said he was proud Tassal was regarded as an industry leader in relation to sustainability reporting and supported steps by the Tasmanian Government to enhance transparency reporting across the industry. “In 2017 Tassal was recognised as the #2 salmon farming company in the world (via seafoodintel.com) on sustainability and environmental reporting,” he said.
“I was on the 6th March tour and it was absolutely brilliant. Tassal really looked after us from start to finish - from the board room briefing and remote feeding stations - to the boat trip with Pennicotts - to standing on the feeding pens in the ocean - to dolphins swimming around the boat! We learnt so much and saw some of Tasmania’s most stunning scenery from the water. To have the CEO and members of the management team join us on the boat with the Pennicotts crew was terrific. Thank you Tassal for the opportunity – we were lucky to have perfect weather on the day but would go again in a shot whatever the weather was doing.” Fiona The Tassal Environment Team demonstrated the environmental monitoring ROV camera, showing guests live footage from under the pens at Creeses lease including this friendly Flathead who turned up to say hello.
“We believe we can continue to improve on this with an aim to get back to our #1 global position as recognised in 2016.” Tassal will finalise its public tours for 2018 at the end of April, before weather conditions compromise the ability for people to transit safely into high energy farming areas.
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How we take a closer look Our Environmental Team travels to all of Tassal’s sites, using a special remote operated vehicle (ROV) which can provide visuals and environmental assessment from under the sea floor. The ROV can also assess key areas up to 20kms from leases, including deep reefs, sea grass beds, rocky reefs and world heritage areas - monitoring for any environmental changes. Under pen and lease boundary positions are decided by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) with coordinates supplied to our team. Once filmed the data is sent to the EPA, accompanied by a scientific report and mapping files, where it is assessed by independent regulators. The under pen footage and data is also used internally to look for indicator species abundance and diversity. Indicator species are used to assess organic impact which in turn helps decide when a site needs to be fallowed - this is when fish are taken out and the site is given a rest - much like when you move live stock around paddocks to allow fields to regenerate. The further afield monitoring and targeted surveys are used to assess broader marine communities. All footage and data is supplied to third party stakeholders such as IMAS and CSIRO for study and analysis. Members of our field analysis environment team, who are on board our research vessel The Regulator.
In our next edition of Current, we look in-depth at Broadscale Environmental Monitoring
Left to right: Steve Witkowski. Environmental Officer. Will Perry. Environmental Officer. Matt Barrenger. Senior Manager Environment
Left: Steve gets the ROV ready for a dive. Top: Steve and Matt attach the ROV to a davit onboard The Regulator. The davit lowers and retrieves the ROV into the water. 6
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Top and bottom left: Matt logging the dive into the Differential GPS (the same system used by land surveyors), this accurately pin points where the dive is taking place. The GPS then integrates with the ROV overlay screen on the linked computer proving time and place and guaranteeing data. Bottom right: Captured image from the ROV, showing date stamp and time. Data for this image shows: Date: 23rd January 2018 Depth: 23.5m Temp: 17 degrees Time: 10.09 (and 11 secs) This fish is a Flathead, which are common under our pens.
Right: Will getting ready to drive the ROV. Bottom: The computer console, which records the dive while giving Will a full view of what is happening under the pen. This all happens live onboard The Regulator.
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More about our ROV and its job Our ROV and our Environment team work hard! While the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) requires Tassal to report to a certain schedule, our team always go above and beyond. For example, Okehampton Bay is required to be monitored every 6 months - our team dives and monitors every 2 months!
Multiple uses. The ROV is not only used for underpen monitoring, our team uses it for: • deep reef surveys • sea grass bed assessment • factory pipeline outfall inspection • the Macquarie Harbour waste capture project.
The ROV maybe small but it is big on performance. Our ROV is capable of diving to 300 metres and is equipped with: • a high resolution colour camera • powerful LED lights • depth, heading and temperature sensors • a fully integrated control console with daylight-readable monitor • dual high definition filming capability • three claw grabber arm • navagation capability.
In good company. The model of ROV we are using is also used by the military and government for: • hull & maritime infrastructure inspections • deployment & retrieval of tooling & sensors • port & maritime security operations • wreck survey & salvage • hazardous environment intervention • victim search, rescue & recovery • oceanographic / scientific survey & research • anti-terrorism and homeland security Plus commercially for: • search and recovery • pipeline survey – internal / external • inshore / offshore infrastructure inspection • diver support / safety supervision • vessel bilge tank inspection • deep water inspection. 8
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ROV SPECIFICATIONS vLBV Depth Rating
300 Meters Seawater (MSW)
Length
625 mm
Width
390 mm
Height
390 mm
Weight in Air
18.1 kg
Protection
Polyethylene bumper frame
Thrusters Thruster configuration
Six (6) Brushless DC thrusters - Four (4) vectored - Two (2) vertical Each thruster is identical and isolated
Cameras & Lighting Camera Tilt
180 degrees
Diagonal Angle of View
65 degrees in water
Camera - Primary Resolution
Horizontal: 650 TV lines Light sensitivity: 0.1 Lux @ f2.0
Focus Fixed
100 mm (4.0 in) - infinity.
Video Format
NTSC or PAL
Lighting
2 x 1,080 Lumen LED arrays. (secondary 1 x 1,080 Lumen LED array)
Control System Configuration
Hand controller, monitor and surface power supply built into protective case
Data Channels
4 x RS232/485 (115kb), 3 x 100base/t Ethernet
Monitor Colour LCD,
daylight readable
Sensors Heading,
depth, temperature, pitch, roll
Integrated Navigation Control Console Length
452 mm
Width
328 mm
Height
173 mm
Weight
20 kg
Input Voltage
100-240 VAC
Locks gone for a great cause!
Braving the shave! Members of our amazing Huonville Tassal team. Back Row (L-R): Christopher Wells, Tracy Dollman (with Titch the Bear), Adam Grainger, Kirstin Mills, Gary Branch Front Row (L-R): Craig Burleigh, Liam Dobson, Branden Dobson
Eight of our Huonville team braved the shave during the Leukaemia Foundation’s 20th Anniversary World’s Greatest Shave this year. The team, organised by Inventory Manager Kirstin Mills, raised over $6,000 towards the charity, which assists financially and emotionally supporting those affected by Leukaemia and their families. Well done Chris, Tracy, Adam, Gary, Craig, Liam, Branden and Kirstin who lent support on the day!
Kirstin Mills. with her cut piggytails, which will be made into a wig, was the organiser of our Tassal Team’s Big Shave, Current caught up with her to talk about her experience.
Q: What motivated you to participate in the World’s Greatest Shave?
Q: What impact has it had on you and others around you?
A: I just thought it would be a good thing to do to raise money for those affected by the disease. Also, I thought it might bring me some good karma! My daughter shaved her head a couple of years ago for the WGS and donated her hair to cancer and I thought I better follow in her footsteps.
A: I found it’s brought the team together, as everyone was willing to help and donate towards the cause. Some of the staff even had a friendly competition to see who could raise the most money. It has fostered a really positive vibe with our team at Huonville.
Q: Was it a hard decision to make, considering how long your hair was?
I’ve also had some people with loved ones affected by Leukaemia come up to me and say ‘thank you’ and it just makes you realise how many people it really does impact.
A: Not at all - I was happy to get rid of it! It feels strange to be bald at first, but it’s also very freeing at the same time. It’s a funny feeling to know my hair will be on someone else’s head, as it was all donated towards making a wig for a cancer patient. I am pleased to have the opportunity to help!
Q: What advice would you give to anyone considering participating? A: Go for it – take the chop! It’s just hair and it will grow back. You’ll be doing something truly meaningful.
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THREE NEW WEBPAGES
- SAME GREAT PRODUCTS & PEOPLE! There is never a dull moment at Tassal! With so much happening across our business, we have made finding the information you are looking for easier to discover via three very distinct new webpages. Each webpage has set criteria, but all are interlinked, so you can find information across our whole business. Introducing the three new pages: TassalGroup.com.au features in-depth corporate, investor and community information. It is also the home of our new sustainability dashboard, which has up-to-date environmental data, as well as information on our people, our planet and our product. If you would like to come and work with us - check out our vacant positions in the Our People section. Tassal.com.au provides consumers with an overview of the health benefits to consuming salmon as well as featuring a wide selection of recipes and product information. Shop.Tassal.com.au is the complete guide to our Salmon Shop in Salamanca Square, Hobart. You will find in-store specials as well as information about events and classes. We invite you to take a look around - there is so much to discover!
TassalGroup.com.au Featuring our brand new dashboard.
With up-to-date data on our people, planet, product and community.
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Tassal.com.au
Shop.Tassal.com.au
Featuring hundreds of recipes plus product and health information.
Find shop specials, events and classes.
Are you a Facebook fan? Then check out our three very different Facebook pages. Tassal Tasmanian Salmon has great recipes and product information. Tassal - Our Community features what is happening within our Communities. Tassal - The Salmon Truck stay up to date on where our salmon truck is heading next!
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Restoring
a grand old lady
A two-year restoration project of the S.S. Cartela is currently underway and Tassal’s Channel Zone team is proudly lending a hand to bring this grand old lady back to her former glory. Channel Zone Senior Manager, Troy Hein, said the Channel team will help by mooring and restoring a barge dubbed “Goliath” at the Haywards site. Once restoration is completed, the team will tow “Goliath” to Franklin and moor the barge in preparation to float the Cartela as she is worked on.
In January 2018, the S.S. Cartela Trust became the official
“Throughout the restoration period, the team will also be lending the Trust mooring equipment to assist them anchor the vessel during reconstruction,” Troy said.
her home for almost 100 years. This massive project includes
“Helping the community is an important part of our operations. We are really proud of the work we do in this area and supporting something as historically significant as the Cartela is just great.” The S.S Cartela was built in Hobart in 1912 with her maiden voyage on New Year’s Day 1913. Operating as both a cargo and passenger vessel, the Cartela explored the sea south and south-east of Hobart. During the outbreak of World War One, the Cartela was leased to the Royal Australian Army to protect the port of Hobart, and to this day, remains one of only seven other vessels used in the war to still be operational. 12
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owners of the Cartela on behalf of the Tasmanian people. The Trust was established in 2012 with the mission of accurately restoring the Cartela to her historical state and once again operating as a ferry out of Brooke Street Pier, which had been returning the vessel to steam powered, by restoring its original triple expansion, which includes the Plenty & Sons engine built in England for the Cartela in 1912. Once operational, the Cartela aims to run voyages north of the Derwent River to New Norfolk, as well as exploring the southern seas of the Huon Valley in Franklin.
To find out more information, visit steamshipcartela.com.au or check the Trust out on Facebook “SteamShip Cartela.”
From t he arc hiv
Cartela causes controversy
es...
From the late 1890s, it became a tradition for art vessels to race from Hob on to Kettering and return Christmas day.
In 1926, Cartela took on “Togo”, a vessel designed by Walter Reeks, one of Australia’s finest naval With architects of the time. sel. 500 passengers on each ves head to head, Togo and Cartela sailed sharing the both closely swapping and take the lead lead. As Cartela began to , Togo rerouted as the finish line neared safely proceed to deny Cartela room to ced ashore! and Togo was violently for ury was a Miraculously, the only inj
man, who was sprained ankle to a young depart Togo. eager to be the first to and it led to The race caused an uproar race fell a Royal Commission. As the ndary, both the just outside the port bou tela shared the skippers of Togo and Car ident. Although responsibility for the inc m and the race this didn’t discourage the ing year! was held again the follow
The Cartela moored in Brooke St Pier during the 1920’s
Our Channel Zone team
The original triple expansion Plenty & Sons engine built in England in 1912.
The Franklin Wooden Boat Centre is also playing a pivotal role in assisting the Trust to restore the Cartela. “We’d love to continue to support the Franklin community once the Cartela is restored,” Ross James, Project Manager of the Trust told Current. “It’s important to feed back into the community which is helping us achieve our goal.”
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Tassal invites you to view it all!
PROU A WORDLY L FIRST D !
Tim Gentle of Think Digital, with Tassal’s Antoni Biernacki from Our Channel Marine Operations working the drone to capture footage for the farm component of the program.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go diving in an offshore pen with 20,000 live salmon? Ever wanted to know how smolt get from the nursery to their new ocean homes? Perhaps you would like a full tour of our state of the art Rookwood nursery facility? Well, now you can from the comfort of your own couch, with a world first 3D experience which tells the story of our salmon from egg to harvest. In early January 2018, PIEFA Primary Industry Education Foundation Australia (PIEFA) officially launched its FarmVR education program, which allows viewers an insight into the Australian agriculture, aquaculture and cotton industries. The program is currently being rolled out across the country, with Tasmanian schools the priority. “We are thrilled to be part of this world first initiative, which takes the learning experience to a whole new level”, said Tassal Head of Engagement, Barb McGregor. “This program promotes better transparency of our operations with viewers able to tour our facilities and meet our people from the comfort of their own homes.” PIEFA CEO, Ben Stockwin, said the resource was viewable online, on a smart phone or via a 360 VR headset. “This allows the viewer to fully immerse themselves in the production process, whether it is watching the eggs hatch or diving into an offshore pen with 20,000 live salmon,” he said.
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outcomes in the learning areas of science, technology and geography. Though the program is available free for anyone to view. The app features eight video resources, all shot with Tassal staff who proudly demonstrate the full egg to harvest story. From the hatchery to the salmon pens, the videos take students through an immersive 360˚ experience of the salmon production process and enhance their understanding of where their food comes from. “We’re finding the learning outcomes are so much better because the content is all around them,” FarmVR developer, Tim Gentle of Think Digital said. The program is also a key opportunity to increase understanding of Australia’s $3 billion seafood industry. The app is available to download for free on any Android or iOS device and is both capable to be viewed on screen or within a virtual reality headset.
“The videos allow viewers to experience something they otherwise could not, and add real depth to their learning.”
To experience it for yourself, download the FarmVR app on your device from the Google Play Store or App Store.
The resources are designed for students from grades four to eight and are explicitly written for Australian curriculum
To view online, visit www.primezone.edu.au and search for ‘salmon’.
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The whole FarmVR experience is available for everyone to view! Here is how ... On your phone or ipad Download the FarmVR app from the Google Play Store or App Store.
10:42 AM
87%
Back
FarmVR
FarmVR is an immersive 360 degree virtual reality experience.
GET
... ...
You can use the app with or without a 3D headset.
Place your phone into the slide out tray of the VR headset.
To gain the full 3D experience, move your device up and down and turn your body around in a 360 degree circle.
VIRTUAL REALITY
You can also view on your computer. Visit www.primezone.edu.au and type “salmon” into the search bar.
Place the headset onto your head and tighten the straps to fit comfortably. Focus your eyes for a second on the option you wish to select, this will open your experience. Move your head around for the full experience.
VIRTUAL REALITY
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THE BIG PICTURE A stunning morning at White Beach, in early April 2018, looking towards our Creeses Farm in Nubeena, Tasmania. Our Farm in Nubeena has been here for 30 years, employs 55 full time people and proudly supports the local community.
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On and off the pitch
Our Hurricanes partnership Our partnership with the Hurricanes extends much further than in-season cricket games. During the off-season we are proudly bringing players and their support team into our workplaces, communities and regional schools to deliver inspiring messages around the importance of exercise and nutrition to lead a healthy lifestyle. Recently, the Hurricanes’ leading nutritionist and dietitian, Emilie Burgess, attended our Tassal cooking events held in Sydney and Melbourne. Emilie showcased why salmon is the Hurricanes’ protein of choice and demonstrated some of the team’s favourite salmon recipes including; Salmon and Veggie Kebabs and Almond Crusted Salmon Bites with Sweet Potato Fries. “My top tips for a healthy lifestyle would be to enjoy food,” she said. “To pick foods you actually like and to be confident in how you prepare them.” Salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are considered essential to a healthy and balanced diet. Furthermore, salmon is also a source of minerals such as selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium as well as also containing vitamins D and E, B6 and B12. “Being a dietitian, I always recommend salmon for its nutritional quality,” nutritionist, dietitian and director of Hearty Nutrition in Victoria, Joel Feren said. “We’re talking about heart healthy fats, wholly unsaturated fats and the omega-3s we know are really good for our heart, our brain and our eyes.” Hurricanes players joined the demonstrations, including Hamish Kingston and Women’s captain, Corrine Hall, who shared her own experiences with preparing salmon. “I eat salmon because it’s such a convenient thing to cook,” she said. “It’s full of nutrients and a great source of protein, especially when we train at odd hours throughout the day. Sometimes we can train at 8.30 at night, so we’ll come home and pop some salmon in the oven and by the time I’ve had a shower, it’s ready to go!” 18
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Emilie and Hurricanes’ bowler Hamish Kingston demonstrating quick, easy and healthy Salmon Kebabs. Family fun! Kidredient & Mums Delivery learning to make Almond Crusted Salmon Bites.
Breakfast Club Program Another exciting aspect of our Hurricanes partnership is the Breakfast Club Program. This program supports the Hurricanes to travel to regional Tasmanian towns (many of which feature our operations) to deliver advice and demonstrations on the importance of an active lifestyle and a healthy diet. The kids enjoy breakfast of cereal and fruit which is followed by some fun games with the Hurricanes team. Hurricane’s leading nutritionist and dietitian, Emilie Burgess guests including Sammy Jakukiak from My Kitchen Rules.
So far the Hurricanes have been to local Tasmanian schools in Strahan, Triabunna and Huonville.
Some of the students have enjoyed surprise visits by the Hurricans Pirates. Cooking school in Sydney waiting for students.
Breakfast is served!
Grace Ireland & Claudia Klein proudly showing their Almond Crusted Salmon Bites with Sweet Potato Fries.
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Following the WASTE TRAIL
: VIDEO E H T / VIEW om.au c . p u o gr eos tassal al-vid n o i t a educ
In our Summer edition of Current we took a look at Tassal’s Rookwood facility in the Huon Valley, which is Australia’s largest Salmon nursery and one of the biggest in the world. You can view the article online at https://issuu.com/tassal We now continue our look at Rookwood, this time following the waste trail from the recirculation filter system. A quick recap: Rookwood was completed in 2016 at a cost of $60 million. The nursery, which is now capable of producing over 8 million fish per year, recirculates 98% of its water, which is cleaned and replaced back into the fish tanks. The 2% extra water required comes from an onsite bore. So, what happens to the 2% water which is not recycled? And where does the fish waste go?
One exciting aspect of Rookwood is its innovating technology allowing all waste to be 100% recycled into the local farming communities. Fish waste is filtered during the water treatment process and solids are separated out.
These solids are collected and sent via truck to a composting facility in Plenty Tasmania, which employs seven full time local people. To make a good compost you need both nitrogen and carbon. The Plenty facility takes waste from the local paper mill - the carbon component, and our fish waste - the nitrogen element, and combines them together. The process takes about two months, and the rows of compost are turned over five to six times per week. This turning causes the carbon and nitrogen to heat and adds oxygen, which breaks the elements down resulting in a fine compost. The final stage is a sifting process to remove any lumps not broken down. The compost is used locally on sheep farms, growing grass to fatten ewes and lambs. It is also used by the local vineyards. Excess water from Rookwood is also put to good use. The nitrogen rich water is highly sought after by local farmers, as it transforms land almost unfarmable, into acres of green grass ready for grazing and hay production. The water is sent from the nursery to an onsite dam, where it is quality tested, before being delivered to local farms via a series of pipes. Once the water reaches the farm, it is spread via pivot irrigators, resulting in lush pastures and very happy cows.
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The waste trail: Top Row - left to right: Solid waste; turning waste into compost; lambs and ewes grazing on grass fertilised with the compost. Bottom Row - left to right: Onsite dam at Rookwood; pivot irrigators; very happy cows and lush grass.
Paper Mill Salmon Nursery
Fish Waste = NITROGEN
+
Paper Waste = CARBON
Water
Week seven Week five Week three Week one Composting facility
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Introducing ‘JULIE’ This Autumn we are thrilled to launch our new Salmon Truck, ‘Julie’! The Salmon Truck initiative aims to deliver on feedback Tassal has from regional communities who want access to fresh salmon products. Salmon Truck Manager, Bobby Young, is excited to be offering the products, which are often harder to get in regional Tassie. “We often hear in the Salamanca Salmon Shop feedback from people visiting from regions where our salmon farms are, it is difficult to buy fresh salmon locally,” he said. “They also say it is hard to get our specialty ranges, like the Great Taylor’s Bay smoked salmon, so we thought – why not bring the shop to the towns!” From there the idea of ‘Julie’ evolved. A scaled down version of the Salamanca Shop, on wheels, which will tour the state.
The mobile store will not only sell fresh produce, it will be a community engagement vehicle. Bobby will have on board information to frequently asked questions about the Tasmanian Salmon Industry. “If I don’t know the answer, I’ll take it on notice, find out and report back,” he explained. We are looking forward to introducing Bobby and ‘Julie’ the Salmon Truck to Tasmania! To find out when they will be in your town visit ‘The Salmon Truck’ on Facebook or www.tassal.com.au/thesalmontruck
The new salmon truck is affectionately named in memory of our much valued and loved team member, Julie Lucas, who passed away from cancer in early 2016.
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Bobby Young! If you have ever visited our Salmon Shop in Salamanca Square, Hobart, you will of no doubt met the fabulous Bobby Young. Bobby is our full of life retail professional who is making the move from the shop’s 2IC, to manager of ‘Julie’, the Salmon Truck. Bobby has extensive experience working within Tassal and broad knowledge, not only of our products, but all aspects of the business. He is looking forward to meeting you and having a chat when ‘Julie’ rolls into your town.
Some of the fresh produce available onboard ‘Julie’.
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Aquaculture’s next generation Hands-on learning is the Huon Valley Trade Training Centre’s key to successfully training our industry’s newest recruits. The Huon Valley Trade Training Centre (HVTTC) is an educational division of Huonville High School, which offers qualification pathways for Aquaculture, Automotive, Construction, Metals, Engineering, Hospitality, Tourism, Horticulture and Maritime Operations (Coxswain). It operates in partnership with a range of Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s) including TasTAFE, Seafood Training Tasmania (STT), the Australian Maritime College, and IndustryLink. Opened in 2012, the HVTTC works closely with STT to deliver Certificate I in Aquaculture to students in years nine – 10, and Certificate II to students in years 11 – 12 and adults. HVTTC operates a fully equipped recirculating aquaculture system, fresh-water hatchery and grow-out system, used by students throughout the course of their Aquaculture certificates. The hatchery allows the students to experience freshwater development of salmon smolt 24
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(juvenile salmon) throughout the early stages of their lifecycle before being transported to the ocean. The centre is supported by the Tasmanian Aquaculture industry, with Tassal and Huon Aquaculture supplying the smolt to be grown in the centre’s hatchery. Throughout the curriculum, the students experience the growing process of the smolt by taking on responsibilities and duties in the hatchery. These include weighing, measuring and feeding the smolt regularly, testing the water quality and cleaning the tank filters. To date, the centre has been producing smolt at a massive size of 500g, as a direct result of the outstanding efforts made by both staff and students in the hatchery. Tassal, along with other operators within the salmon industry work closely with the centre to deliver expertise, resources and work placements. Tassal has been able to offer school-based apprenticeships, allowing students the opportunity to complete year 12,
while also undertaking paid part-time employment, to then transition into full-time employment once they’ve completed their studies. Since 2013, 31 students have successfully completed their Aquaculture Certificates at the centre and gained employment in the Tasmanian salmon industry. Main photo: Steve Harrison (right) with Aquaculture students at the Training Centre’s fully equipped recirculating aquaculture system. Other photos: Students completing duties and responsibilities required in the real aquaculture industry. Bottom right: In the classroom.
Meet Steve Harrison Steve Harrison is the Aquaculture Coordinator at the Huon Valley Trade Training Centre delivering Certificate I and II in Aquaculture. Steve has a rich family history in aquaculture, with his father Tony working in the Department of Sea Fisheries to establish the salmon industry during the 1980s. Steve started as a trainer in the late 1990s, gaining a passion for education and development in the Aquaculture sector. In 2015, Steve won the Churchill Fellowship, allowing him to explore the school-to-work apprenticeship pathways in the European salmon aquaculture industry in both Norway and Scotland. “The Norwegian system emphasises the critical importance of formal partnerships between industry and schools to maximise workforce development,” Steve told Current. “Plus, they really know how to invest in education!” Steve returned to Tasmania with his newly gained insight and began the discussion for implementing positive changes to the Aquaculture education sector in the State. Following the success of his fellowship, Steve won one of 12 nationally recognised Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards in March 2018. His passion and extensive work at the HVTTC has led to an increased number of students in the Huon region, furthering their education to receive their TCE and gain employment. “It is a great honour to be recognised,” Steve told Current, “Funding from the award will allow us to develop a multi-faceted aquaculture industry project, expanding our relationship with Tassal, and investigating in sea-urchin hatchery production as a member of the Huon Urchin Alliance.”
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Tassal’s Community Foundation underpins our intention to thoughtful, meaningful and sustainable partnerships in the communities where we operate. 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. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Salmo enjoying the 120th Annual Mt Lyell Australia Day Picnic Lunar New Year Festival Hobart - Year of the Dog Carlton Park Surf Life Saving Club State Championships Face painting at the 120th Annual Mt Lyell Australia Day Picnic Kingborough Lions United Football Club - 2017 WSL Squad The Great Southern Pram Push Beach to Bay - Strahan A keen competitor in the Coles Bay Half-Triathlon Dragonboat Challenge on the Huon River.
There is nothing better than donated salmon on the BBQ at local school functions, helping raise much needed funds: 10. Kirk Jackson from our Okehampton team cooking up Tassal salmon on the barbecue at the Orford Primary School fair 11. Orford Primary School fair 12. Cambridge Primary School fair 13. Tassal sponsored schools Hutchins, St Michael’s Collegiate and Friends at the Head of the River rowing regatta 14. St Michael’s Collegiate School fair.
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ACHIEVING GREAT THINGS TOGETHER It’s not just all about salmon at Tassal! We love working within our communities, and encouraging our people to be part of our vision to build a better tomorrow.
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Lidcombe Rocked the ROC!
Our Lidcombe team swapped safety boots for sneakers and participated in the Ridiculous Obstacle Course (ROC) at Olympic Park involving some pretty intense physical activity. A great day was had by all and everyone survived to tell the tale.
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Growing Record Smolt
In yet another first, the Tassal team has successfully raised smolt in our nursery to 400g! This means we are getting closer to our goal of growing our smolt up to 1kg before they head to sea. Well done to hatchery; nursery; selective breeding and fish health teams!
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More Successful Marine Rescues
All of our amazing teams from Macquarie Harbour, Triabunna, Tasman through to the Channel have been assisting in marine rescues over the past few months. What a great way to get in the community spirit and help some mariners in need!
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Farm Writer’s Conference 2018
Tassal’s Head of Sustainability, Linda Sams, spoke at this year’s NSW Farm Writer’s Association Conference in Sydney. The day brought together professionals from both agriculture and aquaculture industries.
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Easter with De Costi Seafoods
Fresh De Costi Seafood prawns and oysters were on the menu at the Sydney Royal Easter Show this year. The tasty treats were a huge hit with the crowds.
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Industry Leadership Program Tour
Tassal hosted a tour for 18 participants from the National Leadership Seafood Industry Program (NSLIP) out to our Robert’s Point Lease. The program is an initiative of AffectUs Australia, bringing together industry professionals to undertake leadership training and development.
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King Island Info Site Live
Our King Island Info website is now live! The site is dedicated to updating the community around our potential involvement with the Island as well as providing answers to frequently asked questions and research results. Visit www.kingislandinfo.com
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Mythbusting Monday
Each week on our Tassal Our Community social media pages, our #MythbustingMonday posts will address a subject we regularly receive questions about and present the facts. Keep an eye out on Monday evenings for them!
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The Ultimate Tassie Experience
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During January, shoppers had the chance to win an ultimate Tasmanian seven day family experience! The promotion was run exclusively by Woolworths, with specially marked packets of Tassal Salmon eligible for competition entry.
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Speak Up, Stay ChatTY
Mitch McPherson, founder of “Speak Up, Stay ChatTY” has visited our Hobart head office and Huonville processing facility to begin the conversation around mental illness and suicide. He will be traveling to other Tassal sites in the coming months to address our staff.
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Delivering a Better Tomorrow
Tassal was proud to join the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) this year. The GSI is a leadership initiative established in 2013 by global farmed salmon producers focused on making significant progress on industry sustainability.
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Fueling Tasmania’s Team to the Finals
The Hobart Hurricanes had an awesome season, making its way to the BBL grand-final against the Adelaide Strikers. Wrest Point hosted a grand-final viewing party on a big outdoor screen, where over 1,000 Hurricanes fans eagerly watched the game.
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Meet Our People... Tassal’s Senior Zone Managers look after all marine operations in the Tasmanian regions we farm our salmon in. Working closely with their teams, each Zone Manager focuses on workplace health and safety, fish performance, financial and people management as well as operating in the environment and community. Current caught up with our Senior Zone Managers to get to know more about them and why they do what they do. Hein Troy CHANNEL ZONE What’s your nickname? Just Troy or Heiny.
How long have you worked for Tassal & what was your pathway to becoming a Senior Manager? It all started with the flip of a coin! After I graduated I applied for several positions in Tasmania and the mainland, luckily being successful with three I left it to fate to decide - heads I stay in Tasmania or tails I head to the mainland. Heads it was and since that time it has been the most fantastic, challenging and rewarding journey. I entered the company as a graduate in 2005, moving into a farm hand role within the Dover region working alongside Grant Purdon. During the past 13 years my pathway to senior manager has transitioned through roles such as Farm Hand, Dive team leader, Operations Manager, Fish Performance Manager and now Senior Manager.
Zack Wingfield EASTERN ZONE
What’s your nickname?
I don’t really have a set nickname, as it can often vary. My most preferred one is Zacko, though.
Who inspires you the most and why? Very hard working and fair leaders have inspired me. Some of these leaders include my Dad and Hank Poeschl from Marine Produce Australia, both have influenced me to become the person I am today.
What job did you want to do when you were 10? I’ve always been interested in growing fish. My father grew fingerlings in the pond at our house for the Ministry of Natural resources for stock enhancement purposes and I was always fascinated by the process.
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Senior Zone Managers Don McIntyre WESTERN ZONE
How long have you worked for Tassal & what was your pathway to becoming a Senior Manager? I’ve been with Tassal for two years now, but have worked in the industry for over 20 years. I spent 14 years working in Canada in a management position before deciding I needed a change of scenery and moved my life to Tasmania after receiving a job offer with Tassal.
What is the best thing about the team you work with in your zone? We really work together as a team - for better or worse, we are all in it together and continue to support and inspire each other every day.
What job did you want to do when you were 10? I really wanted to be a jet fighter pilot!
Stephens Tim EASTERN ZONE & ECO AQUACULTURE What’s your nickname?
I usually just get Tim, unless it’s Mark Ryan – he calls me Timmy!
Who inspires you the most and why? My dog Tilda! She’s always happy to see you and greets people enthusiastically. If there’s a job to do, for example “fetching” she will always give her 100% effort to the task and won’t be distracted by anything. She’s always up for doing something, but also enjoys doing nothing. Tilda is always happy in the moment, whatever is happening around her. I think there’s a lot that can be learnt from a dog.
What job did you want to do when you were 10? Manage a salmon farm! Not really… I don’t think I had figured that out at 10 years old. I think I’ll always be trying to figure that out. I love what I do now and as long as I’m working with good people and achieving goals, I’ll be happy. I’ve always had both of these working at Tassal, plus I get to work in an ocean environment!
Geoff Dobson SOUTHERN ZONE
What’s your nickname? Dobbo.
How long have you worked for Tassal and what was your pathway to becoming Senior Manager? I have worked here for 15 years. Previously I was a qualified chef. When I first joined Tassal it was as a farm hand, which was great as I was thrilled to have a job which incorporated my love for the water, fishing and diving. Over the years I have worked across various roles, including bathing, diving, feeding and health. I have been fortunate enough to have leadership and management roles also.
What job did you want to do when you were 10? I wanted to be an accountant!
The Salmon Truck is visiting a town near you soon! “Julie”, the Salmon Truck is now touring Tasmania, selling fresh Tassal produce. To find out when she is visiting a town near you visit:
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