- Huon to take up 2,200-hectare site in Mid West Aquaculture Development Zone
- Thousands of direct and indirect jobs anticipated when fish farm is at full capacity
- McGowan Government helping grow WA's newest industry - aquaculture
In a major boost for the Western Australian economy and local jobs, the State Government has granted Huon Aquaculture a lease to operate a large yellowtail kingfish aquaculture farm off Geraldton.
The major publicly listed Australian aquaculture company has salmon farms in Tasmania and kingfish operations off the New South Wales coast.
It has now been granted an aquaculture licence and lease for 2,200 hectares in the now fully allocated Mid West Aquaculture Development Zone.
Within four years, it is estimated investment in the Mid West Aquaculture Development Zone will create more than 100 direct jobs, and by 2030 potentially more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The McGowan Government is helping grow the WA aquaculture industry through government-run hatchery facilities for marine finfish at Fremantle, and the newly established Albany Shellfish Hatchery to support shellfish farming.
The Fremantle hatchery will supply juvenile kingfish stock to Huon's fish farm in the Mid-West zone where the fish will be grown to maturity.
The decision to grant the licence to Huon Aquaculture is now subject to an advertised 28-day review period and the Minister for Environment declaring a 'Derived Proposal'.
