The Rockliff Liberal Government is continuing to invest in our primary industries because we know they play such an important role in our Tasmanian Brand and economy.
Primary Industries and Water Minister Jo Palmer said the Government was further supporting Tasmania's sustainable seafood sector and regional economies with the extension of the Abalone Industry Reinvestment Fund.
"We've already delivered more than $5.1 million to the fund over the past five years to support control of the invasive sea urchin and enhancement of abalone stocks," Minister Palmer said.
The long-spined sea urchin is native to NSW and can have significant impacts on reefs due to overgrazing.
Since its arrival in Tasmanian waters in the late 1970s, the State's East Coast has lost more than 15 per cent of its rocky reef habitats and more than 95 per cent of its once verdant kelp, leading to economic impacts on fisheries and tourism businesses.
"The overwhelmingly positive response from industry to the announced extension makes it abundantly clear how important this fund, and the work it supports, is for Tasmania and the abalone fishery.
"We are also working to deliver a Tasmanian Salmon Industry Plan to ensure our salmon industry, the largest primary producer in Tasmania, can continue to be sustainable, resilient, and innovative well into the future and can meet the expectations of our community."
Tasmania now has 18 high-surety irrigation water schemes in place, helping more farmers than ever before access this important resource.
"Over the next five years additional irrigation projects valued at more than $1.5 billion are estimated to deliver 3500 jobs, more than $450 million in on-farm investment and over 130,000 megalitres of highly reliable irrigation water," Minister Palmer said.
"Our farmers now have the confidence to invest in producing high-value crops and we are tracking well towards our ambitious goal of growing the farm gate value of the primary production sector to $10 billion by 2050."
As part of our strategy, we are also investing in agricultural research, development and extension, that delivers on-farm benefits, to achieve the sustainable growth necessary to reach this target.
"We've already allocated $3.6 million under the Agricultural Development Fund and Agricultural Innovation Fund programs to leverage investment in eight co-funded projects, including one to prevent and control blueberry rust," Minister Palmer said.
The Rockliff Liberal Government is also protecting Tasmania's borders through enhanced biosecurity measures.
"We are further strengthening our frontline against disease and pest incursions with the recruitment of five new biosecurity inspectors and the contracts of a further seven officers have been extended.
"Together with those in our primary production sector, we are focused on building a stronger, more diverse economy, which will benefit all Tasmanians, right across our State."
