Dr WOODRUFF - On behalf of the community, I am going to go to another question. Can you please provide an explanation for why there has been an increase of pens in Nubeena on the Tasman Peninsula while the Government has been pretending that there is a moratorium on fish farm expansion?
Ms PALMER - I am going to refer that straight to the acting secretary.
Mr JACOBI - Can the member please explain exactly where these new pens are and the area that has been taken up by these new pens?
Dr WOODRUFF - I don't have the detail of the area. I would have thought you would be able to provide that. There is evidence from people who live on the Tasman Peninsula that there has been an increase in the number pens in and around Nubeena, and I guess they would be Tassal's pens. So can you please provide some information about why that has happened?
Mr JACOBI - There are certainly dedicated lease areas off Nubeena. It could be that the existing lease area has been added to in terms of new pens but within the leased area. We would need more specific information about exactly how many pens and where. Obviously, the operator's companies are required to comply and operate within the defined lease area. So, it could just be that the additional area has been taken up, but they entitled to.
Dr WOODRUFF - I'll put that on notice if that's okay with you, minister. I mean, clarifying that the expansion clearly doesn't mean 'no new fish in the water', 'no new biomass', 'no new pens', it doesn't mean any of that, as long as a company has a lease. The reason this has happened in the first place is there's been absolutely no change to the operating practices that companies have wanted to employ in the period of the so-called expansion. That’s a question to the minister but I was looking solely at Mr Jacobi.
Mr JACOBI - The maximum leasable area has not changed. So, I can't explain why there would be additional pens. If you would be able to provide more detail of exactly where and what pens, then we can investigate.
Dr WOODRUFF - Can I put that question on notice?
Mr JOCOBI - We can take it on notice but all we will be able to do -
Dr WOODRUFF - I have just got the information of the pens there but if you could look into that, it would be useful.
Mr JOCOBI - We'll probably just come back to you with a map that shows the existing leased area and any information we have around the conditions on that lease.
CHAIR - You can put that in writing Dr Woodruff.