Tassal

As of 30 June 2021, Tassal employed a total of 1,712 people, with over 1,000 in Tasmania, 430 in NSW and 200 in Queensland.

Operations in Queensland are focused on farming prawns. NSW operations also support the processing and distribution of seafood products other than salmon.

• Northern Prawn Fishery - Xanadu
• Mission Beach, Queensland - Prawn farm, hatchery & processing facility
• Gregory River, Queensland - Prawn farm, hatchery & processing facility{{Cite web |title=Proserpine Prawn Farm |url=https://thechannel.tassal.com.au/proserpine |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=thechannel.tassal.com.au |language=en}}
• Exmoor Station, Queensland - Aquaculture Development Area
• Yamba, New South Wales - Prawn farm & processing facility
• Lidcombe, New South Wales - Seafood processing facility

Tassal has five marine farming zones, where the standard pen has a volume of 11,600 cubic metres and holds enough salmon to produce 120 tonnes once harvested. Salmon are kept in these large sea cages between 12 and 18 months and continue to grow until they are ready to be harvested at an average weight of 5.0 kg live weight.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}

• Eastern Zone, Okehampton Bay & Port Arthur
• Channel Zone, D'Entrecasteaux Channel
• Southern Zone, Dover & Huon River
• Western Zone, Macquarie Harbour
• Storm Bay Zone, Nubeena & West of Wedge

Tassal operates two hatcheries, with a third to be developed, it also has access to the selective breeding program operated by SALTAS on behalf of the Salmon industry in Tasmania.

Combined, they have the capacity to produce ten million smolt a year{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}. These smolt come from broodstock from a Tasmanian-based industry selective breeding program. The Rookwood Road Hatchery and Nursery underwent an expansion in April 2016 to make it the biggest land-based salmon nursery in Australia with the capacity to produce approximately 8 million smolt per year. After 8–12 months at Rookwood Nursery, the smolt are transferred to sea.{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2017-03-30/salmon-hatchery-doubles-in-size-to-meet-future-demand/8397528|title=Salmon hatchery doubles in size|date=2017-03-30|work=ABC Rural|access-date=2018-10-16|others=By Nick Bosly-Pask|language=en-AU}}

• Rookwood I & II Ranelagh
• Russell Falls & Karanja Mount Field
• SALTAS (industry hatchery) Wayatinah
• HRAS (future development), Hamilton

Tassal has four processing facilities, including a smokehouse, one retail outlet and a mobile salmon truck.{{Cite web|url=https://tassalgroup.com.au/our-planet/our-operations/|title=Tassal Group – Our Operations|website=tassalgroup.com.au|language=en-AU|access-date=2018-10-16}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/company-profile/TGR.AX|title=Tassal Group Ltd (TGR.AX)|author=|website=Reuters|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016164925/https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/company-profile/TGR.AX|archive-date=2018-10-16}}

• Huonville, Salmon processing
• Margate, Salmon processing
• Dover, Salmon processing
• Triabunna, Rendering facility

On 1 February 2005, Tassal acquired Aquatas from Webster.{{cite web |title=Tassal Group Limited Announces Merger with Aquatas |url=https://tassalgroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2005_02_01.pdf |publisher=Tassal Group |access-date=14 December 2021 }}

On 31 December 2007, Tassal announced it was acquiring the assets and intellectual property of Superior Gold from the King Island Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of National Foods, for $26.5m.{{cite web |title=Superior Gold |url=https://www.tassal.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/10_2007_12_31-Superior-Gold.pdf |publisher=Tassal Group |access-date=14 December 2021 }}

On 1 July 2015, Tassal announced the acquisition of DeCosti Seafoods.{{cite web |title=Tassal executes agreement to acquire De Costi Seafoods |url=https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20150701/pdf/42zjm61drd2shr.pdf |publisher=ASX |access-date=14 December 2021}}

In September 2018, De Costi Seafoods, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tassal Group, acquired the land, assets and inventory of the Fortune Group prawn aquaculture business.{{Cite news|url=https://www.farmingahead.com.au/companies-and-investments/news/1346863/tassal%E2%80%99s-expands-landholdings-with-new-fortune-deal|title=Tassal expands landholdings with new Fortune deal|date=2018-09-18|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en-US}}{{cite web |title=Tassal prawn acquisition |url=https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20180824/pdf/43xn9j76jb7hmw.pdf |publisher=ASX |access-date=14 December 2021 }}

On 16 August 2022, Tassal Group was acquired by the Canadian aquaculture company Cooke Inc. at 5.23 Australian dollars per share, or a total of 1.7 billion Australian dollars (1.19 billion US dollars). This was the third, highest offer Cooke Inc. made to Tassal.{{cite web |title=Australia's Tassal accepts sweetened $1.2 bln bid from Canada's Cooke |website=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/australias-tassal-accepts-sweetened-12-bln-bid-canadas-cooke-2022-08-15/ |access-date=2023-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121032159/https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/australias-tassal-accepts-sweetened-12-bln-bid-canadas-cooke-2022-08-15/ |archive-date=2022-11-21 |url-status=live}}

In 2012, Tassal and WWF announced the “WWF Australia and Tassal Sustainable Aquaculture partnership".{{Cite web|url=http://www.wwf.org.au/news/news/2016/wwf-statement-on-tasmanian-salmon-farming#gs.KTP1qK8|title=Tassal expands landholdings with new Fortune deal|date=18 September 2018|website=Farming Ahead|access-date=16 October 2018}}

Third party certification is currently provided by Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Best Aquaculture Practices,{{cite web |title=BAP Certified Aquaculture Producers |url=https://bapcertification.org/Producers |access-date=9 December 2021}} Global Salmon Initiative.{{cite web |title=Members - Global Salmon Initiative |url=https://globalsalmoninitiative.org/en/about-us/members/ |access-date=9 December 2021}}{{cite web |title=Sustainability & Accreditation |url=https://tassalgroup.com.au/our-planet/accreditationpartnerships/ |access-date=9 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209232710/https://tassalgroup.com.au/our-planet/accreditationpartnerships/ |archive-date=9 December 2021 |url-status=live}}

In 2016, ABC News reported that Tassal would begin trials into farming three native seaweed species (Lessonia corrugata, Ecklonia radiata and Macrocysts pyrifera) alongside salmon and oyster on its farm leases to diversify the ecosystem of the farms.{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2016-09-01/seaweed-farming-salmon-oysters-tasmania/7804702 |url-status=live |title=Salmon farmer Tassal and oyster producers team up to trial growing seaweed on marine leases |last=Dakis |first=Sally |date=2016-08-31 |website=ABC News |publisher=ABC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211193105/https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2016-09-01/seaweed-farming-salmon-oysters-tasmania/7804702 |archive-date=2023-02-11 |language=en |access-date=2023-04-05}} The macroalgae farming in the salmon cages also absorb pollution, such as chemicals and parasites.{{Cite web|url=https://salmonbusiness.com/tasmanian-salmon-farm-green-lights-seaweed-trial/|title=Tasmanian salmon farmer greenlights seaweed trial|last=Evans|first=Owen|date=31 August 2018|access-date=29 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527150832/https://salmonbusiness.com/tasmanian-salmon-farm-green-lights-seaweed-trial/ |archive-date=2022-05-27}}

Tassal became the 17th member of the Global Salmon Initiative in February 2018. In 2018, they moved towards 100% recycling of their hard and soft plastic.{{Cite web|url=https://globalsalmoninitiative.org/en/news/tassal-joins-global-salmon-initiative-expanding-its-global-membership-to-17-companies/|title=Tassal Joins Global Salmon Initiative, Expanding Its Global Membership to 17 Companies|website=Global Salmon Initiative|language=en|access-date=2018-10-29}}

Communications between Tassal and the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) recorded several "unacceptable environmental impacts" from 2005 and 2009, something Greens leader Kim Booth called a "background of non-compliance."{{cite news|title=How salmon farming pushed Macquarie Harbour to the limit |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-08/how-salmon-farming-got-to-push-macquarie-harbour-to-the-limit/8349342 |access-date=3 March 2024 |agency=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=8 June 2017}}

During November 2016, non-compliances were detected at leases in Macquarie Harbour, where three salmon companies farm. Tassal alerted the EPA to issues and subsequently destocked its Franklin lease in the Harbour. The lease was fallowed for 18 months, during which time Aquaculture Stewardship Council was not pursued for the lease as there were no fish in it.{{Cite news|url=https://www.undercurrentnews.com/2018/05/17/tassal-petuna-form-jv-to-cooperatively-manage-macquarie-harbour-salmon/|title=Tassal, Petuna form JV to cooperatively manage Macquarie Harbour salmon|work=Undercurrent News|access-date=2018-10-24|language=en-US}}

In May 2017, the ASC found Tassal had failed to comply with 19 requirements for ASC Certification in Macquarie Harbour.{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-19/tassal-given-three-months-to-clean-up-macquarie-harbour-leases/8542900|title=Tassal given three months to clean up Macquarie Harbour leases|date=2017-05-19|work=ABC News|access-date=2018-10-22|language=en-AU}}

In February 9, 2017 a senate committee was established to investigate claims of witness tampering made in a 2016 episode of the investigative television program Four Corners. The show focused on the Tasmanian Salmon aquaculture industry and the local opposition to bay leases, with issues covered including environmental impact, health and sustainability practices of Tassal in particular. The episode included interviews with Dover mussel farmer Warwick Hastwell who accused Tassal of ruining his business. Located downstream from Tassel's main farm, mussels stopped growing there after being covered with orange tunicate, an invasive invertebrate that Hastwell believed originated from in-water cleaning of salmon pens.{{cite news|title=Salmon farming in Tasmania: Concerns mount over planned expansion of ocean fish farms |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-23/concerns-raised-over-planned-expansion-of-salmon-farming-in-tas/6341488 |access-date=3 March 2024 |agency=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=23 March 2015}} Hastwell claimed that Tassal had paid a lump sum for his leases and a confidentiality deed. Set to give evidence in a 2015 senate inquiry into the aquaculture industry, Tassal e-mailed Hastwell's lawyer, "We remind your clients of their obligations not to make disparaging statements whether in relation to the Senate Enquiry (sic) or to the media or otherwise."{{cite news|title=Salmon farmer Tassal referred to Senate over alleged attempt to influence witness|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/03/salmon-farmer-tassal-referred-to-senate-over-alleged-attempt-to-influence-witness|access-date=3 March 2024 |agency=The Guardian |date=3 November 2016}}{{Cite serial

|title=Big Fish

|date=2016-10-31

|network=ABC News

|url=http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2016/10/31/4564542.htm

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220817162019/https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/big-fish/7972064

|archive-date=2022-08-17

}} Hastwell did not appear during the senate inquiry. On February 8, 2017 Tasmanian Senator Stephen Parry told parliament that the Environment and Communications Committee reported, "Having taken the necessary steps, the committee has concluded that the witness may have been improperly influenced."{{cite news|title=Salmon farming giant Tassal to be probed over witness pulling out of aquaculture inquiry |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-09/tassal-to-be-probed-over-influence-on-salmon-inquiry-witness/8255362 |access-date=3 March 2024 |agency=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=9 February 2017}}

On 26 April 2021, Tasmanian author Richard Flanagan published the controversial non-fiction book Toxic: The Rotting Underbelly of the Tasmanian Salmon Industry, which claimed to expose a range of unethical practices in the Tasmanian salmon industry.{{cite news |last1=Langenberg |first1=Adam |title=Author Richard Flanagan unleashes tirade against salmon farming industry |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-22/richard-flanagan-allegations-salmon-farm-expansion/100085142 |access-date=27 August 2021 |agency=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=22 April 2021}}

In May 2018, Tassal established a joint venture with Petuna to farm in Macquarie Harbour. The goal was to improve stocking strategies, bio-security and allow longer fallowing periods to protect the environment.{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-17/tassal-petuna-joint-venture-announced/9771792|title=Tassal, Petuna joint venture in Macquarie Harbour not a PR exercise, companies say|last=Whitson|first=Rhiana|website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=19 May 2018|access-date=29 October 2018}}

Concerns have been raised by Tasmanian community groups, such as the organization Marine Protection Tasmania, over the use of antibiotics by the company, particularly regarding the fact that there is a legally required 1000 degree day antibiotic withdrawal period before a farm salmon is slaughtered, but "wild" salmon that is fished by the public may still be contaminated with antibiotic residue. A monitoring report by the Environment Protection Authority Tasmania (EPA) that was published in July 2022 found that after heavy antibiotic use in response to a vibrio outbreak in Tassal's Sheppards lease in January of that year, flathead salmon caught {{convert|2|km|mi}} away from the boundary of Tassal's lease contained levels of antibiotics above the reportable threshold. Additionally, the World Health Organization has warned that antibiotics misuse contributes to antibiotic-resistant organisms developing, and that vaccination ought be used to prevent misuse. Tassal attempted to prevent the 2022 report, as well as another antibiotic residue monitoring report from September 2020, from being released to the public by the EPA.{{cite web |url=https://tasmanianinquirer.com.au/news/documents-reveal-tassal-wanted-two-reports-on-antibiotic-use-at-salmon-farms-kept-secret/ |url-status=live |title=Documents reveal Tassal wanted two reports on antibiotic use at salmon farms kept secret |last=Burton |first=Bob |date=2023-02-27 |website=Tasmanian Inquirer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324005702/https://tasmanianinquirer.com.au/news/documents-reveal-tassal-wanted-two-reports-on-antibiotic-use-at-salmon-farms-kept-secret/ |archive-date=2023-03-24 |language=en |access-date=2023-04-05}}

In 2017 Tassal confirmed its use of the antibiotic oxytetracycline,{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/antibiotic-use-soars-at-tassal-fish-farm/news-story/c515c37a0ba844255391d5cc43e42677|publisher=News Corp Australia|title=Antibiotic use soars at Tassal fish farm|access-date=2021-12-12}}{{subscription required}} which was not used in humans in 2018 in Australia, and was rated as low importance by the Australian Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.{{cite web |author1=Australian Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (ASTAG) |title=Importance Ratings and Summary of Antibacterial Uses in Human and Animal Health in Australia |url=https://www.amr.gov.au/file/1395/download?token=akxji3bn |access-date=10 December 2021 |pages=40 |format=PDF}}

Antibiotic use is audited annually by the ASC, whose standards forbid the use of antibiotics from the World Health Organization list of Critically Important Antimicrobials for Human Medicine.{{cite web |title=15 Facts about the ASC |url=https://www.asc-aqua.org/what-we-do/about-us/15-facts-about-the-asc |access-date=10 December 2021}}

Usage as reported by Tassal, for each annual reporting period,{{cite web |title=Antibioltic used - Tassal Dashboard |url=https://dashboard.tassalgroup.com.au/our-planet/antibiotic-use/ |access-date=10 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303070043/https://dashboard.tassalgroup.com.au/our-planet/antibiotic-use/ |archive-date=3 March 2021}}{{cite web |title=2021 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT |url=https://tassalgroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Tassal-Sustainability-Report-Final-Interactive_FINAL.pdf |access-date=10 December 2021 |page=43 }} and as reported by the EPA for each year in kilograms per year:

• In 2012, Tassal was recognised as an "Employer of Choice" by the Tasmanian Government.{{cite web |title=Recognised Employers of Choice - Business Tasmania |url=https://www.business.tas.gov.au/manage_a_business/employer_of_choice/recognised |access-date=11 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122213755/https://www.business.tas.gov.au/manage_a_business/employer_of_choice/recognised |archive-date=22 November 2021 |url-status=live}}
• In November 2014, Tassal became the first salmon farming company globally to achieve the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification across its harvest sites.{{Cite news|url=http://www.wwf.org.au/about-us/partners/tassal#gs.2BWt9kU|title=WWF - Tassal|access-date=2018-10-22}}
• In 2015, Tassal received the Coles “Sustainable and Ethical Excellence” award.{{Cite news|url=https://retailworldmagazine.com.au/coles-honours-top-suppliers/|title=Coles honours top suppliers|access-date=2021-12-12}}
• In 2015, CEO Mark Ryan was awarded the Banksia Foundation Richard Pratt CEO award for contributions to sustainability nationally.{{Cite news|url=http://www.wwf.org.au/news/news/2015/tassal-ceo-takes-out-sustainability-award#gs.DDm63QA|title=Tassal CEO takes out sustainability award - WWF-Australia|access-date=2018-10-22}}
• In 2016, Seafood Intelligence benchmarked Tassal as top salmon or trout company in an international report on sustainability reporting and transparency.{{cite web |title=Tassal world number one |url=https://retailworldmagazine.com.au/tassal-world-number-one/ |website=Retail World Magazine |access-date=12 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516160821/https://www.retailworldmagazine.com.au/tassal-world-number-one/ |archive-date=16 May 2018 |url-status=live}}
• In 2021, Tassal was ranked #14 in the global Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index, the highest for an Australian Company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fairr.org/index/company-ranking/|title=Company Ranking in the Coller FAIRR Index - FAIRR}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fairr.org/company/tassal-group-ltd-2|title=Tassal Group Ltd - FAIRR}}

Tassal owns several brands, including:

• Tassal
• Superior Gold
• Tasmanian Smokehouse
• De Costi Seafoods
• Aquatas{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=1364197|title=Company Overview of Aquatas Pty Ltd.|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-10-16}}
• Salamanca Seafood Company{{Cite web|url=https://tassalgroup.com.au/tassal-growth-continues/|title=Tassal Group – Tassal Growth Continues|website=tassalgroup.com.au|language=en-AU|access-date=2018-10-16}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.tassal.com.au/}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1986 establishments in Australia

Category:Companies established in 1986

Category:Seafood companies of Australia

Category:Companies based in Hobart

Category:Fish farming companies

Category:Companies formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange