Complex Regulation Constrains Aquaculture

The development of the aquaculture industry is constrained by an unnecessarily complex array of legislation and regulatory agencies, according to a Productivity Commission research paper.

The research paper — Assessing environmental regulatory arrangements for aquaculture — discusses the appropriateness, efficiency, and effectiveness regulatory arrangements covering aquaculture production in Australia. It identifies a number of key areas including environmental protection, land use planning, marine and coastal management, and land administration.

The study reveals significant differences in the way that aquaculture is regulated and administered across states.

‘In most jurisdictions, there are complex approval processes for aquaculture and obtaining approvals can take considerable time. There is scope to rationalise the number of approvals and better coordinate approval processes’, said Commissioner Neil Byron.

‘Good environmental outcomes are important to both the aquaculture industry and the community — we need to ensure that they are achieved in the most efficient way’, said Dr Byron.

The Commission also highlights the need for closer matching the degree of regulation with the environmental risks associated with aquaculture production, and identified a need for further research on the compliance costs of aquaculture approval processes in each jurisdiction.

The study benefited from input by government agencies, industry and non-governmental organisations, including hosting site visits and commenting on a draft report.