Proposal Report · MCU17/0020

2       Proposal
This application seeks a development permit for a Material Change of Use for Aquaculture (Animal
Husbandry Type 2 – Intensive Aquaculture) at 3 Sanders Street, Noosaville (Lot 250 on CP839190).

The proposal involves using the existing shed to grow native saltwater fish for live trade within a series of
above ground tanks, which will have a combined pond area of 243m2 within and around the existing sheds.
The locality and proposed site plans are included below as well as Attachment 1..




Figure.1 - Locality Plan                                   Figure.2 – Site Plan

Need to Expand

This proposal builds upon the success of the existing aquaculture facility at units 3 & 4 Production Street,
Noosaville (MCU14/0096), which the company is going to continue to operate in addition to the proposed site.

The local business takes advantage of the growing market in aquaculture particularly in the premium product
of farmed table fish such as giant grouper and gold spot cod delivered live to market, which command a
significant price premium. The local business has developed their experience and skills over a period of 20
years and has now piloted the reliable production of healthy saleable live fish via its unique small R.A.S.
(Recirculated Aquaculture System).

Nature and Scale of Operation

Saltwater is delivered to the site via a water tanker from the private Mill Street ‘marine facility’ at Noosaville.
The saltwater is then filtered through the various aquaculture tanks. The species of fish to be grown at the site
are:
         Giant Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus)
         Barramundi (Lates calcarifer)
         Flowery Cod (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus)
         Cobia (Rachycentron canadum)
         Baramundi Cod (Cromileptes altivelis)
         Maori Wrass (Cheilinus undulates)
         Mud crab (Scylla serrata)

Not all of the species listed will be cultured at once, with the Giant Grouper being the preferred species. After
being use for the fish, the effluent water is deposited into Unitywater’s sewer network (See Attachment 2 -
Trade Waste Permit & Attachment 3 - Operational and Site Management Plans).

The business currently employs 4 staff (including the owner), and live fish deliveries occurs approximately
twice a week at the Production Street site. The expanded site is likely to require a maximum of 5 staff onsite
at any one time, with daily deliveries to the other factory and to fish markets for live trade. Because the site is
not open for public sales, there will be limited clients visiting the site.

The hours of operation proposed are 24 hours per day 7 days a week, with staff on site commonly between
7am-7pm daily, however, there may be a need to for staff to be working outside of these hours in case of
emergencies. Any fish mortalities will be recorded and stored in the onsite freezer until the council rubbish
day when they will be removed from the freezer and placed in the council bins to be disposed of
appropriately. In the event of a large mortality event the dead fish will be loaded into a truck lined with plastic
and taken to the Local Noosa landfill site.