The Research Trial Site is in Commonwealth waters, adjacent to Tasmanian coastal waters and approximately 12km off the coast of Burnie, Tasmania. The Trial Site is characterised by open ocean, higher energy, deeper waters and stronger currents.

Figure 1. Location of Research Trial Site within existing MOU Fisheries Arrangements Area.

Table 1. Coordinates of trial site.

The Research Trial Site sits within a Blue Economy Zone (BEZ), which is an open ocean site for research focused aquaculture and renewable energy activities and is supported by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Commonwealth and Tasmanian governments.

The Commonwealth Government has previously consulted on a Fisheries Arrangement Area and an initial trial site in 2022.

In 2024, the Blue Economy CRC Research team consulted on varied Research Trial Site coordinates to those previously consulted on and outlined within the 2022 MOU.

The variation to the Trial site location was approved in 2024 through an exchange of letters in accordance with the MOU. The new site provides for more suitable benthic conditions, deeper water and safer positioning of infrastructure given known sea and wind characteristics.

The broader Fisheries Arrangement Area has not changed.