SUMMARY OF MARINE AQUACULTURE
PILOT LEASE AND CORRESPONDING
LICENCE APPLICATION
COMPANY NAME: OCEANIC VICTOR PTY LTD
AUSTRALIAN COMPANY NUMBER: 604 170 881
SEPTEMBER 2015
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this document is to provide a brief summary of the information provided to PIRSA
Fisheries and Aquaculture from Oceanic Victor Pty Ltd regarding their marine pilot lease
LA00358 and corresponding licence AQ00315 application.
All information contained in this summary will be reviewed by PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture
as part of the standard marine pilot lease and licence assessment process.
Note that the information contained in this summary document may be subject to change
as a result of the PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture assessment process.
NATURE OF THE PROPOSAL
This application is for a tourism operation based in the waters of Encounter Bay near Granite
Island, Victor Harbor. As this is a tourism operation, no harvesting of aquatic organisms will occur.
The tourism operation will allow customers the opportunity to swim with a range of native fish
species, including Southern Bluefin Tuna, within the safe confines of a sea-caged pontoon
(Figure 1). For those customers not wanting to swim, there will be the option of being able to view
and hand-feed aquatic animals on the surface from a viewing platform, or view them from an
underwater observatory. An interactive set of touch tanks are also proposed to educate
customers about South Australia’s marine life.
Figure 1. Oceanic Victor Pty Ltd proposed tourism operation in Encounter Bay near Granite
Island, Victor Harbor.
AQUACULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE
The following is a brief description of the aquaculture infrastructure to be used on the site (see
Figure 1 also):
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Double Collar Ring:
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Inside Collar: 45m Diameter (Circumference 141.39m)
Outside Collar: 46.9m diameter (circumference 147.36m)
Anchors: 7 x 4 tonne (6.5 tonne weight out of water) concrete blocks 2.5m wide x 1.0m deep x
1.0m high with 0.7m of 30mm stud link chain.
Anchor ropes: 70m in length
Double Collar Net:
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Circumference: 140.8m
Diameter: 45m
Depth of walls: 4.5m
Depth at centre: 6m
Mesh Panels: 6 inch meshing
Jump Fence: 2.5m
Pontoon:

Dimensions: 30m long x 12m wide
Viewing Platform (Internal net enclosure for non-tuna species):
 Dimensions: 12m long x 7m wide
 Depth of walls: 3m
 Depth at centre: 4m
 Mesh Panels: 6 inch meshing
Touch Tanks (x2):
 Dimensions: 2m diameter x 0.5m high
Vessel:

Length: 16.5m moored off Granite Island
Figure 2. Proposed positioning and annual rotation regime (fallowing) of the sea-cage and
pontoon within the pilot lease area.
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LOCATION OF THE PROPOSAL
Coordinates GDA94 (WGS 84) for each corner of the pilot lease (Figure 3):
Latitude
35° 33' 32.12" S
35° 33' 24.40" S
35° 33' 32.72" S
35° 33' 40.45" S
Longitude
138° 38' 16.98" E
138° 38' 06.80" E
138° 37' 57.34" E
138° 38' 07.52" E Successively
Area of pilot lease applied for (in Hectares): 12.25 ha.
The proposal is located within a habitat protection zone of the Encounter Marine Park. Under the
Marine Parks (Zoning) Regulations 2012, the activity of aquaculture is permitted within the
boundaries of a habitat protection zone provided it is authorised by, and carried on in accordance
with, the Aquaculture Act 2001.
Figure 3. Location of proposed aquaculture pilot lease in Encounter Bay near Granite Island,
Victor Harbor.
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interpretation, incomplete while being created or revised etc. Primary Industries and Regions South Australia reserves the right to correct, update,
modify or replace GIS products without notification. Primary Industries and Regions South Australia cannot assure the accuracy, completeness,
reliability or suitability of this information for any particular purpose. Using GIS data for purposes other than those for which they were created may
yield inaccurate or misleading results. The recipient may neither assert any proprietary rights to this information nor represent it to anyone as other
than South Australian Government produced information. Primary Industries and Regions South Australia shall not be liable for any activity
involving this information with respect to lost profits, lost savings or any other consequential damages.
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The pilot lease areas physical and biological characteristics are summarised below in Table1.
Table 1. Summary of the physical and biological characteristics of the pilot lease area
Characteristic
Description
Maximum Tidal Range
Predominately low-profile macroalgal dominated platform reef,
with patches of sand and shell grit.
Hydrographic chart depth
4 m – 10.6 m
Surveyed depth
8.8 m – 12 m
1.6 m
Average water flow rate
5 cm/s-1
Habitat (video survey)
Water Depth Range
(approximate)
Average Water Temperature
Summer
22 oC
Winter
11 oC
MARINE ANIMALS PROPOSED
The applicant has applied for 56 types of marine animals to be permitted on their aquaculture
licence (Table 2).
The biomass of these animals will consist primarily of Southern Bluefin Tuna (less than 5 tonnes),
with the remaining biomass of all other animals being less than 0.5 tonne combined.
The marine animals listed will be obtained from the following regulated sources:
1. Commonwealth quota holders
2. Aquaculture licence holders
3. Commercial fishing licence or permit holders
4. Registered fish processors
Table 2. List of marine animals proposed for Oceanic Victor Pty Ltd aquaculture licence.
Common Name
Scientific Name
11-arm starfish
(Coscinasterais muricata)
Abalone, Blacklip
(Haliotis rubra)
Abalone, Greenlip
(Haliotis laevigata)
Beardie
(Lotella rhacina)
Bream, Black
(Acanthopagrus butcheri)
Calamari, Southern
(Sepioteuthis australis)
Cod, Bearded
(Pseudophycis barbata)
Cod, Red
(Pseudophycis bachus)
Crab, Hermit
(Diogenidae family)
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Cuttlefish
(Sepia spp.)
Flathead, Long-Headed
(Levipora inops)
Flathead, Rock
(Platycephalus laevigatus)
Flathead, Sand
(Platycephalus bassensis)
Flathead, Southern Blue-Spotted
(Platycephalus speculator)
Flathead, Tassel-Snouted
(Thysanophrys cirronasus)
Flounder, Elongate
(Ammotretis elongatus)
Flounder, Greenback
(Rhombosolea tapirina)
Flounder, Long-Snouted
(Ammotretis rostratus)
Flounder, Small-Toothed
(Pseudorhombus jenynsii)
Flounder, Spotted
(Ammotretis lituratus)
Garfish
(Hyporhamphus melanochir)
Goatfish, Bluespotted
(Upeneichthys vlamingii)
Herring, Australian (Tommy Ruff)
(Arripis georgianus)
Kingfish, Yellowtail
(Seriola lalandi)
Knifejaw
(Oplegnathus woodwardi)
Lobster, Southern Rock
(Jasus edwardsii)
Mackerel, Blue
(Scomber australasicus)
Morwong, Blue
(Nemadactylus valenciennesi)
Morwong, Dusky
(Dactylophora nigricans)
Mulloway
(Argyrosomus japonicus)
Oyster, Native
(Ostrea angasi)
Purple Sea Urchin
(Heliocidaris erythrogramma)
Razorfish
(Pinna bicolor)
Redfish
(Centroberyx affinis)
Redfish, Bight
(Centroberyx gerrardi)
Salmon, West Australian
(Arripis truttaceus)
Samson Fish
(Seriola hippos)
Sardine, Australian
(Sardinops sagax)
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Scallops, Commercial / King
(Pecten fumatus)
Scallops, Queen
(Equichlamys bifrons)
Sea Snail
(Cabestana tabulata)
Sea Urchin
(Goniacidaris tubaria impressa)
Seastar, Granula
(Uniophora granifera)
Sergeant Baker
(Latropiscis purpurissatus)
Shark, Port Jackson
(Heterodontus portsjacksoni)
Snapper
(Pagrus auratus)
Snook
(Sphyraena novaehollandiae)
Sole, Southern
(Aseraggodes haackeanus)
Southern Fiddler Ray
(Trygonorrhina fasciata)
Star Fish
(Tosia magnifica)
Swallowtail
(Centroberyx lineatus)
Sweep species
(Scorpis spp.)
Toadfish
(Tetraodontidae family)
Trevally
(Pseudocaranx spp.)
Tuna, Southern Bluefin
(Thunnus maccoyii)
Whiting, King George
(Sillaginodes punctata)
FEEDING
It is important to emphasise that this is an aquaculture tourism operation and not an aquaculture
production operation which are primarily focussed on increasing the production of aquaculture
species for harvest and sale. No animals will be harvested as part of the proposed tourism
operation.
Animals will be fed a range of baitfish, sourced from the commercial South Australian sardine
fishery, commonly used in the ranched Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT) industry (Ellis & Rough
2005). SBT will be fed a maximum of 3.6% body weight per day or approximately 2kg maximum
per SBT per day (when weather permits) to meet metabolic demands. The remaining marine
animals will be fed a maximum of 6% body weight per day. This equates to approximately a
maximum daily feeding rate of 210kg at maximum stocking rates of all animals.
As part of the experience, Oceanic Victor Pty Ltd will provide baitfish to customers to feed the
animals by hand. When customers aren‘t feeding the animals it will be performed by company
employees who will also feed by hand.
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Feeding frequency will depend on the amount of charters that will operate on a given day with
multiple charters expected during peak tourism periods. When charters are not operating the site
will be visited once a day (weather permitting) to inspect the integrity of equipment, inspect the
stock and to feed the animals.
Animals will not be fed to satiation, but rather fed sufficient amounts to cover metabolic and
minimal growth requirements. Oceanic Victor Pty Ltd will keep the animals actively feeding to
maximise the experience to customers, without impairing nutritional intake to the animals.
ONGOING AQUACULTURE OPERATIONS
Divers will inspect the stock daily and remove any sick animals or mortalities should they occur.
These will be wrapped in plastic bags and transported to the local waste depot onshore for
disposal. The company has access to consultants and a veterinarian that will prepare feeding
regimes based on the nutritional information of baitfish and will be available in the event there are
any health issues with the stock.
Nets will be inspected by divers on a daily basis for integrity and fouling levels recorded. The
frequency of net cleaning by divers, using high pressure spray jets and scrubbing by hand, will be
determined by fouling growth which varies throughout the year. The company is very conscious
that the holding environment must be kept as clean as possible to ensure good water flow
through the nets to provide the best holding conditions for the stock. Furthermore, good clean
water is necessary for the customers that will be viewing the stock.
The distance between the bottom of the sea-cage net and the seafloor will be greater than three
metres at all times.
FEEDBACK
The public notification period for this proposed lease and licence application closed on 31 July
2015. However, if you have any questions regarding the aquaculture application process please
contact:
Matthew Hoare, Aquaculture Case Manager
Phone: (08) 8429 0400
Email: matthew.hoare@sa.gov.au
The aquaculture application to PIRSA forms part of an overall proposal by Oceanic Victor Pty Ltd
submitted to State Government and managed under the unsolicited proposals process. The
Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources website has further details about the
unsolicited proposal at www.environment.sa.gov.au/granite-island-unsolicited-proposal
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