TASMANIA'S aquaculture industry could double income and create 160 jobs in the next four years.
The push has come courtesy of money set aside to help the ailing forest industry and investment from two of the state's biggest aquaculture businesses.
As revealed by The Mercury yesterday, Tassal and Huon Aquaculture have pledged $4.6 million to a project which will help to improve productivity in salmon farming in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel.
The investment was topped up with $3.9 million from the Federal Government through the Intergovernmental Agreement on forests.
The funding will be used to expand dam infrastructure and pipes to bring fresh water to salmon farms.
The fresh water will help mitigate the effects of amoebic gill disease in salmon stocks.
Huon Aquaculture managing director Peter Bender said the company would save money transporting fresh water to fish farms.
Tassal chief executive Mark Ryan said work on the dam would start shortly.
Economic Development Minister David O'Byrne said the industry was worth over $300 million a year to the state.
Read more on The Mercury.
