Biofiltration Solutions

Title: Harnessing water quality improvements through circular economy approaches led by the aquaculture industry
Duration:
Funding: This project, delivered by Reef Catchments is part of the $5.5 million Reef Place-Based Integrated Projects initiative funded through the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program. This project is part of the Proserpine Integrated Project.

Summary:

Tassal is a seafood producer with over 35 years of experience in aquaculture, operating from Tasmania to Mission Beach in North Queensland. Committed to sustainability, Tassal prides itself on being an industry leader in environmentally and socially responsible seafood production, with a strong focus on sharing successful methods that support broader environmental goals.

At their Proserpine Prawn Farm, Tassal is trialling the use of green seaweed (Cladophora) as a natural biofilter to improve water quality. This innovative method converts excess nutrients into seaweed biomass, with early trials showing the potential to remove 7.6–11.7 tonnes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) from the water each year.

Tassal is also exploring how this seaweed can be transformed into valuable products like bioplastics, biochar, and cattle feed supplements—supporting a circular economy approach. Through a place-based strategy that benefits the local economy, Tassal is investing in research and development, which will be supported by Queensland university of Technology (QUT). This work is paving the way for seaweed farming to become a sustainable and commercially viable part of aquaculture in North Queensland.

Objectives:

• Transition from seaweed disposal to the development of commercially viable seaweed-based products.
• Exceed environmental compliance by reducing nutrient wastewater discharge.
• Support local industry and economy through research partnerships and place-based wastewater treatment solutions.

Outcomes:

The project aims to build a strong evidence base that supports further research, development, and investment. This will guide the expansion and improvement of wastewater treatment and seaweed production systems at the Proserpine site. The findings are expected to be shared through QUT programs, industry forums, and publications to encourage broader industry uptake.