Fresh By Design has been awarded the contract to design and construct the new hatchery systems for the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW Fisheries/NSW DPI) at the Gaden Trout Hatchery.
As part of a $5 million Snowy Hydro funded expansion of the hatchery, NSW DPI is delivering a new world-class recirculating aquaculture facility designed to safeguard the Snowy Mountains trout industry for the long term.
The investment forms a key component of the Snowy 2.0 Recreational Fishing Management Plan, supporting the production of larger, more resilient rainbow and brown trout. The expanded facility will significantly increase hatchery capability, with capacity to produce up to 20 tonnes of trout annually.
The project comprises four Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), each including 4 x 5,000 L polyethylene circular tanks, providing a modular, repeatable platform for hatchery operations.
The expansion is intended to safeguard the Snowy Mountains trout industry over the long term, protecting recreational fisheries and mitigating risks associated with climate variability and pest species.
Four modular, repeatable RAS, each designed to deliver stable water quality, operational reliability and high levels of control across all critical parameters. Each RAS includes a FAIVRE drum filter for solids removal, MBBR biofiltration for nitrification, a Pentair return pumping system, UltraAqua UV and ozone sterilisation, temperature control via heat pumps, and polishing mechanical filtration through a Dryden Aqua AFM media filtration loop.
Centralised systems provide OxyGuard water quality monitoring and control, Arvo-Tec automatic feeding, and aeration from a Sprintex turbo jet blower system.
