Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Unfortunately the fines for doing so, make the councils fees seem like chickenfeed. I quite enjoy not being in jail or bankrupt.

I'm planning on it being more than a hobby.

Very keen Ian, PM me, council said I definately need the plans.

Bottom line is if you want to sell fish legally then you have to get an aquaculture licence and you cant get that without the shire approving it first. Fisheries wont even look at an application unless all the shire and other govt approvals are submitted with the application.
As far as plans go bugger paying $1200 for it, they are easy enough to knock up yourself. I can get you any lot/survey dimensions you need.

And if you're going to sell the fish... then the aquaculture licence and fees are peanuts... compared to the compliance requirements and fees from the Food Authority...

Personally OBO... I wouldn't even consider it... unless you are only going to sell vac packed smoked fish... even then you need to check the appropriate food regulations thoroughly...

One case of public food poisoning will result in prosecution and the forfeit of everything you own.. and probably everything you might own for the rest of your life...

Even though I slightly agree rupe, selling live or just dead fish shouldn't lead to food poisoning, but after license, plans, on going costs, public liability insurance, keeping the health department happy, I can't see any profit, selling fish for tanks is complete different kettle of fish (woops excuse the pun ) to selling fish for human consumption, when we had a hotel, if someone came in with a heap of fish they had caught at the coast, we couldn't take them for free and cook them up for customers, if the healthy found out we would be dead meat, as I said before col, I hope it works out but you need to cover every angle, you aren't selling fish to the same market as TM

when i got out of the navy i went to school for drafting and was trying to figure out if/how i could help out, and it hit me..

look for a technical/trade school that has drafting! talk to a teacher and ask him to point out a sharp student or two that would like to make some extra money, you can pay them fairly and not break the bank
(i did several side jobs for 12 to 15 an hour)

best of luck

Its important to realize that although people present Software generated plans to council, it isn,t a necessity to do it that way. The basic Technical Drawing skills you learnt at high school, a ruler, pencil and a pen and paper along with a brief description and scale of size of the item listed down in the corner are sufficient. It,s really easy to be intimidated by councils. The key thing is to describe the setup with the lowest possible cost of the item so that they don,t charge you a large building fee. Keep it simplistic. The Planners and Building inspectors always write on your drawings with red pen. That's what they do. Just start drawing a hand drawn drawing and then draw it up again using a ruler. Present it to council and get it started. The journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. I think you will find the council easier to deal with than you imagine.

I hear you Nocky... and selling live fish to a wholesaler... both is safer and transfers your obligation...

Dead, processed, filleted etc.... is a whole different kettle of fish.... and STRICTLY regulated...

Fish is the MOST perishable of all foods... and under the regulations MUST adhere to the "cold chain" at all points...

Selling anything but "live" fish.... will necessitate a HACCP plan, pest control procedures, adherence to the "cold chain" (documentable), annual licencing of any transportation vehicles, annual inspection of vehicles and premises, possible adhoc inspections... and a complete audit trail which can be requested at any time...

If anyone doesn't understand ANY ONE or more of the above... then, you need to both investigate it thorughly... be prepared to pay.... or just don't do it... IMO...

Easy fixed, sell the fish live, then ask the new owner if they would like it wrapped in paper to take home

The licence OBO gets will most likely have very similar conditions to what I have. For Trout it states that 'the fish must be sold in a whole unprocessed condition.' It says nothing about being live or dead. I sell fish direct to some seafood outlets in Bunbury that are dead and have never had a problem. I kill them and then deliver them on ice within the hour, as long as you dont process them you dont need the fish processors licence and all the other who haa.
As for the plans I agree with Trevor in that although the CAD drawing may look nicer a hand drawn sketch can still show all the details and in the end will not make any difference to whether your plan gets approval or not. Save the $1200 to get some more fish!!

Do you gut them... or gill & gut??

Iced, and selling within the hour should be safe enough...

No, cant gill or gut without getting the fish processors licence etc etc which like you say becomes too expensive to make it worthwhile for a small or even medium sized operation.

The "seafood" standards guide... http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/_srcfil ... Bwc%20.pdf

Sounds like you're under the same provisions as trawlers and other fishermen... selling direct to the fish markets...

But you're still required to adhere to the appropriate "icing" temperature controls and time periods...though aren't you???