The present project relates principally to Programs 1 (Environment) & 2 (Industry) of the FRDC’s Strategic priority areas. Specifically the project will increase the gross value of production, profit margins, productivity and opportunity (Theme 7) for Huon, through providing the company with a means to expand operations into offshore and more exposed fish farming areas. The successful use of the well-boat also extends to Theme 1 through providing a means to prevent and manage disease incursions through providing a biosecure vessel for transferring fish between marine sites.

On a broad operational level the project is needed in order to:
1) Allow the company to expand offshore
2) Ensure the cost effective use of the well-boat at inshore and offshore sites
3) Provide low risk SOP’s for bathing on board the well-boat

To make the use of the well-boat cost effective Huon has to both reduce the time for bathing so that more baths can be undertaken during appropriate weather conditions, and the well boat has to be able to reuse freshwater or find a method for bathing in seawater that will greatly reduce the need to return to shore-based freshwater fill stations to re-load with freshwater as all fill stations are at least 50kms from the exposed water sites.