PETUNA
Petuna is the world’s first aquaculture company to receive the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification for both Atlantic salmon and Ocean Trout, often referred to as the Wagyu of the sea.
Founded in 1949 by Peter and Una Rockliff, this family-run business has grown over 70 years to become Tasmania’s leading seafood producer, specializing in both wild-caught and farmed fish.
Petuna is built on a foundation of environmental and social responsibility, prioritizing community engagement, employee safety, food security, animal welfare, and the protection of marine wildlife
Petuna. A Family Legacy
The story of Petuna began over 70 years ago, driven by the passion of two individuals rather than industrial demand. In 1949, Peter Rockliff, a young professional fisherman, met Una at the Bridport harbor—the woman who would become both his wife and business partner. Together, they embarked on an adventure that would define both their family and their entrepreneurial journey. In the early days, Peter spent his time at sea, while Una sold the daily catch—first straight from the boat and later from a small shop in Devonport. As the years passed and their business grew, they decided to diversify. In 1990, they expanded into aquaculture, becoming pioneers of Tasmania’s Ocean Trout farming.
At its heart, Petuna remains a family-run business, guided by a commitment to continuous innovation, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility. Their core values include community support, employee welfare, food safety, animal health, and marine conservation—principles that have shaped the company’s growth.
These very values led Petuna to make history in 2018, becoming the first aquaculture company in the world to receive BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices) certification—one of the most prestigious international standards—for both Atlantic salmon and Ocean Trout farming.
What makes Tasmania’s Ocean Trout an icon of gastronomic excellence? A pristine environment, a natural diet, and sustainable farming practices that prioritize quality and purity. Raised in the untouched waters of Macquarie Harbour, Petuna’s ocean trout feeds on a carefully balanced diet, mirroring what it would consume in the wild: a blend of plant-based ingredients, fish meal, oils, vitamins, and minerals. It is completely free from antibiotics, pesticides, and GMOs, while naturally absorbing essential minerals carried by the Franklin and Gordon Rivers.
Petuna’s unique harvesting method ensures that the fish remain calm and stress-free throughout the process. The trout are gently guided through water-filled tubes, mimicking their instinctive behavior of swimming upstream. This technique prevents unnecessary struggle, ensuring that no lactic acid is released into the muscle fibers, preserving the meat’s pristine texture and flavor.
The trout are then transferred into holding tanks, where they are sorted without distress before being transported to Petuna’s Devonport processing facility. Within just six hours of harvesting, the fish are processed with extreme precision, guaranteeing unmatched freshness and quality. At Longino & Cardenal, we chose to introduce Petuna’s Ocean Trout to our catalog because we sought a product that was both exceptionally healthy and gourmet-level in quality. We wanted a "rare and precious" alternative to salmon, one that would elevate fine dining menus with its distinctive flavor and luxurious texture.
Its vibrant pink flesh, rich marbling of intramuscular fat, and delicate yet buttery consistency make it an outstanding choice for raw preparations, though it remains moist and succulent even when cooked. Tasmanian ocean trout, as prepared by world-renowned Chef Tetsuya Wakuda, holds the title of the most photographed dish in the world!
Beyond Ocean Trout: Petuna’s Exclusive Atlantic Salmon
In addition to Tasmania’s Ocean Trout, Petuna also farms Atlantic salmon, following the same ethical values, environmental respect, and animal welfare standards applied to its trout farming.
Just like with ocean trout, the process begins with the selection of the highest-quality eggs, which are fertilized at Cressy Hatchery. The young salmon remain there until they reach the optimal size and weight for transfer to open waters.
Their designated farming site is Rowella, located at the mouth of the Tamar River in northern Tasmania. This location is ideal for Atlantic salmon, as the river’s strong tidal movements ensure continuous water circulation and lower salinity during summer, creating a healthy, dynamic environment. Like Macquarie Harbour, Rowella is less susceptible to Amoebic Gill Disease (AGD) and features a state-of-the-art seal protection system, which reduces fish stress, promotes better growth, and enhances the salmon’s delicate texture.
Naturally Raised for Superior Quality
With spacious waters to swim in, a natural diet, and absolutely no additives, antibiotics, or artificial colorants, Petuna’s Atlantic salmon develops a delicate pink hue, slightly lighter than ocean trout, with leaner marbling and a cleaner, more refined flavor than conventional farmed salmon.Rich in natural Omega-3 fatty acids, this incredibly healthy fish is also extremely versatile, making it perfect for grilling, baking, smoking, or serving raw as sashimi. A premium choice for any gourmet occasion.
The Origin of Tasmania’s Ocean Trout
Petuna’s Ocean Trout comes from the remote southwest coast of Tasmania, specifically Macquarie Harbour—a vast 300-square-kilometer inlet recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here, the cool freshwater flows of the Franklin and Gordon Rivers meet and blend with the saline waters of the Great Southern Ocean, creating the perfect natural environment for Tasmania’s purest ocean trout to thrive. Petuna’s ocean trout farming process begins with the selection of the highest-quality eggs, which are fertilized at the Cressy hatchery in Tasmania’s interior. The young trout remain there for 12-18 months, reaching an average weight of 120 grams, before being transported over 300 km to suspended sea pens in the heart of Macquarie Harbour.
These vast enclosures, each exceeding 20,000 cubic meters, provide an ideal marine habitat, where compact schools of fish occupy only 5% of the available space, allowing them to swim freely. The trout remain in these waters for 13-20 months, growing to an optimal weight of 3.5 to 5 kg.
A Pristine Environment for Healthier Fish
The brackish waters of Macquarie Harbour serve as a natural defense against Amoebic Gill Disease (AGD), a common threat to salmonid species caused by the Neopaaramoeba Perurans parasite—one of the most dangerous organisms in aquaculture. However, due to the unique composition of these waters, the parasite is unable to thrive, ensuring healthier fish and a lower environmental impact.
Additionally, Macquarie Harbour is free from seals, which are abundant in other parts of Tasmania and pose both a physical threat and a source of stress for fish. This predator-free, stress-free environment allows Petuna’s Ocean Trout to grow naturally and develop its exceptional texture and flavor.
