Land owners and environmental law experts in Tasmania are using a state review of unconventional shale gas mining to ensure the rights of farmers and their neighbours.

Coal Seam Gas (CSG) mining using the fracking technique - where underground rock is hydraulically fractured - has sparked protests in Queensland and New South Wales.

While it uses similar technology, CSG is different to the shale gas mining proposed for Tasmania.

CSG mining happens 500 metres below the surface, while shale gas mining is at a much deeper level.

In both cases, underground rock is hydraulically fractured, the cracks are kept open and gas is extracted.

Jan Davis from the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) is urging people to recognise the difference.

"[They should] make sure they look at the science and cut through some of the understandable but hard to manage emotions around this issue," she said.

There are some protections in place for people who do not want fracking on their land, but Jess Feehely from the Environmental Defender's Office (EDO) said they are limited to the exploration stage.

"Landowner consent is required at the exploration stage; it's not required at the production stage," she said.

Ms Davis said landholders should have the final say over activities that affect farming enterprises.

"Where there are farming activities, to have paramount control over the land that he or she owns," she said.

"That's the surface land. What happens underneath shouldn't be allowed to interfere with that surface activity.

"We want to be sure that any engagement, any mining process, doesn't interfere with the water table, doesn't contaminate water, and certainly doesn't cause undue and unnecessary angst to our farmers.

"And monitoring to ensure than any mining doesn't interfere with water tables or leave contaminants behind that can't be managed."

Shale gas is more valuable than coal seam gas, but after 20 years of exploration in Tasmania, no company has ever applied for a mining licence.

But Australian mining company PetraGas was granted a shale gas exploration licence in the Midlands this year.

Ms Feehely said current legislation did not allow neighbours to challenge mining licences.

"Where a mining activity might have broader implications outside the actual footprint of the mine, other people in the community don't have a right to object to that," she said.

"They've got no standing to either object to, or challenge, a decision to allow that mining to go ahead."

Ms Feehely said recently proposed anti-protest legislation in Tasmania could restrict the actions of people who are opposed to the gas mining.

"Certainly the level of community concern suggests there will be people that are keen to protest against developments and the legislation that's currently before the parliament will have a chilling affect on those sorts of protests," she said.

The Government declined to comment while the review is under way.

A 12-month state-wide moratorium on fracking will end in March and submissions on the review close the first week of December.