Australia passes law to safeguard Macquarie Harbour salmon farming
Salmon farmers in Australia have welcomed a decision by the country’s Senate to pass a new bill that ends a formal reconsideration of whether an expansion of fish farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour in 2012 was properly approved.
The reconsideration by environment minister Tanya Plibersek was triggered by a legal request from three NGOs - the Australia Institute, the Bob Brown Foundation and the Environmental Defenders’ Office – that claim salmon farming reduces dissolved oxygen levels in the harbour water and threatens the survival of the endangered Maugean skate.
Labour government and Liberal opposition senators voted in favour of the bill after the government guillotined debate to bring a vote, the Guardian reported. Aussie prime minister Anthony Albanese had promised the government would legislate to ensure there were “appropriate environmental laws” to continue sustainable salmon farming in the harbour and protect local jobs.
Ending uncertainty
Salmon Tasmania, which represents Tasmania’s three salmon farming companies - Tassal, Huon, and Petuna Aquaculture - said the bill, which amends the Environmental Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act, was intended to end uncertainty for salmon workers and their families in northwest Tasmania.
“This is about our people, their families, and the [salmon farming] community of Strahan, who have been living and working with uncertainty and under intense scrutiny for over 18 months,” said Salmon Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin.
“The laws of Australia were letting these people down in triggering a long, convoluted and unprecedented EPBC (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation) review process with no end in sight. This legislation passed last night ends this uncertainty and lets these Tasmanians get on with their lives.
Confidence in science
“The industry has always had confidence in the science and regulation underpinning its operations in Macquarie Harbour.
“We look to the latest Environment Protection Agency Tasmania monitoring report showing the harbour is in its best health in over a decade, and the latest IMAS (University of Tasmania Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies) research confirming the Maugean skate population is now at its long-term average.
There are a lot of factors influencing skate numbers. Shutting down an industry that has been operating for 40 years was never an appropriate or just solution
Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin
“There are a lot of factors influencing the health of the harbour and the skate numbers. Simply shutting down an industry that has been operating for 40 years and underpins the economic and social wellbeing of an entire community was never an appropriate or just solution.”
Salmon Tasmania said it was “under no illusions this is the end of the issue”.
Activists 'will lawyer up'
“We fully expect the same cashed-up activist organisations who triggered this whole process 18 months ago, will be now quickly lawyering up to challenge this legislation. We can only have faith the parliament has passed laws that will stand up to any test,” said the fish farming body.
“We’re also sure the pantomimes of protests, props and Instagraming Hollywood actors will continue, at least until the federal election is done and dusted.”
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio had previously told his 60.4 million Instagram followers that the Australian government should take urgent action to “shut down destructive industrial non-native salmon farms”.
