<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/07/tasmanian-salmon-farms-could-face-restrictions-to-save-endangered-fish>
"Tanya Plibersek has written to the Tasmanian government to flag she may
reconsider the future of decade-old salmon farms in Macquarie Harbour due to
concern about their impact on a critically endangered species.
It follows scientific warnings the salmon industry is having a “catastrophic”
impact on the Maugean skate, an ancient fish thought to be found only in the
vast harbour on the state’s west coast.
The federal threatened species scientific committee reported in September that
“substantial recent evidence indicates a high risk of extinction for the
species in the near future”, and recommended urgent action including reducing
the amount of salmon to improve dissolved oxygen levels before summer.
In the letter to the Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff, on Monday, the
environment minister said evidence considered by a skate recovery team had
found better regulation and monitoring of “lower salmon farming industry loads”
would be an important step in protecting the species.
“This last remaining population is under enormous pressure due to the low
oxygen levels and poor water quality in the harbour,” the environment minister
said in the letter, seen by
Guardian Australia. “Urgent action must be taken
to change this. Failure to do so will have implications for the long-term
viability of important regional industries and jobs, especially in tourism and
aquaculture.”
Plibersek said environment officials were examining three requests – from the
Australia Institute, the Bob Brown Foundation and the Environmental Defenders’
Office – for a “reconsideration” of whether the salmon industry had the
approvals it needed to operate in Macquarie Harbour. If the requests were found
to have legal validity it would trigger “a broad consultation” with the state
government, the salmon industry, its workers, their union and the community."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
