Inside the ad campaign highlighting Tasmania’s salmon issues

A group of anti-aquaculture activists have released a series of YouTube ads asking people why they are still eating Tasmanian salmon.

Image taken from video advertisements prepared by anti-salmon industry campaigners.

Anti-aquaculture activists have released a series of YouTube ads asking people why they are still eating Tasmanian salmon.

It came as environment groups release polling showing majority support for measures to save Macquarie Harbour’s endangered Maugean skate.

Referencing the recent mass mortality event in the Tasmanian salmon industry, the series of 30 second ads from Vote Salmon Out show people walking on beaches wearing gumboots. gloves, protective coveralls and masks under the catchline “Tasmania: once pristine beaches”.

Produced in the style of a tourism advertisement, each concludes by asking viewers “Why are you still eating farmed salmon?”.

Peter George, former president of Neighbours of Fish Farming and candidate for the Federal seat of Franklin said the videos had been produced by angry locals affected by salmon waste washed up on beaches in recent weeks.

“These advertisements have been turned out in an incredibly short space of time by angered residents who’ve seen their beaches and waterways despoiled by the industry,” he said.

“They are a blow to the heart of a salmon industry that claims to be sustainable and to care about the communities in which it operates.

“With millions of salmon dying from disease in the southeast of the state, with rotting flesh and fat washing up on beaches the industry’s crisis is at a turning point where overwhelming anger and rejection means its social licence to operate in Tasmanian waters will never be recovered.”

Image taken from video advertisements prepared by anti-salmon industry campaigners.

Polling released by Environment Tasmania on Monday showed only 30 per cent of Tasmanians support the introduction of special laws to exempt the salmon industry from environment laws — and 65 per cent of those surveyed support reducing salmon farming to the level necessary to protect the endangered Maugean skate.

Environment Tasmania Campaigner Matt Testoni said 1000 people were asked earlier this month about their attitudes and awareness of issues affecting the industry.

“Clearly, Tasmanians want to protect this Gondwana-era animal from extinction even if it means reducing salmon in Macquarie Harbour,” he said.

“The federal government’s intention to save the salmon industry, and not the skate, does not make any sense or align with what Tasmanians want.”

The polling also found that 59 per cent of Tasmanians are concerned about salmon farming either environmentally and/or for health reasons; and that 74 per cent are aware of salmon farming as an issue.

Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin said the survey results were puzzling.

“Its hard to take serious polling on legislation that no one has seen yet,” he said.

Greens Senator Nick McKim predicted environmental issues — particularly salmon and forestry — would lead to an even smaller number of voters backing the major parties at the upcoming federal election.

Greens Senator Nick McKim speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart on Monday, March 24, 2025.

Federal parliament is preparing to consider Labor legislation to exempt the industry from some requirements of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

“This is thin end of the wedge stuff, if the laws that protect our environment are weakened for salmon corporations,” Senator McKim said.

“It’ll be the fossil fuel corporations next … the Labor Party has continually shown that they are too weak to stand up to vested corporate interests, whether it be the fossil fuel companies or whether it be the salmon corporations.

“Tasmanian have had a gutful of the old parties lining up behind corporate profits and abandoning out environment — and they will make that very clear at the ballot box.”

Originally published as Inside the ad campaign highlighting Tasmania’s salmon issues