Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed $37m to Tasmania’s salmon industry
One Aussie state’s lucrative salmon industry has been thrown a $37m lifeline, after facing years of uncertainty and added scrutiny from conservation groups.
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Tasmania's salmon industry has been thrown a $37 million lifeline, in addition to new environmental laws to secure the long-term future of farming in the Aussie state.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed the windfall during a visit to Davenport on Saturday, saying it would protect jobs and sustain the industry.
Tasmanian salmon farmers faced years of uncertainty after Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was asked by conservation groups to determine if salmon farmers had approvals to operate in Macquarie Harbour under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act, but had not yet made a decision.
The harbour is a major salmon fishing ground and the only known home of the endangered Meaugean skate.
Reports had shown the population had declined from 2014 caused by a lack of dissolved oxygen in the water from salmon farming.
But a recent report found water quality had improved and numbers had increased since 2022.
Prime Minister Albanese said the funding would improve oxygen levels and the captive breeding program for Meaugean Skate in Macquarie Harbour.
“That’s so important for job creation, but should also be a great source of pride,” he said.
“This is the best salmon in the world.”
Salmon Tasmania chief executive officer Luke Martin said it was clear the current legislation did not enable a quick resolution to the issue.
Mr Martin said the population of the species was now at a 10 year average and conditions in the harbour were the best in more than a decade.
“It shows the adaptive management, the way the industry has been regulated in the harbour is working,” he said.
“I think all Tasmanians and Australians can be confident the industry that’s occurring in that harbour and beautiful environment is being done sustainably and in the best interests of the vulnerable species.”
Mr Martin said mortalities were a reality for all livestock industries and farmers in the world.
“We are going through a mortality within one part of the state, the southeast, that’s been well documented, because effectively, we’ve got activist organisations,” he said.
“The scale of the issue is challenging, it’s a warm water and we’ve got bacteria in a couple of places.
“So that’s what’s being dealt with.”
He said Australians could be confident is salmon was produced in Tasmania under the highest possible regulatory conditions and standards.
“It is incredibly healthy to eat and it’s completely safe to eat,” he said.
Shadow Environment Minister Jonno Duniam said the Prime Minister could have acted sooner to push legislation through Parliament to create certainty for Tasmania’s salmon industry.
Mr Duniam said after more than a year of uncertainty where people did not know if they would have a job or not, telling them legislation would be introduced at some point in the future meant nothing.
The shadow minister said both state and federal governments wanted the salmon industry to thrive, despite who was in power.
“They all want the Maugean skate to thrive. We want to protect its future forevermore,” he said.
“The reality is these green groups will never be happy. It doesn’t matter whether we save the skate or not. They just want to shut down the salmon industry.
“The science proves that the skate and the salmon industry can co-exist.”
Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed $37m to Tasmania’s salmon industry
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