Woolworths faces another shareholder resolution over Tasmanian salmon

Woolworths is facing the heat again with another shareholder resolution over its salmon farming practices lodged with the company today.

Woolworths is facing another shareholder resolution demanding changes to the grocery giant’s salmon supply chain after defeating a world-leading vote at last year’s AGM.

The resolution, led by ethical broking platform SIX and co-filed by another 115 Woolworths shareholders, urges the Woolworths board to address the extinction threat to the Maugean skate and to “do due diligence on their sustainability certifications”.

This comes after the similar resolutions to Woolworths and Coles last year received some of the highest support for shareholder resolutions globally, and for Australia in years.

Another shareholder resolution has been filed to Woolworths amid continued demands for changes to its salmon supply chain. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Davis Jones.

Woolworths and Coles received shareholder votes of 30 per cent and 39 per cent, but critics say they have not responded with the urgency required by their shareholders and the extinction risk faced by the Maugean skate.

“It’s unheard of for a company to ignore such a strong shareholder vote. The supermarkets aren’t just ignoring the community outrage about their toxic salmon supply, they are trying to ignore their own shareholders as well,” SIX chief executive Adam Verwey told NewsWire.

“Rather than respond to such a huge shareholder vote, Woolworths has dug in to keep buying Macquarie Harbour salmon,” he said.

“It’s such a small amount of their total salmon supply … it’s completely unnecessary for them to continue stocking extinction salmon and pass on this nature and greenwashing risk to their shareholders.”

A technicality in the complexity of Australian shareholder resolutions allowed Woolworths to continue business as usual.

The resolution demanding farmed seafood reporting is technically contingent on a first resolution, which would amend the company constitution, being passed by a majority of 75 per cent.

However, this has not happened in Australia for multiple years, and most companies would enact subsequent resolutions if they receive significant stakeholder support, as seen in many banks no longer investing in fossil fuels.

This comes after the Environmental Protection Authority launched an investigation into salmon waste washing up on Tasmania’s pristine beaches.

The new resolution comes after the Environmental Protection Authority launched a formal investigation into the “large and unprecedented salmon mortality event (which) has unfolded since mid-February 2025”.

The investigation focused on assessing “congealed oily material” resulting from deceased salmon which washed up on multiple Tasmanian beaches.

Decomposing salmon corpses were also found along the coastline, which raises food safety concerns, according to Mr Verwey.

“The salmon that Woolworths is selling this Easter is not just risking the extinction of the Maugean skate, it’s also likely to have come from pens filled with bacteria that have caused the recent mass deaths of salmon in the pens and fat balls washing up on Tasmanian beaches,” he alleged.

Critics are concerned about food safety amid salmon mortality rates.

“You can’t tell me that the Woolworths sustainability team have seen all the news and footage coming out from the Tasmanian salmon farms and still believe this product is sustainable.

“The audacity to stick sustainability labels on this salmon.”

Mr Verwey called for supermarkets to take action, and criticised the government’s “inaction”.

“The PM has thrown the government review of Macquarie Harbour salmon out the window and said he wants to allow multinational companies to bypass our environmental laws, it’s up to the supermarkets to do their own due diligence to ensure their supply chains are as sustainable as they claim,” he said.

Greens’ environmental spokeswoman Sarah Hanson Young caused an explosive scene in Parliament while grilling grilled Labor over its legislation that would protect Tasmania’s salmon farming industry at the detriment of the endangered Maugean skate.

Driving her point home, Senator Hanson-Young pulled out a giant dead salmon, which was encased in a bag, causing outrage and laughter from fellow senators.

“Have you sold out your environmental credentials for a stinking extinction salmon?” said Senator Hanson-Young before producing the bag.

Woolworths has three days to notify the market of the shareholder resolution, which is due to be presented at their AGM in late October 2025.

“This remains a complex issue, with many connected factors to consider,” a Woolworths spokesperson told NewsWire.

“We continue to actively engage with many key stakeholder groups, including government, suppliers, industry bodies, environmental groups, scientists and independent experts, to inform our ongoing approach.”