6000 have say on Tassal

A CONTROVERSIAL fish farm development on Tasmania’s East Coast has generated nearly 6000 submissions as part of a public consultation process.

Tassal’s head of sustainability Linda Sams

A CONTROVERSIAL fish farm development on Tasmania’s East Coast has generated nearly 6000 submissions as part of a public consultation process.

Submissions from the proponents, Tassal and Spring Bay Seafoods, and local residents supportive of jobs in the region, were part of a handful in support of the proposal.

The submissions, that the Mercury had to physically access in a Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment office yesterday include about 210 unique submissions from community, scientific and industry groups.

The additional submissions, making up about 5800, were from a consistent template from local, interstate and international signatories.

Tassal’s head of sustainability Linda Sams said ongoing engagement with the Triabunna community started in January last year, three years before the company is expected to commercially introduce salmon at the site in 2018.

“We understand and respect that people have opinions on whether or not we should be salmon farming in Okehampton Bay,” she said.

“Our science and research supports that we can sustainably farm salmon there.”

But Environment Tasmania strategy director Laura Kelly said the submissions highlighted the range of concerns the community had about the proposal.

“Considering the East Coast is a global hotspot for marine-based tourism, it is a concern,” Ms Kelly said.

“I think people just can’t believe you would put an intensive salmon farm there.”

In August the Mercury revealed plans to expand salmon farming on Tasmania’s East Coast had been halted by the State Government because of concerns about the level of community acceptance for the project.

Tassal wants to install 28 new pens holding 800,000 fish at the site near Triabunna within two years.

A marine farming planning review panel, set up by Primary Industries and Water Minister Jeremy Rockliff, is assessing the planning scheme that will determine Tassal’s expansion.

Issues raised in the submissions include:

LACK of independence on the panel.

ENVIRONMENTAL impacts of the rapid expansion of fish farming.

CONCERNS about rising water temperatures.

LIMITED powers for the panel.

IMPACT on the tourism and other aquaculture industries.

Ms Kelly said those supporting the project needed to stop “trotting out the old line that it is a vocal minority” opposed to the process.

“The submissions show there is a vast cross section of the community that has concerns,” she said.

“It is not traditional greenies, it is recreational fishers, divers, wealthy people with yachts.”

Originally published as 6000 have say on Tassal