Twiggy goes salmon fishing — on land — to cheers of industry critics

Andrew Forrest’s $100m land-based aquaculture operation hailed as ‘the beginning of the end’ of the current, controversial salmon industry.

Salmon pens, in Macquarie Harbour, Strahan, on the West Coast of Tasmania Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

Andrew Twiggy Forrest’s plans for a $100m land-based aquaculture operation have been hailed as “the beginning of the end” of the current, controversial sea-based salmon industry.

Dr Forrest on Wednesday said his Tattarang Pty Ltd had begun scoping studies for the land-based fin fish farming operations, which he claimed would provide consumers a “sustainable alternative” to marine farmed salmon.

The magnate, a major shareholder in marine-based salmon producer Huon Aquaculture, also vowed to vote against Huon’s takeover by Brazilian meat giant JBS, unless it committed to environmental and animal welfare standards.

“Until (JBS parent company) JBS S.A declares its unequivocal commitment to adopt the same animal welfare standards – including the principle of No Pain, No Fear – and environmental sustainability as JBS Australia across their global operations, Huon shareholders have no certainty for the future of the company under JBS Group’s control,” Dr Forrest said.

Project scoping and feasibility studies had begun to pave the way for Tattarang’s proposed land-based fin fish farming operation, he said.

Site selection and capital works would follow, with an investment of more than $100m expected.

This would “give consumers true market choice to support products that are sustainably produced without impacting our environments”, following years of controversy about the Tasmanian salmon industry’s impact on local waterways and wildlife.

“I didn’t invest in Huon to create a rival takeover proposition,” Dr Forrest said. “I invested in Huon because I believed they wanted to be leaders in truly sustainable salmon farming. But the industry change I want to achieve goes beyond just one company, in one jurisdiction.

“We invested to bring the true impacts of nearshore farming to policy makers’ attention, to bring the credentials of certification arrangements into review, and for the real standards of animal welfare practices to be highlighted.

Philanthropist Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest aboard his marine research vessel Pangaea Ocean Explorer.

“Through our investments we have put an immovable spotlight on the true, long-term sustainability of the Tasmanian salmon industry and the No Pain No Fear management of animal to protein by multinationals.”

Tasmanian author and salmon industry critic Richard Flanagan said Dr Forrest’s development of land-based fish farming “would appear to be the beginning of the end for Tasmania’s dirty and destructive sea-based salmon farming industry”.

“It is in accord with what the Tasmanian community has consistently asked for: land-based fin fish farming,” Flanagan said. “Australian consumers will now be able to choose: clean, green farmed fish or dirty Tasmanian salmon.

“The Tasmanian government must now decide if it will act to save the Tasmanian salmon industry and the 1,734 jobs it provides by compelling it to go land based to compete with Mr Forrest.

“The alternative is to watch more of Tasmania’s marine environment being destroyed and Tasmania’s good name further trashed, before the industry inevitably collapses under commercial pressure and with it the loss of those 1,734 jobs.”

The Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association is yet to respond to requests for comment, but the industry rejects much of the criticism of its operations, arguing it is sustainable and that impacts are localised, short-lived and exaggerated.

Industry players have previously argued entirely land-based operations were too expensive and energy-intensive.