Huon Aquaculture: Environmentalists fume at push for salmon regulations to be wound back

Anti-salmon campaigners have expressed outrage over comments made by the youthful CEO of Huon Aquaculture, accusing him of effectively trying to “blackmail” the state government.

Huon Aquaculture CEO Henry Batista.

Anti-salmon campaigners have accused Huon Aquaculture of attempting to “blackmail” the Tasmanian government in an audacious bid to have salmon industry regulations wound back.

Henry Batista, the new CEO of Huon, which was acquired by Brazilian meat giant JBS Foods for $425m in 2021, says the company is prepared to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the island’s aquaculture industry, on the proviso that the government commits to reviewing regulations.

It comes just weeks after Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Primary Industries Minister Jo Palmer launched the government’s new Tasmanian Salmon Industry Plan, which comes into effect in July and will require salmon companies to cover the costs of managing the industry into the future.

The plan also comprises new environmental standards and encourages, but does not compel, companies to shift to offshore farming.

Huon Aquaculture CEO Henry Batista.

Mr Batista has said that the industry needs “certainty” and that “more policies are time-consuming and make things harder to do”.

“Uncertainty is not ideal for investment and if it doesn’t go to Tasmania, it will be a huge loss for the state,” he told The Australian on Wednesday.

Mr Batista said “any investment in this sector takes a long time for approvals”.

“The process is time-consuming. There is significant potential for investment in Tasmania, but we have a huge worry around the increase in costs and regulations in the industry,” he said.

The young CEO’s comments have sparked the ire of environmentalists, who say Huon is trying to strongarm the government into giving the industry what it wants.

Bob Brown Foundation Antarctic and marine campaigner, Alistair Allan, said Mr Batista’s remarks “beggar belief” and that he was “saying the quiet part out loud”.

Bob Brown Foundation fish farm campaigner Alistair Allan. Picture: Chris Kidd

Neighbours of Fish Farming president, Peter George, described Huon’s intervention as “blackmail”.

“Fined a world-record $3.2 billion for bribing hundreds of politicians in Brazil, JBS is now turning its sights on the fragile minority Tasmanian government demanding concessions with barely concealed threats,” he said.

In state parliament on Wednesday, Greens marine environment spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff asked Mr Rockliff if he was going to “roll over and sell out our marine environment”.

The Premier fired back, saying the question was an “insult”.

“We will be making decisions for the best interests of all Tasmanians,” he said.

“We will always continue to value our resource-based sector here unashamedly, whether that be salmon, whether that be forestry, whether that be farmers and fishers or, indeed, our miners.”

Originally published as Huon Aquaculture: Environmentalists fume at push for salmon regulations to be wound back