Activists to take salmon fight to supermarket AGMs

Anti-aquaculture activists want to stop major supermarkets from stocking fish farmed in Macquarie Harbour. Here’s what’s going on.

Aerial view fish farm pens.

Anti-aquaculture activists will ask Coles and Woolworths to stop stocking fish farmed in Macquarie Harbour.

The bid has been condemned as the actions of “faceless mainland activists” by the salmon industry.

Activist share trading platform SIX has lodged a shareholder resolution on behalf of 121 Woolworths shareholders.

It calls on the company to stop sourcing farmed salmon from Macquarie Harbour “and give the Maugean skate its only chance at survival”.

The resolution has the support of ethical advice groups Ethinvest, Ethical Investment Advisers and Tasethical, as well as Environment Tasmania, Neighbours of Fishing Farming, Eko, and Living Oceans Society.

Adam Verwey and Sophie Hall from SIX. Picture: Supplied

SIX CEO Adam Verwey said salmon production in Macquarie Harbour threatens the endangered Maugean skate.

“It’s astonishing a company that promotes itself as a leader in sustainability needs its shareholders to step in to stop a likely extinction event,” he said.

“Given the urgency of the situation with the Maugean skate, we thought this would be something Woolworths would agree to act on without the need for a shareholder resolution.

“To stop contributing to an extinction requires changing just a small part of their salmon supply.”

The resolution seeks to end Woolworths sourcing salmon from Macquarie Harbour by 30 April 2025. A similar motion will be lodged with Coles, Mr Verwey said.

Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin said the move could potentially put local jobs at risk.
“We are not surprised to learn faceless mainland activists are putting pressure on our customers,” he said.

“We have learned they just don’t care about the Tasmanian lives and communities these stunts affect.

“As an industry, we are very confident in the science and regulatory framework underpinning our operations in Macquarie Harbour and the 395 jobs it sustains across regional Tasmania.

“We are also proud of the investments we have made into critical research on the Maugean Skate and in now trialling world-leading oxygenation technology in the harbour.

“None of this would be occurring without the industry’s presence in the harbour.”

Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin. Picture: Linda Higginson

Living Oceans representative and Environment Tasmania vice chair Kelly Roebuck said the major supermarkets were dragging their heels.

“To make matters worse, Woolworths have been putting ‘responsibly sourced’ stickers on Macquarie Harbour salmon,” she said.

“Putting sustainability labels on Macquarie Harbour salmon is greenwashing an extinction event.”