National Maugean Skate recovery team’s road map under criticism for delaying salmon farming reduction
The Maugean Skate national recovery team have revealed plans to reduce salmon farming in the middle of the year, delaying federal conservation advice to reduce it before the summer.
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A road map into preventing the extinction of the Maugean Skate released by a recovery team has come under criticism after announcing plans to reduce salmon farming in the middle of the year.
The National Recovery Team for the Maugean Skate released a road map of agreed actions on Friday with plans to “reduce aquaculture oxygen demand” by the middle of the year as part of its remediation strategy.
“Investigate, and where feasible, implement methods for reducing salmon aquaculture oxygen demand on Macquarie Harbour including by decreasing salmon biomass in Macquarie Harbour through mechanisms such as life cycle-based gradual destocking, following of pens, growing out on land, movement of stock to other locations,” the road map outlined.
In September last year, the Threatened Species Scientific Committee warned there would be a high risk of extinction for the skate unless salmon farm impacts were reduced, recommending urgent actions prior to summer.
Australian Marine Conservation Society fisheries and threatened species campaign manager Alexia Wellebelove said the road map must be improved to take action sooner.
“The government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee clearly identified the reduction of salmon biomass was needed as an urgent priority to take place ahead of this summer,” she said.
The road map of agreed actions noted working groups within the recovery team did not reach a consensus on all actions outlined.
It comes as public consultation into the future of salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour under Australia’s environment laws ended on Friday.
Federal Environmental Minister Tanya Plibersek will review the submissions before a decision is made.
Australia Institute Tasmania director Eloise Carr said while it doesn’t go far enough, “it does show the federal government is taking the issue seriously and listening to science”.
A spokesperson for Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the national recovery team are fighting “tooth and nail” to protect the skate, but the decision was “off”.
“Why wait until July 2024 to reduce salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour when science tells us action is needed today,” the spokesperson said.
“I implore Tanya Plibersek to pull every lever available to give the skate the best possible chance of survival, inducing the removal of Atlantic salmon from Macquarie Harbour.”
Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam said he applauds the recovery team for their consideration of any potential shutdowns on the salmon industry.
“This exercise cannot be an all or nothing approach,” he said.
“Stopping salmon farming does not automatically mean that the Maugean Skate’s numbers will recover. We need to find solutions for the salmon industry and Skate to sustainably exist together.”
Salmon farming is one of the reasons blamed for reduced oxygen levels in the harbour, a key factor behind the skates decline.
Salmon Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin previously told The Mercury there were “absolutely no guarantees that taking the easy route and blaming salmon will help to save the skate”.
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