Salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour could be paused to protect Maugean skate: Plibersek
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has told Premier Jeremy Rockliff that drastic action is needed to save an endangered Tasmanian species – and her comments are likely to cause a stir.
Tasmania
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Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has indicated that salmon companies could be forced to pause farming operations in Macquarie Harbour as part of a broader effort to protect the endangered Maugean skate.
In a move that’s likely to embolden environmental groups and alarm the salmon industry, Ms Plibersek wrote to Premier Jeremy Rockliff on behalf of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday, in response to a letter the Premier had sent to Mr Albanese in September regarding salmon farming in the harbour and the plight of the skate.
It comes after the state government announced on Friday that it would put $2.1 million towards a captive breeding program for the species – which would be undertaken at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Science facilities at Taroona – and supporting actions recommended by the National Maugean Skate Recovery Team.
The recovery team is investigating ways of significantly improving oxygen levels in the harbour, which have been blamed for the decline in skate numbers and are worsened by salmon farming and inflows from Hydro Tasmania.
Ms Plibersek has told the Premier that the scientific evidence considered by the recovery team has shown that tougher regulation and monitoring of “lower salmon farming industry loads” will be an “important” action.
“As you are aware, Macquarie Harbour is the only place on earth where the endangered Maugean skate still exists,” she wrote.
“This last remaining population is under enormous pressure due to the low oxygen levels and poor water quality in the harbour.
“Urgent action must be taken to change this. Failure to do so will have implications for the long-term viability of important regional industries and jobs, especially in tourism and aquaculture.”
The Albanese government has received three requests under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act regarding salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour, asking for a review into whether the salmon industry in the harbour has all the required environmental approvals required under the act.
Ms Plibersek said if any of the requests were ruled to be valid, she would be required to undertake a “reconsideration” of the approvals and that this would involve “broad consultation” with numerous stakeholders.
“If the reconsideration finds that the salmon industry in Macquarie Harbour does not have the necessary environmental approvals, the EPBC Act (put in place by John Howard and the Liberal Party in 2000) would require operations to pause while approvals are sought,” she wrote.
“But I will look at any action I can take, consistent with my legal obligations under the EPBC Act, to support the Tasmania government regulator, and the salmon farming industry, to put their operations on a truly sustainable footing.”
On Monday, Salmon Tasmania, the peak industry body for the salmon industry, signed off on a $6 million investment into an oxygenation program in the harbour designed to aid the recovery of the skate population.
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