Contact the Senate Inquiry into Fin-fish aquaculture in Tasmania

I would like to draw to your attention the Senate Inquiry into Fin-fish aquaculture in Tasmania. I am deeply concerned about the continued expansion of the aquaculture industry in Tasmania and the tremendous impact that it is having on our marine environment, ecosystem and human health (both physical and mental).

The Abalone, Mussel and recreational fishers have also expressed serious concerns about the impact on their industries so it is an opportunity to forge work productively to clean up the industry

I have been involved with many others in Tasmania pushing for reforms in the industry for many years and have expressed a diverse range of very real concerns including:

• transparency of Governance of the industry (Planning Systems, Environmental Monitoring Programs . . .)
• impacts of rare threatened and endangered species (two listed echinoderms have disappeared from the Channel as a direct result of habitat disturbances and sedimentation)
• impacts on the World Heritage Area, Macquarie Harbour.
• impacts on human health (noise and lights at night, bioaccumulation of antibiotics, solastalgia, anxiety and stress)
• heavy metal contamination from net cleaning and antifouling
• odour, visual amenity
• impact on wild fisheries, escapes and predator control
• impact on recreational fisheries
• industry self-monitors
• impact on small scale family based local commercial fishers
• marine debris
• Animal Husbandry (battery farming of fish)

Some links to recent media coverage follow which will give you some added background.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-23/concerns-raised-over-planned-expansion-of-salmon-farming-in-tas/6341488
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-30/controversial-plans-to-expand-tasmanian-farmed-salmon-industry/5780140
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/tasmanias-salmon-trade-casts-deadly-net/story-e6frg6nf-1226667828180

I’d really like to encourage you to put in a Submission even if it is only a couple of paragraphs. This is a real opportunity to work with the Government and the Industry to ensure the long term sustainability of Tasmania’s marine Environment. Submission close COB on 1 June 2015.

Background …

Dear Ms Materia

Inquiry into fin-fish aquaculture in Tasmania

On 24 March 2015, the Senate referred an inquiry into fin-fish aquaculture in Tasmania to the Environment and Communications References Committee for report by 10 August 2015. The full terms of reference are attached.

The Committee invites you to provide a written submission addressing issues that may be of relevance to you. The submission should be lodged by 1 June 2015. The Committee prefers to receive submissions online as an attached document by accessing the committee website and selecting the Upload Submission Online link https://senate.aph.gov.au/submissions/pages/logon.aspx. Alternatively, submissions may be emailed as an attached document to ec.sen@aph.gov.au or mailed to the address below.

Submissions become Committee documents and are made public only after a decision by the Committee. Publication of submissions includes loading them onto the internet and making them available to other interested parties including the media. Please indicate if you wish the Committee to consider keeping your submission, or part thereof, confidential.

Any person or organisation making a submission must not release it without the approval of the Committee. Submissions are covered by parliamentary privilege; however, the unauthorised release of a submission is not protected.

Information relating to Senate committee inquiries, including notes to assist in the preparation of submissions for a committee, can be located on the internet at http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees.

The Committee will consider all submissions, and may invite individuals and organisations to give evidence at a public hearing.

Should you require further information, please contact the Committee Secretariat on (02) 6277 3526.

Yours sincerely

Christine McDonald
Secretary

PO Box 6100, Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6277 3526 Fax: (02) 6277 5818
Email: ec.sen@aph.gov.au Internet: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ec

SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS
REFERENCES COMMITTEE

INQUIRY INTO THE FIN-FISH AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY IN TASMANIA

On 24 March 2015, the following matter was referred to the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 10 August 2015:
The regulation of the fin-fish aquaculture industry in Tasmania, with particular regard to:
(a) the adequacy and availability of data on waterway health;
(b) the impact on waterway health, including to threatened and endangered species;
(c) the adequacy of current environmental planning and regulatory mechanisms;
(d) the interaction of state and federal laws and regulation;
(e) the economic impacts and employment profile of the industry; and
(f) any other relevant matters.
Christine Materia President Tasmanian Aquaculture Reform Alliance