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Neighbours of Fish Farming applaud the recent High Court decision backing the West Coast Council’s drive to levy rates in eight marine farming leases within Macquarie Harbour.

Salmon growers currently pay licensing fees to the Tasmanian Government. In 2014-2015, the gross value of salmon aquaculture production in Tasmanian was 649.2 million dollars. Income to the State Government from Marine Farming Licenses was $47,184 which accounted for 0.0072% of the value of the industry. “Licensing fees must be made commensurate to the value of the industry” said Christine Materia, the Spokesperson for the Group.

“West Coast Mayor Phil Vickers is justified in saying that the Council should be charging rates”, she said. “Mayor Vickers has recognises that despite Salmon Farming providing local employment this does not automatically give the companies a social license to operate“.

“It’s true to say that the industry has an economic license to operate but not a social license” she said. A social license is more than jobs. It encompasses acceptance and approval of local communities in areas such as odour and noise management, antibiotic use, animal welfare, impact on wildlife and the environment” she said.

“NOFF recognises the salmon industry as a provider of jobs however we must ask at what cost? “This is not a clean green industry, “Routine benthic monitoring showing enrichment and the proliferation of key indicator species of dorvilleid worms and mat-forming bacteria (Beggiatoa). The proliferation of these organisms indicates excessive organic enrichment from faecal matter and excess feed which drops to the bottom whilst monitoring results in the harbour have revealed declining dissolved oxygen concentrations, and apparent increases in surface concentrations of ammonium and nitrate in the water” she said.

Other industries which rely on the utilisation of the environment pay royalties which are production based. The industry is using the sea bed and sea to produce salmon and discharging their wastes directly into the marine environment. Councils should consider charging a seabed levy or rates based on unit of product. This would provide a much needed revenue stream to Councils
Christine Materia