An industry divided …

… Huon CEO claims ‘Tassal’s east coast plans not good for the industry – offshore the new normal’

Environment Tasmania welcomes the new commitment to offshore aquaculture made by Huon Aquaculture CEO, Frances Bender, on ABC Radio with Leon Compton this morning.

“This morning Huon Aquaculture CEO Frances Bender acknowledged that inshore salmon farming is dead,” said Laura Kelly, Strategy Director, Environment Tasmania. “It is bad for the industry’s reputation, bad for the environment and bad for coastal communities.”

“There are clear questions about Huon Aquaculture’s expansion plans – including the companies timeframe for withdrawing from damaged inshore sites like Macquarie Harbour, and the minimum site depths and current speeds they are prepared to commit to.

But the obvious question – the elephant in the room – is when the Tasmanian government and the rest of the industry are going to catch-up to what Ms Bender and all other leading salmon producing nations have been saying for years – inshore salmon farming is bad for business, bad for the environment and bad for the community.”

“It now falls to Tassal to justify how it can possibly push ahead with its inshore development plans at Okehampton Bay, when leading Tasmanian industry experts acknowledge that to farm on the east coast will be bad for fish, the environment, and the community and will only damage Tasmania’s brand,” Ms Kelly said.

“While irresponsible companies like Tassal continue to pursue outdated farming methods, and more importantly, while the Tasmanian Government is stuck in the 1980’s and continues to approve them, the reputation of the entire Tasmanian salmon industry is at risk.”

“It’s time for Tassal and the Government to catch-up and give-up on outdated farming methods that industry experts and environment groups acknowledge are harmful,” Ms Kelly said.
Laura Kelly Strategy Director Environment Tasmania