Tomorrow Tassal will lodge a multi-million dollar development application for its Okehampton Bay
fish farm, despite the fact that the public submission period to the current government review of the
lease for the site is yet to close.
“Public submissions to the government review of Tassal’s controversial east coast expansion plans
have not even closed – and yet Tassal is bulldozing ahead with multi-million dollar development
applications for the site,” said Laura Kelly, Strategy Director at Environment Tasmania.
“Tassal is making a mockery of the Government’s review and bulldozing ahead with its controversial
plans to intensively farm salmon on the east coast, despite overwhelming community opposition.”
Earlier this month, Tassal sustainability manager Linda Sams told the Australian “we have the licence
in place for growing fin-fish, so in theory we could put a pen out there tomorrow if we wanted to and
start growing fish.”
This is how Tassal is proceeding, with its partner Spring Bay Seafoods, submitting a development
application tomorrow, September 27th, to Glamorgan Spring Bay Council for rezoning to allow the
development of shore based marine farming.
“With Tassal reports to investors assuming no change to their plans to farm at Okehampton Bay, it
begs the question what exactly the purpose of the Tasmanian Government’s review of the lease is
for, and whether government, or Tassal, is calling the shots.”
“The Tasmanian salmon industry currently dumps approximately 2.1 million tonnes of nitrogen
pollution off Tasmania’s coasts every year. There are very real reasons why east coast residents and
industries are concerned about plans to bring this pollution to the Sapphire Coast.
It is unbelievable that Tassal can ignore these concerns and proceed with development plans, even
while the Tasmanian Government is reviewing the very lease Tassal need to farm in publicly owned
waters.”
“Tassal has made mockery of fish farm governance in this state and its own claims that it will consult
the public to gain social licence for its expansion plans,” Ms Kelly said.
Download Environment Tasmania’s submission to the Tasmanian Government’s review of Tassal’s
Okehampton Bay site. It draws on scientific evidence in aquaculture best-practice from leading
salmon producing nation to demonstrate why Okehampton Bay – with its high water temperatures,
shallow site depth and weak current speed, is unsuitable for intensive salmon farming:
ET_Submission.OKB_Review_.23_.9_.16_.pdf
Laura Kelly, Strategy Director, Environment Tasmania.
