Economy
The EPA verdict on Macquarie Harbour … Probe reveals ‘salmon farming laws written by industry’
*Pic: Flickr, Rod Cuthbert
There’s been a rash of Media Releases following the release of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) revelation that it found concerns over bacteria and oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour. EPA director Wes Ford said data showed conditions had worsened since last year.
First up was the State Liberal Government’s spin from Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff …
Strong environmental management of salmon industry
The Tasmanian Government remains committed to our world class salmon industry and we want to see it grow responsibly and sustainably into the future.
For this reason we strengthened the regulatory system in July which significantly toughens penalties and re-introduces demerit points that could result in a loss of licence.
The independent director of the Environment Protection Authority now oversees regulations, including enforcing these tougher penalties.
Today’s statement by the EPA proves that the system we put in place is working, with science-based decisions.
The Hodgman Government has significantly strengthened the regulatory system which we inherited from Labor and the Greens.
As a Government we are committed to continuing to work with the industry to support sustainable, responsible and accountable growth of Tasmania’s world-class salmon industry and we are confident our changes to the regulatory framework will achieve this outcome.
Then it was Greens Environment spokesperson Rosalie Woodruff’s turn …
EPA Report Confirms Macquarie Harbour Environmental Catastrophe
The EPA’s monitoring data report for salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour is not surprising. It won’t be news to anyone who watched the Four Corners’ exposé of Tasmania’s salmon industry.
The EPA reported the impact of salmon farm excrement remains “visually significant” at compliance areas 35 metres away from the exterior of lease sites.
Water quality monitoring shows that levels of dissolved oxygen in the deeper parts of the Harbour have remained low for the majority of this year, and some areas have now dropped to “very low levels”. This is dire for all marine life in Macquarie Harbour.
The viability of Macquarie Harbour’s ecosystem is threatened by the increase in high-density salmon farming that’s occurred in recent years. It’s bad news for every species in the Harbour, including the threatened Maugean Skate, which need oxygen to survive.
We are seeing exactly the environmental catastrophe that industry players warned was coming. Those warnings to a national media were ignored and publicly dismissed as “competitive tensions” by Primary Industries’ Minister, Jeremy Rockliff.
The current level of farmed salmon is less than the biomass cap the Minister approved, but evidently still too high for the healthy function of Macquarie Harbour’s marine environment.
The Minister made a decision to approve even greater levels of intensive fish farming early this year, despite concerns expressed by Huon Aquaculture. He’s clearly put politics far ahead of science.
If the government is serious about protecting the industry and its jobs for the long-term, Minister Rockliff must put a moratorium on new salmon farm approvals and lease expansions until an independent process is established. This is what consumers need to remain confident they’re buying an authentic clean, green branded product.
Then Independent Denison MP Andrew Wilkie weighed in …
A statement on the EPA criticism of the Salmon industry
The concerns expressed today by the Environment Protection Authority about Tasmanian salmon farming is powerful additional evidence that the industry needs to clean up its act. The fact is that the industry has a bright future but only if it is put on a genuinely sustainable footing, starting with addressing the EPA’s concerns about bacteria and oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour, both of which are related to fish stock levels.
The EPA report today is equally powerful evidence that the Liberal and Labor parties have been wilfully ignorant every time they have claimed the salmon industry is world’s best practice. The regrettable fact is that the Liberal and Labor parties’ position is weak and misleading and will put the Tasmanian salmon farming industry on a similar trajectory as the ill-fated forestry industry. In other words the Liberal and Labor parties are intent on ultimately killing jobs and not protecting them.
READ the ABC report …
• Environment watchdog tells Macquarie Harbour salmon producers to reduce impact
Download a copy of ‘Cleaning up Tasmanian Salmon: How the Tasmanian Government can restore social licence and secure jobs in Tasmania’s salmon industry:’
HERE
Peter Whish-Wilson: Feds must intervene in Macquarie Harbour salmon farm regulation
EARLIER on Tasmanian Times …
OCTOBER 27 …
Tassal referred to Senate President … Does the Rockliff family have fishy investments … ? No!
… Potential contempt of the Senate …
The fallout from 4 Corners’ examination ( HERE ) of Tasmania’s salmon industry has led to the state’s biggest salmon farmer, Tassal, being referred to the Senate President ( Tasmanian Liberal Stephen Parry ) over potential contempt.
Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, has referred Tassal to the Senate for a potential breach of parliamentary privilege following allegations on 4 Corners that they attempted to influence a Senate Inquiry witness.
Four Corners revealed that Tassal wrote to the proprietor of Dover Bay Mussels, Warwick Hastwell saying, “We remind your clients of their obligations not to make disparaging statements whether in relation to the Senate Enquiry [sic] or to the media or otherwise.”
Warwick Hastwell was scheduled to be a witness at the Senate Inquiry into the fin-fish aquaculture industry in Tasmania but ultimately did not attend the hearing at his designated time, or at any other point.
Senator Whish-Wilson said, “The Parliament has strong powers to protect the integrity of its process and especially in relation to the protection of witnesses.
“It is critical that witnesses can provide evidence to Senate Inquiries without constraints. I am concerned by the allegation that Tassal may have sought to constrain a witness in what they could or couldn’t present to a Senate Inquiry.
“The Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987 and the Senate Standing Orders set out clearly that it is contempt of the Senate for a person or company to use intimidation, threat or inducement in relation to another person’s evidence before a Committee.
“I have referred this matter to the President of the Senate as required by the Standing Orders and the matter is now in his hands,” he concluded.
Background …
• HERE: Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987 – Section 12 Protection of Witnesses
• HERE: Guide to Senate Procedure – Parliamentary Privilege
• HERE: Senate Standing Orders – 81 Privilege motions
*Lindsay Tuffin has been a journo for nearly five decades in Aus and Pomland …
TUESDAY, November 8 …
• Editor in Comments: Jeremy Rockliff’s office has been in touch with Tasmanian Times and confirmed that he has no relationship with Peter and Una Rockliff, beyond sharing the same name, and he holds no shares in Huon Aquaculture, Tassal or Petuna.
MONDAY, Nov 7 …
• Geoffrey Swan in Comments: I have just sent this email, copy in TT and Premier Hodgman. Dear Minister Rockliff. You may be aware there is current discussion in the popular Tasmanian Times and the current question on the table is your relationship to Peter and Una Rockliff – owners of Petuna Seafoods Tasmania. Are you able to advise your relationship please – and do you or any of your family members hold shares in Petuna or Tassal or Huon Aquaculture Company. I will be pleased to offer your response to the Tasmanian Times or of course you can simply provide your own online comment. Given the current discussion around Aquaculture this is an important matter that requires clarity please.
• Ian M in Comments: It seems (unconfirmed, why doesn’t someone ask Jeremy?) that Jeremy’s immediate family has shares in Petuna Seafoods… It isn’t a secret: http://www.petuna.com.au/our-story/
SUNDAY …
• O’Brien in Comments: “In their lapels the insignia of lodges and service clubs, places where they can go and, by a weight of numbers of little worried men, reassure themselves that business is noble and not the curious ritualized thievery they know it is; that business men are intelligent in spite of the records of their stupidity; that they are kind and charitable in spite of the principles of sound business; that their lives are rich instead of the thin tiresome routines they know; and that a time is coming when they will not be afraid any more.” ― John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
SATURDAY …
• Lucius in Comments: I have heard this morning a bit more concerning Jeremy Rockliff’s Tasmanian fishing investments. It seems (unconfirmed, why doesn’t someone ask Jeremy?) that Jeremy’s immediate family has shares in Petuna Seafoods, Tassal, and the Super Trawler. I can also add that one source did email The Mercury with a fairly expansive coverage of this matter, but they didn’t publish. This source is very pissed off since none of the politicians here want to upset any of the Salmon Fisheries in Tasmania, favouring potential environmental damage over making a quid.
• Environment Tasmania: Tassal: Please confirm non-GMO feed use; respond to fish welfare concerns
• ABC: Tassal announces move to natural salmon feed pigment, denies move prompted by Four Corners
• Pat Caplice in Comments: Lucius #36 Mark #39. Dr Bryan Stait, Head, Parliamentary Research Service, tells me there is no register of Political Donations for Tasmania but The Library holds the Members’ Pecuniary Interest register entries. Updated lodgement by members is due 1 Oct and can only be viewed by appointment. Although there is no register of donations for the local parties but donations to Federally registered political Parties in Tasmania can be found on the AEC website. Transparent Eh! Pat Caplice, Rein in The Pokies
THURSDAY …
• John Biggs in Comments: What struck me most about the 4C programme was deja vu: This is the forestry wars, Gunns and the pulp mill all over again. I was very pleased (and surprised) that the Mercury in an editorial on 2 November made exactly that point: (this is) “the parallel between the Government’s treatment of aquaculture and of forestry. In both case there is lack of transparency, noncritical political support and overzealous legislative protection.” Here we go again: crony capitalism, a concept that Quentin Beresford had used to account for the forestry wars and the govt/Gunns love-in. Crony capitalism is where the government — either Labor or Liberal usually both — favour one business and treat it like a cargo cult: subsidies, help with infrastructure, disregard for the environment as long as the favoured business gets the help and deals, taxation breaks, legislation it wants, subsidies with much public money, little or no regulation, not listening to public opinion and riding over people’s rights. Short term profits inevitably result in environmental degradation and other people and industries being disadvantaged. …
• Lucius in Comments: … If in fact the Minister does have shares, can he explain how he can be totally impartial on the Government Committee investigating new salmon farms on the east coast operated by TASSAL?
WEDNESDAY …
• Geoffrey Swan in Comments: … Director Wes Ford has written to me regards the pollution of the Russell River in Lonnavale.. and after 10 years of “science” he is still saying to me “we need more science” to understand why the river downstream from the shit discharge from the HAC hatchery is causing downstream one metre long filamentous algae – yet there is no sign of any visible algae upstream – pristine snow melt water. Why must the residents of Lonnavale suffer because of what I see as the greed of Frances and Peter Bender who WILL NOT spend $1m to remove their antiquated flow through pond system and move to the worldwide acceptable standard of a self contained recirculating system with zero discharge to the environment. I am not against sustainable Aquaculture – just please stop trashing our river with fish shit from several thousand brood fish. I live 2km downstream – I get to witness the devastation of our once pristine river on a daily basis … but I am lone voice … and the EPA, the DPIPWE, IFS, the Premier and Huon Aquaculture know I have no influence. What can I do after all? However – I will not stop …
• Fairfax: Drugs, additives and ingredients used to make your food that you don’t know about
MONDAY: 4 Corners investigated salmon farming …
TUESDAY …
Last night (Mon), #4Corners investigated the big business of #salmon farming. It was a stunning revelation of the Machiavellian world of the relationship between Big Business and the State (Liberal) Government and its watchdog, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Tasmanian Times has a record of the immense number of Media Releases and articles – warning of a potential disaster from fish-farming going back many years. Dial-in Macquarie Harbour or fish farming into the TT search function (top-right) and be deluged …
• Watch 4 Corner’s Big Fish HERE
• Rosalie Woodruff: Liberals’ One-Eyed Loan for Fish Farms
• Rosalie Woodruff: Liberals Weak on Salmon, Ignore Insider Warnings
• Tasmania’s peak environment group turns to Tassal investors as government fails to act … “Last night Tassal’s second largest substantial shareholder, Tribeca Investment Partners, divested itself of AUD 3,785,714.46 in Tassal shares. Environment Tasmania will be meeting with Tassal’s remaining substantial shareholders in the coming weeks to brief them on the damage Tassal’s farming practices are doing to Tasmania’s environment and the risks this poses to the company’s social licence to operate and jobs and investment in the company,” said Laura Kelly, Strategy Director at Environment Tasmania …
• Luigi Brown in Comments: Yes, it was a great show on Four Corners last night. Leon Compton’s interview of Jeremy Rockliff this morning ( HERE ) was also enlightening. It seems that all is OK in the island state as long as there are jobs and money involved. We’ve all heard the aphorism that one must follow the money trail in investigative journalism. Four Corners did a good job of showing the money trail to WWF from Tassal. And we can just wonder about the assertions from Huon Aquaculture that WWF wanted even more from them. I would like to know whether Tassal donates money (entirely legally in our own Aussie brand of democracy) to various political parties and local politicians’ electoral campaigns. And how much. Meanwhile, this seems to be another example of “bugger the consequences” in the pursuit of corporate gain – and jobs – in our island state. What a filthy business this is for our clean, green Brand Tasmania … AND … The ABC has been here before. For old times’ sake, here’s a transcript of a 2009 “7.30 Report” story about our salmon industry: HERE. It quotes international environmentalist Dr David Suzuki at the Press Club: “You all sat here and chowed down on farmed salmon and obviously you don’t give a shit about what you’re putting into your body. You know what a farmed salmon is? It’s filled with toxic chemicals.” Our industry has expanded somewhat since then, now being worth at least twice the 2009 value of $350 million.
• Geoffrey Swan in Comments: … Four Corners did a great job … but it is just the beginning – there is so much more that needs to be exposed. And a reminder that the great David Suzuki stated he would never eat Tasmanian farmed Salmon …
• Jeremy Rockliff: Total support for our salmon industry
• Rebecca White: Aquaculture vital for regional employment
• Rosemary Woodruff: Exposé Highlights Urgent Need for Salmon Industry Regulation
MONDAY …
In response Tassal’s last ASX seven-page announcement has a crack at the ABC …
Comment 6: Most of the comment I have seen concerning the environmental impacts of salmon farming have related to the areas around the pens or downdrift of them. But encountering this dead salmon at Biog Fall on the Franklin River a couple of years ago also left me wondering to what extent are escapees from fish farms impacting upon the biota of our wild rivers and protected areas.
• news.com.au: What you didn’t know about the salmon we eat
• Geoffrey Swan in Comments: Frances Bender, the co-founder of Tasmania’s second largest salmon farming company Huon Aquaculture, has broken industry ranks to warn about what she says are the dangers of farming salmon in the state’s pristine waters. How is it then Mrs Bender that your company is still very happy to discharge 26 million litres of fish farm sewerage into the pristine snow melt Russell River in Lonnavale – EVERY DAY of the year. It is 12+ years on and you still pollute this lovely river with fish shit and undigested fish feed causing severe downstream eutrophicatioin – that DOES NOT occur upstream from your hatchery. Spend the $1 million as quoted by your GM (money we do not have he told me in Sept 2015) and convert the antiquated flow through system into a self contained recirculating system as you have built in Judbury ( Precious freshwater diverted to aquaculture, HERE ). You certainly cannot throw stones Mrs Bender.
• Rosalie Woodruff: Liberals’ One-Eyed Loan for Fish Farms
• John Hawkins in Comments: “Nobody from the Tasmanian Government or the Environmental Protection Authority was available to talk to 4 Corners.” The EPA last addressed a public problem when Director Schaap could see a substantially commenced but yet non exsistant Gunns Pulp Mill at Longreach and the permits under political orders were immediately extended. From this our polliies …
• Environment Tasmania: New investigation reveals salmon farming laws written by industry