Tassal takes Government to court for not saving them from themselves. Update …

UPDATE …

Tassal joins legal proceedings to block Huon’s efforts to protect Macquarie harbour

“While Tassal’s farcical statement to the ASX indicated that they were joining Huon’s legal proceedings to protect the sustainability of Macquarie Harbour, CEO Mark Ryan has now clarified that they will be joining to protect their interests and the 1 million smolt they want to keep in the Harbour,” said Laura Kelly, Environment Tasmania.

“The key question is, if Tassal is saying 1 million smolt is sustainable, why has the EPA allowed them to have 2 million smolt, twice the amount that is sustainable, in Macquarie Harbour right now?”

“There is no evidence that 1 million smolt is sustainable when scientists have warned the Harbour is at a tipping point. Environment Tasmania reiterates its call for Tassal to release its monitoring data for all leases in Macquarie Harbour,” Ms Kelly said.

EARLIER …

“In a near-comical turn of events, Tassal is now joining legal action against the Tasmanian and Federal governments for allowing them to farm unsustainably in Macquarie Harbour,” said Laura Kelly, Environment Tasmania.

“In December Tassal asked the Tasmanian Government to allow them to farm 2 million salmon in Macquarie Harbour. Just two months later they’re taking the government to court for saying yes.”

“Tassal has effectively thrown the Premier under a bus – after bad press on their Macquarie Harbour dead zone they are now taking to the courts to distance themselves from their own business strategy.”

“This makes an absolute mockery of the governance of big salmon in Tasmania and Tassal’s management approach to Macquarie Harbour, which apparently changes month to month, depending on media headlines and who’s suing them at the time,” Ms Kelly said.

“Importantly, there is no evidence to suggest that Macquarie Harbour can sustain 1 million of Tassal’s fish. With Tassal’s CEO making completely contradictory statements on the harbour – there is no way that the public or the markets can trust Tassal’s reporting.”

“Environment Tasmania is calling on Tassal to release the environmental monitoring data for all of its leases in Macquarie Harbour – only full transparency will dig them out of the confusion they have created through their false reporting,” Ms Kelly said.
Laura Kelly Strategy Director Environment Tasmania