Tassal divestment: Environment Tasmania praises Australian Ethical’s leadership

Tasmania’s peak environment group has welcomed the decision by Australian Ethical Investment, made public on the eve of international ‘Sustainable Seafood Day’, to sell their holdings in Tassal, Australia’s largest farmed salmon producer.

“The decision of Australia’s largest ethical investment house to divest provides a clear warning to Tassal that they need to stop falsely marketing their salmon as sustainable,” said Laura Kelly, Strategy Director at Environment Tasmania.

“This is a win for scientific facts over PR spin. Now it is imperative for WWF Australia to follow Australian Ethical Investment’s leadership and stop taking up to half a million dollars a year from Tassal – if WWF continues to allow it’s ‘panda’ logo to be put on salmon coming out of a ‘dead zone’ that has damaged a World Heritage Area, the damage done to their credibility with the Australian public will be difficult to repair,” Ms Kelly said.

Australian Ethical cited two primary concerns with Tassal’s practices – concerns around the sustainability of the feed used and concerns around the sustainability of practices in Macquarie Harbour.

Tassal largest lease in Macquarie Harbour is what fish farming experts refer to as a ‘dead zone’ due to deadly drops in oxygen levels. Huon Aquaculture, the second largest salmon producer in Australia, recently revealed that this dead zone has spread from Tassal’s lease into the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Laura Kelly Strategy Director Environment Tasmania