Wilkie: Fish farming in Okehampton Bay

The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, is joining representatives of Marine Protection Tasmania, Recfish, Environment Tasmania and other stakeholders to respond to Tassal’s intention to expand salmon farming into Okehampton Bay.

“Tasmania’s salmon industry is at a crossroads,” Mr Wilkie said.

“The salmon industry has enormous potential but the community needs to have confidence that it is genuinely sustainable. Clearly there is significant community concern about expanding salmon farming into Okehampton Bay and the fact that it will be in a delicate ecosystem in a world-famous tourism region.

“That’s why I and many others have been calling for a moratorium on salmon farming expansion until these concerns are addressed.

“Aquaculture is vital for Tasmania’s prosperity and we need a salmon industry that is genuinely sustainable, financially viable and which meets the most stringent social and environmental criteria.

“Currently it’s not and the Okehampton Bay project will just go and make things significantly worse.”
Andrew Wilkie, Independent MP for Denison