A Storm is brewing – a secret coup against the best interests of the state

A Tasmanian salmon farm watchdog has condemned Government approval of fish farming expansion into Storm Bay as “a secret coup against the best interests of the state.”

Neighbours of Fish Farming (NOFF) demanded the release of all submissions to the state’s fish farming review panel that led the approval of expansion into Storm Bay by both major producers.

“This decision to expand into Storm Bay has been made after months of silence and in total secrecy,” a spokesperson for NOFF, Dr Christine Materia, said.

“The time is coming when communities will demand direct action against a Government and an industry that ride rough shot over our communities and the state’s best long-term interests.

“It’s totally unacceptable that such important decisions are made without any transparency, without any clear understanding of potential environmental and social impacts or of what this means for boating safety in Storm Bay,” she said.

“Frankly, it’s outrageous. How can anyone have faith in these decisions when the Government, its agencies and the industry operate behind closed doors.”

NOFF was advised when the Tasmania’s Marine Farming Planning Review Panel took submissions earlier this year that up to 200 submissions were received, and submissions would be kept confidentially. In the past submissions have been made public which would suggest that the Government and the Industry have something to hide. This means that the Tasmanian community has not been provided with a rationale for the Panel and Governments’ approval of industrially farmed caged salmon expansion east of Wedge Island and off Trumpeter Bay on Bruny Island in Strom Bay. Tasmanian’s have a right to know what was contained in the submissions, the perceived pros and cons of the development and objections made.

“Without transparency, no one can have faith that the State’s best interests are being looked after,” Dr Materia said.

She said the government and the industrial fish farm industry treat Tasmanians like fools, striking deals behind the publics’ back whenever it suits them. We have seen the significant damage caused in Macquarie harbour of this modus operandi.

“No one believes claims the industry will create 180 jobs with this expansion. That is an out-and-out untruth. In September, Tassal announced their capacity to feed more that 15 million salmon from one room in the Marine Board Building thanks to their world leading remote feeding centre”.