TAI Release Poll on Salmon Farming

Media release – The Australia Institute Tasmania, 25 July 2021

One in Two Australians Support Moratorium on Expansion of Tasmania’s Salmon Farming Industry

New research from the Australia Institute Tasmania finds that one in two Australians support a moratorium on the expansion of the salmon farming industry in Tasmania, while only 15% oppose.

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,001 Australians about their attitudes towards salmon farming in Tasmania.

The Federal Government is currently undertaking a parliamentary inquiry into the Australian aquaculture sector.

Key Findings:

• One in two (49%) Australians support a moratorium on the expansion of the salmon farming industry in Tasmania until issues raised in the inquiry have been resolved, only 15% oppose.
• Nationally, a majority of Coalition (54%) and Labor (51%) voters support a moratorium on the expansion of salmon farms in Tasmania until issues raised in the inquiry are resolved. 50% of Greens voters support, 17% oppose.
  • 62% of Independent/Other voters answered don’t know/note sure, however more support (31%) than oppose (7%).

“Our research shows there is widespread Australian community concern at the excessive expansion of the salmon farming industry in Tasmania and the decline in health of Tasmania’s coastal waters,” said Eloise Carr, director of the Australia Institute Tasmania.

“While our previous research showed a clear appetite from Tasmanians for more Government action on the health of our oceans, this research confirms that those sentiments are reflected nationally. One in two Australians support a moratorium on the expansion of the salmon farming industry in Tasmania, almost three times as many Australians who oppose this modest measure.

“Without a more comprehensive approach, Tasmanian industries which rely on a healthy ocean will begin to suffer and Tasmania’s economic interests as a whole will suffer in the short to medium term.

“The salmon industry is a very small contributor to Tasmania’s economy with an oversized negative environmental impact, compared to other industries which also rely on the health of our oceans.”

Based on the Australia Institute Tasmania research, three key recommendations to ensure the long-term health of our oceans are:

1. A commitment to a comprehensive state-wide Marine Plan, established through a science based, consultative process taking account of all uses, users and values.
2. A Parliamentary Inquiry, as an appropriate mechanism to review how the Tasmanian Government is currently managing the marine environment and how it should be done.
3. An immediate moratorium on any further expansion of fish farming leases in Tasmanian waters until the impacts of the industry at its current scale are understood and a state-wide Marine Plan has been adopted.

Polling

The results show that

• One in two (49%) Australians support a moratorium on the expansion of the salmon farming industry in Tasmania until issues raised in the inquiry have been resolved, 15% oppose.

• A majority of Coalition (54%) and Labor (51%) voters support a moratorium on the expansion of salmon farms in Tasmania until issues raised in the inquiry are resolved.

o 50% of Greens voters support, 17% oppose.

o 62% of Independent/Other voters answered don’t know/note sure, however more support (31%) than oppose (7%).

Respondents were also asked whether they are concerned about the environmental impacts associated with the expansion of salmon farms in Tasmania.

• Almost half (48%) of Australians have some level of concern about the environmental impacts of salmon farm expansion in Tasmania. o One in five (21%) are not very concerned and 9% are not concerned at all.

• Australians between the ages of 18-29 are the most likely to have some level of concern about the environmental impacts of salmon farm expansion (56%), followed by Australians aged between 30-39 (53%).

• Greens voters are the most likely to have some level of concern about the environmental impacts of salmon farm expansion (61%), followed by Labor (52%) and Coalition (45%) voters.

o 6% of Labor and Greens voters and 12% of Coalition voters are not at all concerned.

• More Coalition, Labor, Greens and Independent/Other voters are very concerned than are not at all concerned.

Method

The Australia Institute surveyed 1,001 people on 2-4 June 2021, online through Dynata’s Rapid Results polling, with nationally representative samples by gender, age and region.

The margin of error (95% confidence level) for the national results is 3%.

Results are shown only for larger states.

Voting crosstabs show voting intentions for the House of Representatives. Those who were undecided were asked which way they were leaning; these leanings are included in voting intention crosstabs. “Coalition” includes separate responses for Liberal and National. “Other” refers to Independent/Other.

Detailed results

The Federal Government is currently undertaking a parliamentary inquiry into the Australian aquaculture sector i.e. fish farming.

Do you support or oppose a moratorium on the expansion of the salmon farming industry in Tasmania until issues raised in the inquiry have been resolved?

Are you concerned about the environmental impacts associated with the expansionof salmon farms in Tasmania?