Media Release – Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection (TPMP), 7 August 2022
EPA’s damning scientific report on the water quality in Long Bay, Port Arthur fuels calls for salmon pens to Leave Long Bay
On 23 July, at the Koonya Hall, Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection (TPMP) launched their campaign to Free Long Bay, Port Arthur of salmon pens. The campaign is fuelled by continuing concerns of deterioration in water quality and amenity in Long Bay after Tassal began stocking its lease in 2017.
Since late February TPMP has been requesting EPA/IMAS to release its report of the investigation into the waters adjacent to the bay’s salmon pens. Finally, the report is public and clearly reveals the wide ranging impact of Tassal’s salmon operations on Long Bay.
The study reveals that water quality and reef ecosystems are deteriorating way beyond the 35-metre zone allowed by the lease conditions. https://epa.tas.gov.au/environment/water/monitoring-programs/port-arthur-monitoring-progam and concludes that: “Nitrogen isotope data demonstrates that the farm is a nutrient source for macro algae communities at the sites directly adjacent to the lease.”
“This clearly indicates that the nutrient input from the salmon lease at Long Bay is causing a deterioration of the reef habitat and the cause of the damaging nuisance algal blooms that have plagued the area.”
“Six months waiting for this report, and now only a few weeks are left before Tassal restock the pens with smolt for grow out. A more timely release of the report could have enabled authorities and industry to reassess whether it is appropriate to stress Long Bay for yet another season with salmon. The report backs our demands that it’s time for the salmon pens to go,” says Trish Baily, spokesperson for TPMP.
“If Minister Jo Palmer doesn’t heed this clear warning, then she will be demonstrating shocking neglect of an historic waterway, the community’s concerns and the further deterioration of this marine ecosystem. She will also be ignoring the recommendation from the Legislative Council enquiry into Fin Fish Farming that calls for ‘operations in sensitive, sheltered and biodiverse areas be ceased as a matter of priority.“
“The alarm bells from the community have been ringing in Long Bay since Tassal stocked its lease in 2017. We can go on having more and more research conducted, but this is at the cost of the tax payer, not the company producing the pollution. It is clear from this report and the communities ongoing concerns that salmon farming in this shallow poorly flushed bay needs to stop now. It’s time to free Long Bay.”
Media release – Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection, 7 August 2022
TAMP calls for the TASSAL FISH FARM AT LONG BAY, PORT ARTHUR, TO BE CLOSED
The Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection acting Co-Chair, Sheenagh Neill, calls on Minister Jo Palmer MLC to immediately start the withdrawal of the 16 salmon pens near the world heritage site of Port Arthur.
Last week IMAS released a report, commissioned by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) following community concerns, into the impact of nutrients from the salmon lease on reef systems in Port Arthur. The report leaves no doubt that the salmon farm has resulted in the proliferation of nuisance filamentous algae in Port Arthur.
“It is likely that the salmon lease at the southern end of Long Bay is contributing to the localised nutrient enrichment observed at the 100 m sites. Nitrogen isotope data demonstrates that the farm is a nutrient source for macroalgae communities at the sites directly adjacent (i.e. 100m) to the lease.
– Page 32 https://www.imas.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1610980/Port-Arthurreefs_SMRCA_FINAL.pdf
“This validates the concerns of the local community who have witnessed masses of green algae choking Long Bay near the salmon farm,” Ms Neill says.
“Port Arthur is not a suitable site for salmon farms. It is my understanding that the lease was originally granted for shellfish. It is a low flushing area surrounded by a world heritage area. It should never have been approved as a salmon farm.”
TAMP call on the Liberal Government to act on the science they have in front of the them. “You cannot cherry pick around the results. There is enough evidence to say it is time for TASSAL to exit Long Bay,” Ms Neill said.
“The EPA should do more than just welcome the long-awaited report, they must act. The continuing failure of Government to mitigate the long term environmental risks whilst community witness the destruction of our public waterways is not acceptable.”
Any failure to respond to the scientific evidence just adds to the impatience of the Tasmanian community, sick of being ignored by Government.
