NOFF: Govt Finfish Response ‘Not Good Enough’

Media release – Neighbours of Fish Farming, 23 August 2022

NOFF says Government response to Finfish Enquiry not good enough

With only 21 of the 68 recommendations laid out by the fin fish enquiry report being fully supported by the Government’s response, it is inevitable that we see tensions heading toward direct action. The response does not go far enough to resolve concerns surrounding the issues faced by communities and the ecosystems in which the salmon farming industry is operating.

The sheer volume of the fin fish enquiry points to the many years of boardroom meetings and submission preparations made by volunteer waterside and scientific community efforts to be heard.

“Recommendation 3 is a clear call to transition the salmon feedlot pens out of sheltered, sensitive and biodiverse areas. The government’s fall back to the example of Macquarie Harbour in their response is soft at best. Action was not taken at Macquarie Harbour until a near total ecological collapse resulted in the endangerment of the Maugean skate, a species now near extinction. Is this the best that the EPA can do to protect our wild marine waterways?” says Neighbours of Fish Farming campaigner Jess Coughlan

“This is not good enough for a baseline of operation management. A full state of the environment report must be carried out and delivered before an expansion of this industry can be allowed to go ahead.”

“The industry will continue to get what they want and more, now with the pressures of three international companies bearing down on Tasmania’s reputation for relaxed regulations, and government-directed clear plans for expansion.”

“Neighbours of Fish Farming would welcome a plan to transition all flow through hatcheries to closed loop recirculating aquaculture systems, not restricted to a certain size, as outlined in the government’s response. It is highly questionable that government would not act immediately to mitigate the untreated effluent containing antibiotics currently flowing into the drinking water of Hobart’s population.”