Surfers Urge Moratorium on Salmon

Media release – Surfing Tasmania, 1 September 2022

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Surfing Tasmania is calling for a moratorium on biomass increases on all existing leases until base line science is completed and the introduction of a mandate for reporting of white pointer shark sightings by salmon farmers.

State President of Surfing Tasmania Inc. Mick Lawrence, said: “Surfing is unlike most sports in that we don’t demand expensive infrastructure like swimming pools or stadiums. All we seek is a clean natural environment. If someone started dumping fish excrement in state swimming pools there would be public outrage, so why are we treated differently.”

Mr Lawrence claims STAS has a list of concerns regarding industrial use of public waterways including levels of fish excrement and a lack of research into increased sightings of white pointer sharks.

“Fish farmers don’t even acknowledge us as stakeholders despite being around for 30 years longer than them. We have no objections to a world’s best practice industry, unfortunately with over 160 concerns raised by the upper house, we’re still a long way from that.”