Article
Calls for Urgent Action on Maugean Skate
Media release – Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection, 19 May 2023
MAUGEAN SKATE – Threatened with extinction.
STATEMENT by TPMP: Recent Salmon Plan Ignores the Thylacine in the Room.
Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection members continue to be angered by the failure of the Tasmanian Salmon Industry Plan to address issues of the industries’ negative impacts on our marine environment.
As far back as 2005 both state and federal governments recognised that the Maugean skate was an endangered species. In the intervening years despite numerous references from across the spectrum of research entities, community groups and individuals plus the recommendations of inquiries, both levels of government have been incapable of recognising the urgency of any tangible action to reverse the critical decline and demise of the Maugean skate.
It is unbelievable that the Salmon Industry Plan was commissioned on the first of this month with no intention of any action on the management of a looming crisis. When questioned, a NRE spokesperson said: “we don’t address specific endangered species in this plan”. Yet now it is very clear that immediate intervention is required following the unprecedented move by revered scientists who choose to conclude that critical remedial actions are taken now , before their planned research has been completed.
The Federal Minister for the Environment, Tanya Plibersek’s own actions are lamentable. Her Threatened Species Action Plan rates the skate as one of eleven priority fish species, (along with our red hHandfish). The prime contributing causes for the threat to the skate are patently obvious and potentially reversible.
Terry Brumby, TPMP’s president says:
“It is galling that governments, assumed to be acting first and foremost in the interests of the people and therefore the environment are nothing more than a mouthpiece for a destructive and extractive industry. Whilst the legacy of historical degradation of Macquarie Harbour and its catchments cannot be reversed, the current impost on the environmental health by the salmon industry needs to be halted immediately.
With the demonstrated absolute inability of our current state government to act in the best interest of our unique rich marine environment for now and into the future, our only option is to demand of Tanya Plibersek, that having talked the talk, she now walk the walk and execute with the utmost urgency the cessation of finfish aquaculture in Macquarie Harbour.”
Media release – various groups, 19 May 2023
Call for urgent action to prevent extinction Of Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour Attracts local, national and international support
Fish farm removal imperative for survival of critically endangered species
A state- and nation-wide alliance of environmental and community groups has been joined by international organisations to demand an immediate halt to industrial salmon farms in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour.
(See attached statements of support below)
This follows a report by marine scientists at IMAS (Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, Hobart) calling for urgent action to prevent the extinction of the endemic Maugean skate that has existed in the waterway since the time of the dinosaurs.
(https://imas.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1655611/Maugean-skate-2021-interim-report-FINAL.pdf/_nocache)
The population of the bottom-dwelling fish plummeted by 47% between 2017 and 2021, a period that clearly coincides with a catastrophic collapse of the harbour’s health and oxygen levels due to the salmon industry overstocking fish farms. The industry’s actions also damaged World Heritage areas of the waterway.
The scientists note the harbour is still struggling to recover.
The alliance says “urgent action” should not be interpreted by the government or salmon industry as a need for further investigation.
“There are two major factors driving the Maugean towards extinction,” said Peter George of NOFF. “One is climate change which requires action over years. The other is the salmon industry. That one can be stopped overnight.
The alliance has called on the government for an immediate removal of the industry in the harbour by de-stocking the salmon cages and then removing them.
It has also called on Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to intervene unless the Tasmanian government acts immediately.
“The Maugean Skate was listed as a “PRIORITY” species under Minister Plibersek’s pledge of no more extinctions under her government – and this is her first, urgent test and one that can be easily achieved” said the Alistair Allan from the Bob Brown Foundation.
“The Maugean Skate is suffocating due to low dissolved oxygen levels. Removing fish farms will play a huge role in fixing those levels.”
Participating organisations:
Bob Brown Foundation
Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection
Environment Tasmania
Sea Shepherd
Living Oceans Society
Surfrider Foundation
Killora Community Association
Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection
Australian Marine Conservation Society
Neighbours of Fish Farming
NW Tas for Clean Oceans
Tasmanian Conservation Trust
Supporting statements:
“For the Maugean skate to have any chance at recovery, emergency conservation action must get underway and include a captive breeding program, ongoing population monitoring in Macquarie Harbour, and restoration of the health of the harbour itself to assist wild and captive bred individuals into the future. This means giving the harbour an immediate rest from salmon farming and regulating river flows for their downstream effects into the harbour.”
– Adrian Meder, Sustainable seafood program manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society.
The latest IMAS report shows us just how dire the situation is for the Maugean skate, and without drastic action Tasmania will have the grim record of the second bony fish extinction in the world on its record, after the Smooth handfish. Not only would the extinction of the Maugean skate be an absolute tragedy for Tasmania, but it would also be an embarrassment for federal environment minister Tania Plybersek who pledged zero extinctions on her watch.
The presence of the salmon industry has contributed to reduced oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour pushing the especies to the brink of extinction. This is compounded by warming waters and the only solution is to rest Macquarie Harbour of salmon pens to allow the iconic species to recover.
The responses from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRET) to the IMAS report do not go nearly far enough. Reducing the feed allowance of salmon farms in Macquarie Harbour by just 10% and forming working groups is too little too late. This is not decisive action to ensure the survival of an endangered species. This is yet another example of the Tasmanian government pandering to big business.
Environment Tasmania endorse the application of the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and Humane Society International Australia to have the Maugean skate upgraded from endangered to critically endangered. We urge the Tasmanian government and Ms Plybersek to make bold decisions to ensure the survival of this iconic and ancient species.”
– Environment Tasmania
NWTAS for Clean Oceans gives our unequivocal and unwavering support to the demand for immediate action in ending salmon production in Macquarie Harbour. Our renewed call is due to the findings of the recently released Interim Report – ‘Macquarie Harbour Maugean skate population status and monitoring” by Dr David Moreno and Professor Jayson Semmens.
This latest report adds to a plethora of accumulated evidence from numerous reports and studies into the degradation of Macquarie harbour and the consequences for its ecosystems, in this case the endangered Maugean skate.
Despite continuous denial by Government and Industry the evidence clearly shows a link between the declining health of the harbour and the mismanagement of its industrial salmon farming operations, beginning with the tragic over stocking levels of 2014. Whilst there may well be other factors such as climate change and weather occurrences which contribute to the decline in health of the harbour, the science is in, industrial salmon farming in the harbour is a contributor and one that can be immediately acted upon.
Therefore we support the call for immediate action in order to restore the health of the harbour and thereby save this precious species. The Tasmanian Government and the salmon industry cannot continue to deny, or absolve themselves of this responsibility. NWTAS for Clean Oceans insists our Government act to prevent the embarrassment of being responsible for “the thylacine of the sea” becoming a reality. On their watch! We must heed this warning.
In conclusion, NWTAS for Clean Oceans are proud to join with like minded community and environmental groups and individuals, in demanding that the Tasmanian Government act now in order to prevent the loss of this highly endangered ancient marine species endemic to our state.
In addition, we call on Tanya Plibersek our Federal Minister for the Environment, to use her influence and intervene. Please Ms Plibersek act on your pledge to the people of Tasmania and indeed all Australians, that there will be “No More Extinctions”. Thank you in advance!
– Cass Wright, Spokesperson, NWTAS for Clean Oceans
AJP Tasmania joins with most Tasmanians in advocating for an end to industrial salmon production in Macquarie Harbour.
We all know that when a species becomes extinct, the biosphere becomes slightly less stable. If the salmon cages remain in Macquarie Harbour, we can be almost certain that the Maugean skate will cease to exist and on current trends, that could happen within the next 10 years.
Beyond the criminal-like behaviour that perpetuates this possibility, the AJP is opposed to all animal aquaculture because of the enormous suffering it causes not just to the species in the cages, but also to other wild species and the direct environmental problems it causes.
Finally, it needs to be said that this industry is no longer necessary. Even taking into account that some people want to eat salmon flesh, new technologies have proven that we no longer need to inflict suffering or use huge amounts of resources to create this commodity. It is to those technologies and industries that our government could be directing the subsidies that currently prop up this unsustainable, polluting, and cruel industry.”
– Ivan Davis, State Secretary, Animal Justice Party – Tasmania
Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 19 May 2023
Fish farm removal imperative for survival of critically endangered species
A state and nationwide alliance of environmental and community groups has been joined by international organisations to demand an immediate halt to industrial salmon farms in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour.
This follows a report by marine scientists at IMAS (Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies) in Hobart, calling for urgent action to prevent the extinction of the endemic Maugean skate that has existed in the waterway since the time of the dinosaurs.
The population of the bottom-dwelling fish plummeted by 47% between 2017 and 2021, a period that clearly coincides with a catastrophic collapse of the harbour’s health and oxygen levels due to the salmon industry overstocking fish farms. The industry’s actions also damaged World Heritage areas of the waterway.
The scientists note the harbour is still struggling to recover.
The alliance says ‘urgent action’ should not be interpreted by the government or salmon industry as a need for further investigation.
“There are two major factors driving the Maugean skate towards extinction,” said Peter George of NOFF (Neighbours of Fish Farms). One is climate change which requires action over years. The other is the salmon industry. That one can be stopped overnight.
The alliance has called on the government for an immediate removal of industry in the harbour by de-stocking the salmon cages and then removing them permanently.
It has also called on Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to intervene unless the Tasmanian government acts immediately.
“The Maugean skate was listed as a ‘priority’ species under Minister Plibersek’s pledge of no more extinctions under her government This is her first, urgent test and one that can be easily achieved,” said Bob Brown Foundation’s Alistair Allan.
“The Maugean skate is suffocating due to low dissolved oxygen levels. Removing fish farms will play a huge role in fixing those levels,” said Alistair Allan.
Media release – The Australia Institute, 19 May 2023
Scientists’ urgent call for action to save Maugean skate
The Australia Institute will join a growing number of state and national organisations, independent scientists and Tasmanians, demanding an immediate halt to salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour.
The Maugean skate is teetering on the brink of extinction according to scientists from the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), who this week took the extraordinary step to release research mid-project. The scientists have called for urgent and immediate action to save the species.
The Maugean skate is listed as Endangered under Tasmania’s Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 and the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. A significant portion of Macquarie Harbour is within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and the skate is one of the values of the World Heritage Area.
“The Australia Institute stands alongside the growing number of Tasmanians who want an end to unsustainable aquaculture in this state. Our research shows more than 7 in 10 Tasmanians want salmon farms out of shallow, sensitive inshore waters. This is not a noisy minority, this is a significant majority,” said Eloise Carr, Director, Australia Institute Tasmania.
“The latest information from IMAS scientists tells us the Maugean skate is teetering on the brink of extinction. We are here to support the scientist and their research finding and call for immediate action to prevent the extinction of this species.”
“Difficult decisions need to be made. The Tasmanian salmon industry will go down in history for being linked to the extinction of a species if business as usual continues.”
“Both levels of government and regulators have let Tasmanians down. Despite this species being listed as endangered in both state and national legislation, no threat abatement, recovery plan or conservation action plan exists for this species. This is simply not good enough.”