Southern Beaches Community Says No to Salmon Farms

Report – Community Film & Information Night organising committee for Sorell Municipality Local Greens, 28 October 2024

Southern Beaches community says NO to salmon farms!

It was standing room only on Saturday night, 26^th October, at Carlton in the Sorell LGA. Shock, palpable concern and heightened community unrest that Fredrick Henry Bay and the beautiful southern beaches could be soon awash with fish farm debris and pollutants with planned expansion of salmon industry nets into Storm Bay. Over 140+ attended the Community Film and Information Night to hear first-hand expert and fish farm neighbours’ experience of the devastating impacts once these farms enter the bays.

Showing the film Paradise Lost, those present were horrified to see the destructive results of fish excrement and fish food waste built up on the sea floor and washing up onto coastlines.

The message loud and clear from every speaker, “It is now, you must do everything to stop fish farm expansion now, before these farms get established in these bays, because it will come, the plastic waste, the polluting production and waste, it will come.”

Convenor Alistair Allan, ex- Sea Shepherd Captain and Lyons Federal Greens’ candidate spoke passionately about his concerns following the fish farm industry declaration to double the size of the production by 2030.

Louise Cherrie, Environmental Management Consultant and Christine Coughanowr, independent scientist, provided detailed data, impact statements and observations to prepare residents should Storm Bay fish pens get up and running.

Passionate science experts detailed problems associated with antibiotic use, which has already been measured in flathead fish 7 kilometers away from Salmon Farm pens.

The degree of expansion greatly worries southeast Tasmanian residents who wholeheartedly supported NOFF President Peter George declaration to the audience: “That this community of Dodges Ferry and environs rejects the colonisation of our nearby waterways, including Frederick Henry Bay, Betsey Island and Norfolk Bay by industrial salmon feedlots”.

Rosalie Woodruff, Tasmanian Greens Leader spoke of her disappointment in both Liberal and Labor parties, as they had uncritically endorsed the fish farm industry.

Local area campaigners Steve Sanders – Friends of the Bays and Terry Brumby – Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection raised loudest applause for the action we can and must take together, it’s not these industrial polluters waterways to take and destroy, it is our waterways for which we care and will preserve.

The Fish Farm Film and Information Night held on Sat 26^th Oct, was coordinated by the newly formed Sorell Municipality Local Greens, in collaboration with Friends of the Bays (FoTB), Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection (TPMP) and Neighbours of Fish Farms (NOFF).

Featured image above: Christine Coughanowr presenting the Storm Bay expansion plan.