Media release – Eric Abetz, Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, 31 October 2024

Woolworths shareholders reject anti-salmon activism

The Tasmanian Liberal Government welcomes the decisive rejection of activist attempts to end procurement of salmon from Macquarie Harbour at today’s Woolworths AGM.

Motions to end the purchase of Tasmanian salmon from the region were rejected following a speech from the Woolworths Chair stressing the importance of evidence-based decisions.

Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, Eric Abetz, said the Chair’s speech also noted recent IMAS studies showing stabilised juvenile Maugean skate populations alongside responsible salmon farming.

“It is pleasing that fact and commonsense have held sway despite the ongoing campaign of misinformation from groups like the radical Bob Brown Foundation and Sustainable Investment Exchange,” said Minister Abetz.

“As we have repeatedly said: the science is clear. Salmon farming can co-exist with the Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour.

“It is a matter of extreme disappointment that anti-salmon activists continue to use misleading claims to advance their agenda, disregarding settled science.

“Their actions are a direct attack on regional Tasmanians jobs and communities.

“Today’s decision follows the earlier announcement this week that Minister Plibersek will defer her decision on the listing of the skate.

“This hypocritical decision simply continues the uncertainty for Tasmanian salmon workers on the West Coast and their families.

“In contrast to Federal Labor, the Greens and their activist base, we make no apology in standing up for salmon jobs, with our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future providing ongoing support for sustainable salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour.”

Media release – Environment Tasmania, 31 October 2024

Woolworths shareholders in historic vote to save the Skate

At Woolworth’s AGM today, over 30% of Woolworths’ shareholders railed against the Board’s recommendation and supported a resolution for the company to address the impacts their farmed seafood, such as Macquarie Harbor salmon, has on endangered species.

The resolution was filed by a group of shareholders organised by Sustainable Investment Exchange and supported by Tasmanian NGOs Neighbours of Fish Farming, Environment Tasmania and Living Oceans Society.

CEO of SIX, Adam Verwey said:

“This is a historically high vote for a shareholder resolution, and one of the highest votes ever on a nature resolution. Shareholders are sending a clear message that they’ve lost patience with Woolworths to adequately act on its nature risks and stop and extinction.

While Coles has started to remove salmon sourcing from Macquarie Harbour, Woolworths is still disputing the science. Shareholders just want Woolworths to get on with it and not contribute to the extinction of the Maugean skate.

By waiting for the Government to make a decision on whether to save the skate from the threat of industrial salmon farming, Woolworths is ignoring shareholders and transferring that risk to them. Australia’s big super funds, for example, now have to go back to their members and explain that one of their investments is still making excuses to not act on an extinction.

Woolworths’ claim that the scientific consensus on why skate numbers have plummeted is undecided is either deliberately or unintentionally spreading lies perpetuated by the salmon industry to undermine a threat to its toxic business model.”

The clear consensus of scientists – including the Commonwealth’s Threatened Species Panel – is that there are “catastrophic” consequences unless “urgent” action is taken to remove industrial net pens from the harbor – feedlots that supply some of Woolworths’ Own Brand salmon.

In 2023, Woolworths received a score of 0 for measuring their impacts and dependencies on nature by the World Benchmarking Alliance. Woolworth’s 2024 Sustainability Report omitted any mention of the impact its salmon is having on the population of the endangered Maugean skate that only exists in Macquarie Harbour.

Kelly Roebuck, Vice Chair of Environment Tasmania, said:

“Woolworth’s has the opportunity to be a leader in selling sustainably sourced seafood by doing their own due diligence on their supply chains and how they negatively impact nature, instead of hiding behind flawed third-party certifications.”

Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 31 October 2024

Woolworths refuses to stop driving the Maugean Skate to extinction

Today, in Sydney, the Woolworths board advised shareholders at their AGM not to support a resolution demanding the company stop selling extinction causing Tasmanian farmed salmon.

The Bob Brown Foundation condemns Woolworths’ complicity and inaction when faced with an extinction crisis.

“Woolworths must no longer hide behind waiting for an outcome that is dependent on politics. Just this week Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, delayed making any decision on the Maugean skate until after the election. Woolworths cannot follow the same path,” said Alistair Allan, Marine Campaigner at the Bob Brown Foundation

“30% of Woolworths shareholders voted for better reporting and disclosure regarding salmon farms and procurement because right now consumers are in the dark. The chair of Woolworths acknowledged that their brand has taken a large hit when it comes to public trust, just wait until the public realises, they are responsible for causing an extinction.”

“Consumers are being lied to by Woolworths, there is nothing ‘responsibly sourced’ about Tasmanian farmed salmon. It is an environmental disaster and is killing Tasmania. Right now, if you as a shopper don’t want to partake in an extinction, you must refuse to buy any Tasmanian salmon,” said Alistair Allan.

Media release – Neighbours of Fish Farming, 31 October 2024

Woolworths shareholders refuse to change supply chain for salmon to protect Maugean skate from extinction threat

Woolworths shareholders heard today from Tasmanians calling for the supermarket to remove industrial Atlantic salmon produced in Macquarie Harbour from its supply chain.

The campaigners, including speakers for NOFF, Bob Brown Foundation, Environment Tasmania and Living Oceans Society challenged the supermarket at its AGM in Sydney to take the action to help prevent the extinction of Maugean skate in the waterway.

NOFF president Peter George says the board opposed a resolution led by ethical investment platform, SIX, that would have led to ending the supermarket sourcing own-brand salmon from Macquarie Harbour. Shareholders supported the board.

“This was not unexpected,” says Peter George.

“However Woolworths, other retailers and their shareholders are now on notice that they cannot deny knowledge of what their supply chains are doing – driving a 60-million-year-old animal towards extinction because of industrial salmon farm practices.”

NOFF campaigner, Jess Coughlan, was first to address shareholders at the company AGM in Sydney this afternoon. Her full address is attached as a Word document & as an audio attachment.

Jess said:

“Woolworths’ own people have already conceded before the Senate Greenwashing inquiry that they can’t claim Own Brand salmon from Macquarie Harbour is sustainably sourced and not contributing to the demise of a survivor from the age of the dinosaurs..

Moreover, only a small percentage of Woolworths Own Brand Salmon and Ocean Trout is sourced from Macquarie harbour, and would only require a simple shift in procurement, Making the reputational risk to Woolworths far outweighing the relatively small amount of change that this resolution is asking for.

Woolworths’ Chair, Scott Perkins, said the board opposed the resolution because the science of the industry’s impact on the Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour was still under review.

He conceded that the supermarket was aware of the “high risk” of greenwashing while relying on certification agencies for Macquarie Harbour that are already challenged for domination by the salmon industry.

Leading international certifiers, ASC, and the RSPCA no longer certify any salmon operations in Macquarie Harbour as sustainable.

Featured image above: Jessica Coughlan speaking at the Woolworths’ AGM.

Speech – Jess Coughlan, NOFF campaigner, 31 October 2024

Address To Woolworths Shareholders at Sydney AGM, Oct 31, 2024

My name is Jess Coughlan. 

I live in Tasmania & I’m a neighbour of the salmon farms.

This motion addresses Woolworths’ commitment to sustainability, one of the pillars of its business practices and consumer expectations.

This makes the company’s decision on where it sources its Own Brand salmon a crucial one.

So let me briefly outline how Woolworths supply chain may be contributing towards the extinction of a 60-million-year-old animal, the Maugean skate, from its only habitat in Macquarie Harbour, on the remote west coast of Tasmania.

The clear consensus of scientists – including the Commonwealth’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee – is that there are “catastrophic” consequences unless “urgent” action is taken to remove industrial net pens from the harbour – feedlots that supply some of Woolworths’ Own Brand salmon.

Those words – Catastrophic & Urgent – are the words of cautious scientists not given to exaggerated claims.

It’s a warning the company’s directors and us as shareholders must heed.

Woolworths’ own people have already conceded before the Senate Greenwashing inquiry that they can’t claim Own Brand salmon from Macquarie Harbour is sustainably sourced and not contributing to the demise of a survivor from the age of the dinosaurs..

Moreover, only a small percentage of Woolworths Own Brand Salmon and Ocean Trout is sourced from Macquarie Harbour, and would only require a simple shift in procurement, Making the reputational risk to Woolworths far outweighing the relatively small amount of change that this resolution is asking for.

Just last week we learned through uncovered documents that more than 10% of the salmon farmed in Macquarie Harbour died in the water before harvest last summer. This amounted to more than 1 million kgs of salmon – yet Woolworths continues to source and sell this product labelled as “responsibly sourced”.  This is just one of many mass mortality events among the livestock in the harbour in recent years, and raises serious questions about long term viability of the industry in this region.

This is a case in which Woolworths must abide by the precautionary principle, protecting its reputation and living up to what its customers and shareholders expect.

It can do this at no cost to the company but of great value to the planet. It can be a legacy of lasting change, not one of regret.

I would like to acknowledge all of the shareholders and in particular a quarter of the SIX cohort, all Tasmanian, for taking the step to become part owners in this company, Woolworths, our company, to bring focus to the plight of an ancient species, the Maugean skate. We call on you to make this small shift in procurement to protect shareholders from risk, and the Skate from extinction.