Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 14 January 2024
Over 60 people join protest against Hill Street Grocer in a community facing invasion by toxic industrial fish farms
Today, over 60 people gathered alongside Bob Brown Foundation at Hill Street Grocer’s Dodges Ferry store, demanding the supermarket chain stop selling toxic Tasmanian farmed salmon. The protest garnered lots of support as the Dodges Ferry community, along with other communities around Storm Bay, rally against the proposed expansion of the factory farms of the sea in their local waters.
In just an hour at the store, over 135 people signed a petition demanding Hill Street Grocer no longer sell industrial farmed salmon.
“There is a huge groundswell of opposition to the proposed expansion of toxic industrial salmon farms in Storm Bay,” said Alistair Allan, Antarctic and Marine Campaigner at Bob Brown Foundation.
“We had over 700 people paddle out at Clifton Beach against the same proposal, with more protests planned and being suggested by communities all the time. There will be another beach protest here in Dodges Ferry on 1 February. This community is fired up and the message is clear – no Storm Bay expansion of fish farms.”
“Storm Bay is the home of the critically endangered red handfish, which will face extinction, much like the Maugean skate, if these polluting and destructive industrial fish farms are allowed to expand in Storm Bay and Fredrick Henry Bay.”
“Hill Street Grocer has said that if their consumers tell them they no longer want this product, they will respond. 135 customers signing a petition demanding they stop selling farmed salmon in an hour is a strong message from this community and one that Hill Street Grocer should not ignore.”
“Hill Street Grocer is a Tasmanian brand that should have pride in our state instead of supporting the destruction of the marine environment and communities by selling industrial farmed salmon.”
“The foreign-owned industrial fish farms should hear the message loud and clear, as should the politicians in power – fish farms are a blight on Tasmania and Tasmanians have had enough of them. No one wants them in Tasmania’s waters anymore. It’s time to get fish farms out now,” said Alistair Allan.