With a federal election having been called for Saturday 3 May, a Vote Salmon Out rally is being organised for this Sunday 30 March.
The event will take place at 1pm at White Beach, Nubeena.
Organisers Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection say that ‘the message will ring out loud and clear ‘as it was at the Cremorne, Carlton Beach, South Burnie Beach and Verona Sands ‘Line in the Sand’ rallies against the salmon industry.
“There is a tsunami of public discontent across Tasmania with the assault on our waterways, ignited by the threat to the Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour and now fuelled by diseased salmon dying by the truckloads in SE Tasmania,” said Trish Baily, TPMP spokesperson.
Nubeena is in the Lyons electorate where former state Opposition leader Rebecca White will attempt to keep the seat in Labor hands following the retirement of Brian Mitchell.
The electorate of Lyons has several of the inland hatcheries that rally organisers say are ‘polluting our major rivers’ – the Derwent, Tyenna, Florentine and South Esk.
There are 28 salmon battery feedlots off Triabunna, 16 in Long Bay / Port Arthur. In Storm Bay including directly off Nubeena are 140 salmon feedlots now predicted to rise to 250 pens with the government push to further expand ‘production’ of the foreign fish in Storm Bay.
“In south-east Tasmania an outbreak of a bacterial disease has caused mass mortalities of salmon in the early part of this year,” said Baily.
“Fatty deposits and rotting fish flesh are washing up on beaches. Dead and live fish have been filmed being pumped into bins for disposal. Dead fish are being pumped into public landfills, and now rumours have it on farms across the state.
“At the same time the companies are bathing fish against amoebic gill disease; gobbling up our precious fresh water resources and dumping bathing water in situ. This is a massive public health issue, a blatant abuse of animal welfare, and an assault on our public waterways.”
Rally speakers will include: Senator Nick McKim (Greens), Andrew Wilkie (independent MHR for Clark), Andrew Jenner (JLN MHA for Lyons), Peter George (independent candidate for Franklin), Angela Offord (independent candidate for Lyons), Alistair Allan (BBF campaigner and Greens candidate for Lyons), Trish Baily (TAMP Acting President and TPMP spokesperson).
