The Federal government has announced an $18.3 million investment in an oxygenation program for Macquarie Harbour to support the endangered Maugean skate and the local salmon industry. This decision has drawn heavy criticism from environmental groups and independent politicians who argue the move prioritises commercial interests over the preservation of a unique native species.
Critics, including the Bob Brown Foundation and the Greens, allege the government is using recent legislative changes to bypass legal accountability and allow commercial fish farming to continue. The Wilderness Society argues the decision risks the extinction of the endangered Maugean skate, undermines World Heritage values, and sets a dangerous precedent by using a new law that blocks public scrutiny of environmental decisions.
Media release – Senator The Hon Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water; The Hon Julie Collins MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, 14 August 2025
$18.3 million for oxygenation to support the recovery of the maugean skate
The Albanese Government is investing up to $18.3 million to address low oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour, and support recovery efforts for the endangered Maugean skate.
The $18.3 million Oxygenation Offset Program in Macquarie Harbour will improve oxygen levels in the water by replacing the oxygen consumed by fish farming.
The program is already delivering oxygen into Macquarie Harbour, building on the Macquarie Harbour Oxygenation Program, a 2-year trial concluding this year, co-funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and the salmon industry.
The promising trial showed oxygen can be pumped into the harbour in an environmentally-friendly way, with great potential to support the recovery of the Maugean skate by improving environmental conditions.
The Oxygenation Offset Program in Macquarie Harbour will be delivered by the FRDC, which will work closely with the Tasmanian Government, the Tasmanian salmon industry, and independent scientific and technical experts.
The Albanese Government has committed $37.5 million for the recovery of the Maugean skate since June 2022.
“Securing the future of the Maugean skate and improving oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour is a priority for the Albanese Government,” said the Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt.
“The long-term recovery of the Maugean skate requires coordinated action and I encourage industry to continue to work with government to ensure the future of the Maugean skate and a sustainable salmon industry.
“Macquarie Harbour is important to Tasmania’s $1 billion aquaculture industry and this program builds on existing environmental and conservation action for the Maugean skate,” said Watt.
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins added, “We have seen promising results from the trial of oxygenation in Macquarie Harbour.
“That’s why our Government is pleased to be supporting the next stage of oxygenation in the harbour which has great potential to support the recovery of the Maugean skate. Our Government supports a sustainable salmon industry in Tasmania and the regional jobs it supports, and we also support strong environmental protections.
“This program demonstrates we can have both” said Collins.
Media release – Peter George MP, independent for Franklin, 14 August 2025
Independent condemns Macquarie Harbour decision
Federal Environment Minister, Murray Watt’s decision to put the demands of the multinational salmon industry above preserving Tasmania’s natural heritage and a unique waterway is condemned by Tasmanian Independent MP, Peter George.
“Senator Watt’s decision to approve continued industrial salmon production in Macquarie Harbour goes against Australia’s international obligations to protect the waterway and the endangered 60-million-year-old Maugean skate.
“The industry has already shown it has no interest in the long-term health of Tasmania’s waterways and marine life.
“This decision simply puts the demands of the industry for profits above the Federal government’s duty to ensure that this island’s natural heritage is preserved for future generations.
“Any government with a conscience would have encouraged the transition of the industry out of our waterways by increasing lease fees and imposing a resource rental tax on their turnover,” said George.
“The decision has been made in the wake of an amendment to Federal legislation which effectively exempts the industry from environmental laws designed to protect our natural heritage.
“The amendment was rammed through the last Federal Parliament with the support of state and federal Liberal and Labor parties and it bodes ill for future protections of Tasmania’s nature.”
George was president of the community organisation, Neighbours of Fish Farming (NOFF) until he stood down to stand for election.
Media release – The Australia Institute, 14 August 2025
Minister backs foreign commercial fish farms over endangered native species
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has used changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to allow the continuation of commercial salmon farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour.
When changes to the EPBC Act were fast-tracked through Parliament earlier this year, The Australia Institute flagged that it would likely lead to the extinction of the endangered Maugean skate. The skate is an ancient species with links to the dinosaur era and can only be found in Macquarie Harbour.
“When Murray Watt became the Environment Minister, he said the salmon industry needed to lift its game on sustainability,” said Eloise Carr, Director, The Australia Institute Tasmania.
“But this decision protects the commercial salmon industry and condemns the skate to extinction.
“All of the baby skates that have hatched in captivity come from eggs fertilised in the wild. It is not a captive ‘breeding’ program, it’s a captive rearing program. That means if the skate becomes extinct in the wild, it is over for the species.
“Tasmanians have just elected independent Peter George, with the third-highest vote in the state. He was elected due to his work to protect the marine environment.
“It is clear Tasmanians are sick and tired of government inaction to address the harmful effects of the foreign-owned salmon industry on Tasmanian waterways.”
Media release – Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, The Greens, 14 August 2025
Labor disrespects legal process, dodges accountability on salmon
The Greens have slammed the Albanese government for taking extraordinary measures to dodge accountability in the Federal Court on allowing the expansion and continuation of polluting salmon farming in the last remaining habitat of the endangered Maugean skate.
Environment groups waited two years after lodging a reconsideration request of the expansion before the Albanese government sensationally passed legislation in February specifically designed to bypass the reconsideration and allow salmon farming to continue.
The controversial new laws were set to be challenged by the Bob Brown Foundation in Federal Court next week and would have compelled the Minister to reconsider the expansion based on evidence.
To avoid being held accountable in Federal Court, the Minister today confirmed the reconsideration request had been settled and salmon farming would continue.
“The only reason this decision has been made by the Minister now is to scuttle the Federal Court case,” said Peter Whish-Wilson
“The Albanese government had two years to make this decision and didn’t, instead it opted to sensationally bring in new legislation that undermines Australia’s already weak nature laws in an attempt to bypass making a decision based on evidence.
“The Minister has disrespected the legal process, dodged accountability, and refused to look at the evidence, all to placate and extend a polluting industry pushing a species to extinction.
“Labor is showing just how far it will go to protect the profits of foreign salmon farming corporations over Tasmania’s environment and the survival of the Maugean skate,” he said.
Media release – Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 14 August 2025
TCCI Welcomes Federal Government’s Decision on Macquarie Harbour
Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chair, Wayne Davy, has welcomed today’s announcement by the Albanese Government reaffirming its support for marine farming operations in Macquarie Harbour.
The decision follows a Commonwealth review under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, which confirmed that aquaculture in the harbour can continue under strengthened environmental management arrangements.
“This is a positive and pragmatic outcome for Tasmania’s aquaculture industry, the West Coast community, and the state’s economy,” Davy said.
“The decision provides the certainty that businesses and workers in the salmon industry have been seeking, while ensuring that appropriate environmental safeguards remain in place. It demonstrates that sustainable aquaculture and environmental protection can work hand-in-hand.”
Davy said the TCCI has long advocated for clear, consistent, and science-based decision-making in environmental approvals.
“Policy certainty is essential for investment and job creation. The Federal Government’s decision sends a strong signal that Tasmania’s high-value food production sector is recognised as both environmentally responsible and economically important,” he said.
“The West Coast salmon industry supports hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, contributes significantly to exports, and underpins the viability of local businesses. Today’s decision allows them to continue operating with confidence.
“The TCCI will continue to advocate for streamlined and balanced environmental regulation that enables sustainable industries to grow, invest, and support Tasmanian communities and is calling on the Federal Government to finally approve the Robbins Island wind farm, which is also stuck in the EPBC Act process.”
Media Release – Bob Brown Foundation, 14 August 2025
Minister Watt drives final nail in the coffin of the Maugean Skate
Today, after more than two years of appalling delay, and only days before Bob Brown Foundation’s Federal Court case on this matter was due to be heard, federal Environment Minister Murray Watt, has declared that he cannot revoke the 2012 approval of industrial fish farm operation in Macquarie Harbour.
The minister has invoked the controversial and outrageous new law, rushed through parliament by the Albanese government just before the federal election, which exempts environment approvals made more than five years ago from being reconsidered.
Bob Brown Foundation will challenge the minister’s decision on the basis that the new law does not apply to industrial fish farm operations in Macquarie Harbour and the government cannot escape their duty to protect Australia’s environment, no matter how hard they try.
“Fulfilling his role as a corporate lackey, Minister Watt has today condemned the Maugean Skate to extinction at the bidding of his overlords in the industrial fish farm industry,” said Alistair Allan, Antarctic and Marine Campaigner at Bob Brown Foundation.
“It is a disgrace that a species that was identified by the Albanese government as a priority threatened species in 2022, has been purposely abandoned by 2025.”
“It took our looming court case to force the minister to make a decision after more than two years of inaction, deflection and delay,” said Allan.
We will be challenging this manifestly wrong decision by our supposed environment minister. Salmon corporations may seem to control our government but Bob Brown Foundation will challenge their toxic rule, and seek to rescue the skate from extinction.
Media release – The Wilderness Society, 15 August 2025
Environment Minister green lights salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour, putting Aussie species on the fast track to extinction
With a predictable, but scandalous decision, the Albanese government has confirmed salmon farming will continue in Macquarie Harbour—a move that risks driving an ancient species to extinction, undermines World Heritage and curtails community rights to challenge bad decisions.
Media is reporting that Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt is using a controversial law that was dramatically passed on the eve of the 2025 federal election period to confirm the continuation of salmon farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour.
With that amendment, the Albanese government watered down the very nature laws they promise to strengthen.
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Reconsiderations) Act 2025 created an exemption that sought to remove the salmon industry in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour from scrutiny—despite the known risks it poses to the endangered Maugean skate, a species that has survived since the time of the dinosaurs.
The Act amended the federal environment law to block the public’s right to request reconsideration of damaging environmental decisions—even if new scientific evidence comes to light. That means destructive, inappropriate projects can more easily rely on out of date information and avoid scrutiny, even where new alarming impacts on nature are revealed. Such out-of-date arrangements will be harmful for the environment as well as for regional communities and jobs. It applies where a project was approved at least five years ago, is ongoing, and is subject to a state-based management arrangement. While triggered by salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour, the law is not limited to any industry or location.
The Wilderness Society says Minister Watt’s decision sets a dangerous precedent—one that elevates vested interests over scientific evidence, environmental integrity and public accountability.
Furthermore, the Maugean skate’s habitat overlaps with the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, long recognised for its outstanding universal values and globally unique estuarine ecosystems.
Sam Szoke-Burke, Biodiversity Policy and Campaign Manager at the Wilderness Society, said,
“It is extremely disappointing to see Australia’s Environment Minister, who should be nature’s biggest champion, putting the endangered Maugean skate, a species that has survived since the time of the dinosaurs, on the fast track to extinction.
“Far from providing certainty for the salmon sector, this move and the law it is based on further damages confidence in environmental decision-making and Australia’s reputation as an investment destination. It sets a precedent that no species or World Heritage site is safe. Fast tracking extinction is the opposite of providing certainty for business”
This latest blow to threatened species comes in the context of broader governmental inaction and neglect for threatened species. In March 2025, the Wilderness Society, represented by Environmental Justice Australia, issued legal proceedings against the federal Environment Minister alleging the Minister failed to create legally-required recovery plans for select threatened species including the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle and the greater glider. Recovery plans have legal clout when governments make decisions about controversial development proposals. The case is scheduled for hearing in October.
The Maugean Skate does not have a recovery plan owing to an earlier Ministerial decision that no plan was required.
“Australia has the shameful dishonour of being the second worst in the world for biodiversity loss. Yet government after government has neglected to protect and foster recovery of Australia’s iconic wildlife,” continued Szoke-Burke.
“Greenlighting salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour is the latest in a long run of deliberate government decisions to ignore the plight of threatened species. In the face of government failures to protect at-risk species, we felt we had no option other than to resort to the courts to compel the Federal government to do its job and act swiftly to protect these unique and important animals.”
Tasmanian Times (TT) is a community-based news and current affairs service covering the island state of Tasmania. It exists to provide a diverse view of Tasmanian issues. TT creates and supports independent media content utilising the best of modern technologies and tried-and-true practices of public-interest journalism.
Support us in expanding our coverage and developing new content by and for Tasmanians.
New initiatives on the way include:
- a weekly podcast covering current affairs
- a revamped website
- a monthly cartoon competition
- a user-friendly app for both Android and Apple devices
- a weekly roundup of key stories
