Tasmania is missing out on both economic and environmental benefits from salmon farming in the state, according to the co-chair of the Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection, Peter George.
“In the latest round of Norwegian auctions for salmon farming licences, 30 Norwegian companies have paid an average of $34,000 ($US25,000) for each tonne of production.” A full listing is here.
Minister of Fisheries and Seafood Odd-Emil Ingebrigtsen said that the prices confirm that they that a “forward-looking and offensive industry.”
“This is good, and important for jobs and value creation along the coast,” according to the Norwegian Minister.
In Tasmania, however, the situation is opaque.
“Norway’s latest auction results underline how much Tasmania has to gain if only the state’s politicians had the courage to make Tassal, Huon Aquaculture and Petuna pay the true market price for their leases,” George said.
“The industry earns millions each year but returns peanuts to the state.
“By TAMP’s estimates, current leases should be worth up to two billion dollars based on the prices achieved in Norway.
“You could add another one-and-a-half billion once you start to see increased production from the new industrial fish farms in Storm Bay.
“Not only would those sums benefit the state’s economy generally but they would also enable the government to afford the infrastructure to monitor the fish farms’ environmental impact. Those sums would help cover the costs of personnel and equipment that none of the government agencies in charge of regulations, monitoring and enforcing have available now.
“TAMP calls for a full disclosure of how much Tasmania’s industrial fish farms are paying for their leases and licences to allow a full public debate on what they should be paying for the privilege of access and use of our public waterways.
“We need to understand the full impact of fish farming on our state so that its benefits in creating jobs and adding to the economy can be properly balanced against the true worth of a resource like our public waterways and against the industry’s environmental impact.
“That would include assessing industrial fish farming’s worth to local communities, the true cost of the environmental damage they cause and the real costs of a comprehensive regulating, monitoring and enforcement infrastructure.”
Latest market prices for Norwegian salmon:
frozen salmon 56.68NOK / kilogram = A$8.83
salmon fillets 106.07NOK / kilogram = A$16.53
Featured image: Kvaroy salmon farm in Norway. Image courtesy AKVA Group.
