The Tasmanian Greens today expressed concern over a media report ( Matthew Denholm, The Australian: Tasmania’s salmon trade casts deadly net ) claiming that a large number of marine wildlife are dying due to aquaculture practices and called on the Minister for Primary Industries to investigate the claims.
Greens Primary Industries spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that if the reported number of seals, dolphins and birds killed as a result of aquaculture operations was accurate, then the industry needed to declare what they were going to do to improve its record in light of industry expansion.
“Our aquaculture industry is supported by the Tasmanian clean, green brand, which is gaining prestige around the world. We need certainty that the industry is doing everything within its power to protect this brand that we all collectively rely on,” said Mr Booth.
“Minister Green has a responsibility to investigate these claims as a matter of urgency to ensure that this issue does not get out of hand and damage our industry as well as our environment.”
“It has been identified in the past that simply improving the design of salmon cages and pens would help eradicate the problem of seal deaths, but this does not seem to be happening with enough urgency.”
“With taxpayer-funded grants flowing and rapid expansion expected, the industry needs to provide evidence of how they intend to stop protected wildlife from becoming casualties of what should be an environmentally sensitive enterprise.”
“It’s very concerning that this problem appears to have been covered up, it suggests that the proponents knew they were doing the wrong thing and have been trying to avoid backlash or openly addressing the causes.”
“Recently there was public outrage over the shooting of three seals on the Tasman Peninsula, Aquaculture companies need to be practical about the standards that the community expects of them if the wish to continue operating in Tasmania,” Mr Booth said.
