Environment Tasmania is calling for immediate independent review of the Tasmanian Government’s unexpected decision to increase the density of farmed fish in Macquarie Harbour, citing evidence that the harbour is already in a state of chronic environmental stress.

“Macquarie Harbour is already experiencing ongoing problems with dissolved oxygen levels, bacteria mats and disease outbreaks,” said Laura Kelly of Environment Tasmania.”

“This decision is really about the aquaculture industries supply problems, and their undue influence over the Tasmanian Government, who cannot ignore what the science is telling them indefinitely.”

“What the science shows is that any expansion of fish farming at this site is unsustainable. The Tasmanian Government may refuse to take notice, but shareholders concerned about ongoing supply issues won’t. Nor will consumers – who will increasingly be offered poor quality products pumped full of antibiotics if environmental conditions at fish farm sites aren’t improved.”

“The Government’s own status reports document alarming dissolved oxygen and water temperature readings. They clearly demonstrate that the site cannot support existing fish farms, let alone an increase in fish density, which will only worsen mass fish kills,” said Ms Kelly.

The Facts:
· The Tasmanian Government’s 2016 Update to the Macquarie Harbour Status Report states that 52% of benthic conditions have been breached in the last 11 months and dissolved oxygen levels are at hypoxic levels throughout the Harbour and into the World Heritage Area.

· Huon Aquaculture’s own study states that the Dissolved Oxygen and temperature conditions in Macquarie Harbour make it unsuitable for fish farming for at least 6 months of the year, and the conditions are unacceptable for fish health and production.

· “There is a history of pathogen emergence events; some of the pathogens may be associated with chronic environmental stress and there has been clinical expression of pathogens generally found subclinically elsewhere in Tasmania. The emergence and persistence of other pathological syndromes such as nephrocalcinosis and multi-organ inflammation have also been identified.
“Internationally, repeated pathogen emergence has been observed as an indicator of declining fish health status and as a precursor to epizootic emergence.” Cawthron Institute review of environmental and fish health impacts in Macquarie Harbour.

The 2016 Update to the Macquarie Harbour Status Report can be found at:
http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/2016%20Update%20to%20the%20Macquarie%20Harbour%20Status%20Report.pdf
Rebecca Hubbard