The Tasmanian Government currently places no limit on the amount of faeces big salmon farming companies can dump in our coastal waters. This might have been bearable when the industry was small, but it is expanding at break-neck speed. Environment Tasmania estimates big salmon companies currently dump 2.1 million kilograms of nitrogen pollution in Tasmania’s coastal waters every year. Not only does the Government fail to put a limit on the amount of pollution the industry can dump – they also let them dump in coastal bays and harbours, where the water is too shallow and current too weak to flush out this amount of pollution.
The Marine Farming Review Panel is currently reviewing big salmon’s plans to expand into another sheltered bay – this time on our stunning Sapphire Coast. Send a message to the Review Panel and tell them there should be no intensive salmon farming allowed in sheltered bays that can’t bear the tonnes of pollution salmon farming dumps in our coastal waters. Intensive fish farming in coastal areas is one of the greatest threats to Tasmania’s marine values. While the industry started small, at just 53 tonnes a year in 1983, it now produces 40,000 tonnes a year and has plans to double production by 2030.
The main reason open pen salmon farming damages the marine environment is because the industry doesn’t bother to capture its waste – which just settles on the sea floor and enters the water column. Waste produced by salmon farming includes uneaten fish food, fish faeces and urine and organic matter from net-cleaning. Environment Tasmania is not against salmon farming, we just want the Government to regulate it properly to make sure fish farms don’t go into areas that are high conservation value and can’t support the amount of pollution salmon farming leaves in the ocean. Unfortunately, the industry is currently looking to expand into important conservation areas – like Tassie’s stunning Sapphire Coast. CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION!