Damon Mcknight
Tasmania's salmon industry is a highly contentious topic in Australia. While salmon farming is banned in other parts of the world, the Tasmanian government has been facilitating its growth. The industry has grown from a 56-tonne salmon harvest in 1986-87 to 83,000 tonnes in 2020-21, and is on track to become a $2 billion enterprise by 2030. However, opponents of the industry argue that it has a detrimental impact on the environment, with high levels of nutrient and antibiotic pollution, low levels of oxygen, and dead zones found in the waters of Macquarie Harbour, a unique and sensitive waterway adjacent to a World Heritage Area.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Salmon farming banned in Australia | No |
| Salmon farming in Tasmania | Yes |
| Tasmanian salmon industry value by 2030 | $2 billion |
| Tasmanian salmon harvest in 1986-87 | 56 tonnes |
| Tasmanian salmon harvest in 2020-21 | 83,000 tonnes |
| Tasmanian salmon producers | Foreign-owned |
| Tasmanian salmon farms | Macquarie Harbour |
| Environmental impact of Tasmanian salmon farms | Significant |
| Tasmanian salmon farms' impact on Maugean skate | Minimal |
| Tasmanian salmon farms' impact on oxygen levels | Minimal |
| Tasmanian salmon farms' impact on World Heritage-listed area | Pollution |
| Tasmanian salmon farms' impact on seals | Lethal |
| Tasmanian salmon feed | Highly processed, high-fat, synthetic carotenoids, pellets, wild fish |
| Tasmanian salmon health risks | Cancer, developmental issues in children, stroke in women, type 2 diabetes, obesity |
| Tasmanian salmon farming regulation | Independent |
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What You'll Learn
- Tasmania's salmon industry is highly regulated and informed by marine scientists
- Salmon farming is banned in some parts of the world, but not in Australia
- Tasmania's salmon industry is on track to become a $2 billion enterprise by 2030
- Tasmania's salmon producers are foreign-owned and face opposition from locals
- Environmental impacts of salmon farming have been recorded in Macquarie Harbour
Tasmania's salmon industry is highly regulated and informed by marine scientists
The production of Atlantic salmon in Tasmania involves a combination of land-based and sea-based farming systems. The process begins on land, where sexually mature female fish are selected for the grow-out phase due to the susceptibility of male fish to disease and poor meat quality in the relatively warm seawater. This practice of using only female fish has led to the development of "neo-males" through sex reversal, which are then crossed with normal females to produce an all-female offspring.
The regulation of Tasmania's salmon industry includes government oversight of both the freshwater and seawater stages of Atlantic salmon farming. Licensing conditions incorporate production aspects such as the location and size of the farming lease, as well as potential polluting activities and waste management. Farms are required to ensure that there is no significant visual impact beyond the lease area, and remedial action is mandated if license conditions are breached. Ongoing monitoring of water quality and the sea bed is conducted to assess the environmental impact of the salmon farms.
Despite these regulations, there are concerns about the environmental impact of Tasmania's salmon industry. Critics argue that the regulations do not go far enough to protect Tasmania's fragile marine ecosystems and that the government is facilitating the industry's growth without sufficient regard for governance and environmental protection. There have been reports of mass deaths of salmon due to disease, with scientists warning the government about the risk as early as 2017. Additionally, the issue of farmed salmon escaping from their cages and the lack of clear limits on pollution and farm sizes contribute to the environmental concerns.
The Tasmanian government has invited public submissions on the salmon industry's draft biosecurity standards and has received input from various organizations, including the Tasmanian Independent Science Council and the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS). IMAS, in particular, expressed concern about the lack of safe distance between existing marine farms and recommended that farms be closed if they could not be upgraded within a certain timeframe. However, there are allegations that the government has weakened biosecurity standards and provided exemptions under pressure from the salmon industry.
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Salmon farming is banned in some parts of the world, but not in Australia
However, the industry has faced criticism and opposition from environmental groups, who have raised concerns about the impact of salmon farming on the natural environment, particularly in Macquarie Harbour. There are worries about nutrient and antibiotic pollution, as well as low levels of oxygen in the water, which scientists believe are linked to high salmon production.
The Tasmanian government and industry representatives argue that the sector is highly regulated, informed by leading marine scientists, and that it has a minimal impact on the environment. They also point to the economic importance of the industry, which is projected to be worth $2 billion by 2030.
While there is no indication that the Australian government plans to ban salmon farming, there are ongoing debates and discussions about the future of the industry, particularly regarding environmental sustainability and the potential impact on endangered species.
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Tasmania's salmon industry is on track to become a $2 billion enterprise by 2030
The expansion of the salmon industry in Tasmania has not been without controversy. Environmentalists and locals living near salmon farms have raised concerns about the impact of fish farming on the pristine natural environment that "Brand Tasmania" promotes. There have been calls for fish farms to be moved onto land and out of waterways to mitigate these impacts. Additionally, there are concerns about the welfare of the farmed fish themselves. The crowded conditions in which the fish are kept have led to the spread of diseases, requiring the use of antibiotics and other chemicals, which can have negative health impacts on consumers.
The three major salmon producers in Tasmania are now foreign-owned, and they face opposition from locals who are against industrial farming practices. Despite this, the Tasmanian government continues to facilitate the growth of the industry, and it is expected to reach its $2 billion target by 2030.
The success of the salmon industry in Tasmania can be attributed to the combination of land-based and sea-based farming systems. The farming process begins on land with sexually mature "broodstock" fish, which are kept in freshwater ponds or tanks. Once a year, these fish are anaesthetised and undergo smoltification, which enables them to survive in seawater. They are then transferred to sea pens, where they are farmed until they reach maturity.
While the Tasmanian salmon industry faces challenges, it is important to note that it provides significant economic value, with a turnover of $1 billion per year. This contributes significantly to the state's economy and supports over 2,000 jobs.
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Tasmania's salmon producers are foreign-owned and face opposition from locals
Tasmania's salmon industry is dominated by three foreign-owned companies: Tassal, Huon Aquaculture, and Petuna. While Tassal is owned by Canadian company Cooke Aquaculture, Huon Aquaculture was purchased by a Brazilian company, and Petuna was bought by New Zealand-based Sealord in 2020.
These companies face opposition from locals and environmental groups due to concerns about the environmental impact of their farming practices. For example, the use of open-net pens close to shore has been criticised as unsustainable and threatening to marine life and fur seals due to pollution from the concentrated salmon in the nets. There are also concerns about the high use of antibiotics in the industry, as well as the addition of synthetic carotenoids to feed, which provide antioxidant properties and health benefits to the salmon but may also pose environmental risks.
Activists and community groups, such as Neighbours of Fish Farming (NOFF), have expressed concerns about the potential risks to the environment and the lack of transparency and adequate regulation in the industry. They are campaigning to convince consumers on mainland Australia to boycott Tasmanian farmed salmon.
However, others, like Dianne Coon, who operates a Huon pine shop on Tasmania's west coast, support the aquaculture industry, arguing that it is more responsive to community concerns than other industries, such as mining. The primary industries minister also believes that fish farm opponents are a "noisy minority."
The Tasmanian government has supported the growth of the salmon industry, which has expanded significantly in recent years, with an estimated value of $2 billion by 2030. However, there are concerns about the lack of taxation from these foreign-owned companies, with claims that they have not paid company tax in Australia since 2019 despite making significant profits.
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Environmental impacts of salmon farming have been recorded in Macquarie Harbour
Salmon farming is a highly industrialised process that has exploded in the past two decades. While it is being banned in other parts of the world, the Tasmanian government is facilitating its growth. Tasmania's three salmon producers are foreign-owned, and their operations are concentrated in Macquarie Harbour. Serious environmental impacts of salmon farming have been recorded in Macquarie Harbour, which is a unique and sensitive waterway adjacent to a World Heritage Area.
The waste from the farms washes into the surrounding water, leading to a severe depletion of oxygen in the deeper waters of the Harbour. This has created 'dead zones' and caused over a million farmed fish to die from environmental stress and related disease outbreaks. The waste has also resulted in pollution of the seafloor that extends into the World Heritage-listed area. The increase in salmon farming has added to other environmental stressors such as climate change, historical mining in catchwaters, and hydropower generation.
The salmon farming industry has also been accused of using brutal control methods to deter protected fur seals from fish farming operations. Under Tasmanian laws, they are allowed to use underwater explosives and shoot fur seals with plastic shells containing lead shot, called bean bag rounds. Seals are also being killed by entanglement with fish cages, boat strikes, and sedation.
The future of salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour is currently being considered, with anti-salmon farming groups lobbying for a shutdown of the industry. The government, on the other hand, is pushing through legislation to protect the industry's future in Tasmania.
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Frequently asked questions
No, but there are ongoing debates about the ethics of salmon farming in the country.
There are concerns about the environmental impact of salmon farming, particularly in Tasmania, where most of Australia's salmon is farmed. There have been reports of nutrient and antibiotic pollution, low levels of oxygen, and pollution of the seafloor in Macquarie Harbour, a unique and sensitive waterway adjacent to a World Heritage Area.
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) provides a framework of standards for auditing and certifying seafood products as meeting essential environmental requirements. The WWF-Australia is also advocating for a stronger environmental regulatory framework, reforms to marine spatial planning, science-based biomass limits, and enhanced biosecurity measures.
Some people choose not to eat farmed salmon due to the high levels of contaminants such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), dioxins, and other toxic chemicals that have been linked to an increased risk of stroke in women, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and various cancers. Farmed salmon is also fed an unnatural diet of pellets, which are coloured to make the fish the expected red/pink colour.
