Documents released today under Freedom of Information reveal advice to the federal government that salmon farming in Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour should be comprehensively assessed under national environment law, for its impact on the endangered Maugean skate and the harbour's World Heritage value.
The advice was provided in November 2023 as the 'likely outcome' of reconsidering a 2012 decision which allowed large-scale fish farming in Macquarie Harbour.
One-third of the harbour is World Heritage listed and the Maugean skate is recognised for its World Heritage Value, because of its link to the dinosaurs.
Former Senator and transparency campaigner Rex Patrick recently won an appeal which overturned a decision to keep the advice secret, the Administrative Review Tribunal finding the public service acted unlawfully in refusing to make the advice public.
The advice is contained in briefing material from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to Environment to Minister Tanya Plibersek, provided in the lead-up to the decision to review fish farming in Macquarie Harbour.
It shows:
- Salmon farming is the primary human-induced threat and is the key action currently regulated under national environmental law. It notes that salmon farming companies will need to engage on their impact on the Maugean skate.
- Due to being an attribute of the World Heritage Values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, any significant impact on the Maugean Skate may also have implications for World Heritage Values and that additional provisions apply to protect these under national environment law.
- If aquaculture operations continue this may further diminish recovery prospects for the Maugean skate.
- The Department is investigating potential breaches of the current conditions.
- That salmon farming operations in Macquarie Harbour would have to stop while a comprehensive assessment is undertaken.
- The need for the reconsideration decision to be made as soon as practicable.
- Just 20 people are employed in Strahan in Offshore Caged Aquaculture, and that it is not identified in the top 5 employment industries in nearby towns or at regional level (2021 Census Data).
- Encourages low-impact re-design of salmon farming.
- The risks of continuing salmon farming include the Maugean skate decline, and World Heritage values being compromised.
- That the department will engage with the Tasmanian Environment Protection Authority to recommend any potential licence renewals should include scope for alignment with potential future national regulatory requirements.
"These documents show the department finds salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour is having a significant impact on the endangered Maugean skate and World Heritage. The Environment Minister has had this advice for almost a year and a half, but has still not made this decision," said Eloise Carr, Director, Australia Institute Tasmania.
"Despite this, the Prime Minister has promised to introduce special laws to allow it to continue. This could happen as soon as next week.
"The situation in Macquarie Harbour - one-third of which is World Heritage and the skate itself is of World Heritage value - is a perfect example of why Australia needs stronger environment laws, not to water down already inadequate protections.
"The Australian Government was willing to go to extraordinary effort and expense to keep this information secret. The public has a right to know about the threat of salmon farming to threatened species and World Heritage."
"There should be no secrets when dealing with environmental matters, and particularly matters that involve potential extinctions," said Rex Patrick, former independent SA Senator.
"Indeed, there should be unfettered and open debate. The only extinction needed here is the extinction of the public service secrecy culture that this Freedom of Information request has exposed."
