Endangered Maugean skate and its only home, Macquarie Harbour, are matters of national environmental significance and protected under national environmental law. One third of the harbour is World Heritage and Maugean skate, an endangered stingray-like animal, are one of the natural values of Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Scientific evidence shows salmon farming operations are the primary risk and 'almost certain' to be 'catastrophic' to the skate.
The Australia Institute commissioned polling by Dynata, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,009 Australians between 13 and 15 November 2024 about their attitudes towards fish farming in Macquarie Harbour where it is putting the endangered Maugean skate at risk of extinction. The margin of error is ±3%.
Key findings:
- Nearly three in five Australians (58%) support stopping fish farming in areas where it is putting the endangered Maugean skate at risk of extinction. One in six (17%) oppose. This is similar to the 61% who supported this in 2023. The same proportion of Australians (17%) opposed the measure in 2023.
- The majority of Australians across all voting intentions, except One Nation voters, support stopping fish farming in areas where it is putting the Maugean skate at risk of extinction. Support is highest among Greens voters (74%), followed by Labor (58%) and Coalition (54%) voters.
"Saturday marks 12 months since the review of fish farming in Macquarie Harbour began. A decision from Minister Plibersek is urgently needed if we are to prevent the extinction of Maugean skate in its only home and return the harbour's ecosystem to health," said Eloise Carr, Director, Australia Institute Tasmania.
"After a year of waiting, our research shows that Australians support what the science is telling us we need to do: stop salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour. A majority of voters from across the political spectrum support this.
"This is a matter of national environmental significance, not only because the endangered skate is protected under national environmental law, but also because it is one of the natural values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. A third of the harbour is World Heritage. What happens to the skate and the health of the harbour is of global significance.
"Numerous Tasmanian polls show more than 7 in 10 Tasmanians want fish farms out of sensitive inshore waters, now this survey confirms Australians also want action on this matter of national environmental significance."
"The science could not be clearer. Top Australian independent scientists have confirmed this to Minister Plibersek. Salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour has been identified by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee as the key threatening process for the endangered Maugean skate. The best available evidence concludes unacceptable impacts from salmon farming are occurring.
"The Minister's own Department has advised her that fish farming in Macquarie Harbour is 'almost certain' to have a 'catastrophic' impact on Maugean skate and should have been removed before last summer."
"National environment law requires a decision from federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek 'as soon as practicable' on the reconsideration of the 2012 decision that allowed large scale salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour. The Minister has had 12 months to make that decision, yet we still do not have an outcome."
