Tasmanian salmon sector welcomes legislative protection as environmental groups prepare legal challenge.
Tasmania’s salmon industry has welcomed amendments to Australia’s federal environmental legislation that secure the future of aquaculture operations in Macquarie Harbour, while environmental groups have signalled plans to contest the move in court.
The Albanese government passed the changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) during the final sitting week before the next federal election. The amendments remove the environment minister’s ability to reconsider historic approvals for aquaculture in the harbour, first granted in 2012.
The industry had faced more than 18 months of uncertainty following a formal request in 2023 from three environmental groups asking the federal minister to re-evaluate those approvals. Concerns were raised over the impact of salmon farming on the endangered Maugean skate, a species native only to Macquarie Harbour.
An estimated 120 jobs are tied to salmon aquaculture in the region. Local residents and business owners in the town of Strahan expressed relief at the outcome, warning that the closure of farms could have triggered significant socio-economic consequences.
Rebecca Arnold, an employee at the local IGA, said the new laws would help protect jobs and community services. “The thought of the fish farm closing — families leaving, jobs going, school closing, medical centre closing — it would have a big impact,” she told ABC News.
Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin said the amendments offered “relief” for workers and underlined the industry’s importance to the west coast community. “The economic fabric of that community… all centres on the fact that the salmon industry has been there for a long time,” he said.
West Coast Council Mayor Shane Pitt described the outcome as “mission accomplished.”
Environmental organisations, including the Bob Brown Foundation and The Australia Institute, have strongly criticised the speed with which the legislation was introduced. Legal avenues to challenge the new laws are under review.
“This might be one battle, but the war is far from over,” said Alistair Allan, a campaigner with the Bob Brown Foundation and a federal Greens candidate.
The Maugean skate has experienced population decline in recent years, with aquaculture cited as a contributing factor. However, recent scientific reports suggest the population has stabilised.
