14th Feb 2023

The latest polling results from the Australia Institute paint a picture of an island community worried about the health of their coastal waters and keen to see salmon farms out. Almost three quarters of Tasmanians support the Parliamentary inquiry recommendation to cease salmon farming in 'sensitive, sheltered and biodiverse areas' and 76% are concerned about the decline in the marine environment. 

"This is an opportunity for the Rockliff Liberal government to show some leadership in returning inshore, public waters to the community from the hands of the salmon industry" says Rebecca Howarth, Marine Campaigner for Environment Tasmania.

"It is also an opportunity for the government to heed the community's concerns about Tasmania's declining marine environment and commit to a complete reform of our marine laws and management practices. The review of the Living Marine Resources Management Act is a great first step, but polling also found half of Tasmanians don't believe that the review will go far enough to get a great result for the health of Tassie's oceans."

"Tasmania's marine environment is world-class and these polling results speak volumes about the concerns the community have about their decline, their utter discontent at the presence of the salmon industry and a lack of trust in the due processes. This is embarassing for Tasmania while Australia signs global commitments to ocean health. It is time for complete reform and to prioritise ocean health. The future of our unique island life-style depends on it."

The Australia Institute's latest polling results are as follows:

• 3 in 4 (76%) Tasmanians are concerned about the health of Tasmania’s coastal environment

• More than 7 in 10 (72.1%) Tasmanians support the Parliamentary Inquiry recommendation to reduce inshore salmon farming sites, with priority given to ceasing operations in sensitive, sheltered, and biodiverse areas.

• 1 out of 2 Tasmanians (49.8%) are not confident that State Government’s law reforms will do enough to protect the health of Tasmania’s coastal waters.

• Over 80% support one or more key management actions to strengthen protection of marine life including: 

  • 19% supporting reducing catch limits

  • 22.3% supporting protecting fish nurseries

  • 10.1% supporting an immediate ban on recreational gill netting 

  • 30.2% supporting all the above actions 

  • Only 5.6% did not support any of these management actions being taken

• Two Party Preferred Liberal 47% Labor 53%