Have you written your submission yet to the Tasmanian government’s Salmon Plan? If not, hurry! Submissions are due by 20^th January.

The Draft Tasmanian Salmon Industry Plan was released in late 2022 and shows the lengths to which the Tasmanian government is willing to bend over backwards for the growth of the salmon industry in both state and commonwealth waters around Tasmania. Read it here.

Enough is enough! It is time for change! Let your voice be heard and send your submission today. Tell the government that our beloved oceans and the health of ocean life must come first before corporate profits.

For a super easy-peasy submission, simply copy and paste the submission template below into the submission box. Make sure you personalise your submission if you have the time.

Click here to make your submission NOW!

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SUBMISSION TEMPLATE:

I am writing this submission to the Draft Tasmanian Salmon Industry Plan to express my concern about the continual expansion of the Tasmanian salmon industry in Tasmanian state waters and now into commonwealth waters. It is the community and Tasmania’s marine environment that are paying the cost of this expansion. Algae is blooming, seals are dying, marine debris is gathering, ecosystems are in decline and STILL our concerns as a community are going unheard.

The health of Tassie’s oceans that we love MUST be prioritised now, for the sake of our future generations and Tasmania's unique marine life.

I make the following recommendations:

1. Reinstate moratorium on new salmon leases: this must mean no new leases, no more biomass, no expansion of current leases and no swapping of zombie leases for new ones.                             
   

2. Fully implement all 68 recommendations of the Legislative Council salmon inquiry report. Urgent attention paid to Recommendation 3 – Develop a plan, in consultation with industry, scientific and community stakeholders, to reduce inshore fin fish farming sites, with priority given to ceasing operations in sensitive, sheltered and biodiverse areas.
3. Start transitioning to land-based RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture System) salmon farming. Principle 2 of the Draft Tasmanian Salmon Industry Plan states “Innovation – future growth lies in land-based and offshore salmon farming” but there is no clear time-bound plan outlined. This must include transition of flow-through hatcheries to fully enclosed RAS hatcheries.
4. Community voice in marine planning decisions, including Traditional Owners of Tasmania, through a process of Co-design as in Victoria, and that upholds UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) by obtaining free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).
   
5. Radical reform of Tasmania’s marine planning process, marine laws and Environment Protection Authority (EPA); Tasmanian government to put in place a holistic Marine Plan, a stronger new marine law prioritising healthy ocean ecosystems and a truly independent EPA.
   

    

Click here to read Environment Tasmania’s full submission.