Science not profits: tell the government to Save the Maugean skate.
The Australian Government promised ‘no new extinctions’.
Yet, the Australian Government is at risk of prioritizing foreign-owned salmon farming companies’ profits over our nature laws and saving the Maugean skate from extinction.
Tasmania is facing an extinction emergency of a globally unique Gondwana relic – the Maugean Skate – that could be the world’s first extinction of a shark or ray species due to industrial aquaculture.
It’s estimated that between 40 and 120 adult skates are left in Macquarie Harbour, their only home.
Australia’s peak scientific body, the Threatened Species Scientific Committee, has identified salmon farming as “catastrophic” to the skate’s survival due to driving down oxygen in the harbour to dangerously low levels – suffocating the skate and their eggs.
According to the Australian Government’s Conservation Advice, the fastest way to improve oxygen levels is to remove salmon farming from the harbour. This is yet to happen.
Tasmania is world renown for our natural beauty, unique wilderness, and unusual wildlife. The Tasmanian brand can’t risk having another ‘Thylacine’ (Tassie Tiger) extinction. We need to save this Thylacine of the sea to safeguard the Tassie brand.
Tell your government members to uphold their promise of no new extinctions, and safeguard the skate by following the science and removing salmon farms.
#savetheskatemate