Federal government advice to protect the Maugean skate from extinction by taking “urgent actions…prior to summer 2023” including “a reduction in salmonid aquaculture organic loads” has been dismissed by the Maugean skate national recovery team.
Instead the Maugean skate national recovery team today announced an agreement to “investigate, and where feasible, implement methods for reducing salmon aquaculture oxygen demand on Macquarie Harbour” from July 2024.
Greens spokesperson for lutruwita/Tasmania, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said:
“I know many in the Maugean skate national recovery team are fighting tooth and nail to protect the skate, but this decision is off.
“Why wait until July 2024 to reduce salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour when science tells us action is needed today?!
“It’s a cruel irony that a national recovery team would let a species languish like this.
“This is clearly an economic and political decision, not an environmental one – it stinks of the state government and salmon industry hijacking the recovery team’s agenda.
“I implore Tanya Plibersek to pull every lever available to give the skate the best possible chance of survival, inducing the removal of Atlantic salmon from Macquarie Harbour.”