The Tasmanian Government makes no apologies for supporting fish farming. It is an iconic Tasmanian industry that is well-regulated and supports more than 5,200 jobs in regional Tasmania including in regional communities like the West Coast, Huon and Channel region, Tasman Peninsula, Tamar Estuary, North-West Coast and Northern Midlands.
4 Corners is a current affairs program, not a science-based documentary. The science in relation to salmon farming is substantial, its complex and in some cases it’s contested so we always need to be careful about accepting any one result or report in isolation. 4 Corners did not include the full range of scientific information available on the industry, and that’s disappointing.
Tasmania’s salmon industry is among the best regulated in the world. But we can always do better, which is why we recently changed the regulatory system so that the independent Environment Protection Agency (EPA) now regulates the industry, including the stocking cap in Macquarie Harbour.
We have also introduced tougher penalties to any companies who commit offences under the new regime which ensure fines are related to the profits of companies and including demerit points which could ultimately see companies lose their licence.
Under the new regime, if a company were to breach a nitrogen cap, as was the case in 2015 where at the time one company received a penalty of $260,000, they would now receive a fine of up to $41 million.
The fact is, the salmon industry operates in a competitive environment with commercial pressures at play and this debate needs to be seen in that context.
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
More Media Releases from the Minister for Primary Industries and Water