21 September 2017

Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Primary Industries and Water

Tough new salmon farming laws pass the lower house

Strong new laws to police the salmon farming industry have tonight passed the lower house of Parliament.

These are the toughest salmon regulations the state has ever seen, and I welcome the support of all parties – including the Greens – for the new laws.

This is another important step to ensure Tasmania’s salmon industry remains world class and will be able to continue to grow sustainably, supporting jobs in rural and regional Tasmania.

The Bill includes:

• The permanent and formal transfer of powers over day-to-day environmental regulation of the finfish farming industry from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) to the independent Environment Protection Authority (currently this is done through a delegation of powers);
• Bringing together the environmental regulation of inland and marine finfish farming, including hatcheries, into a consolidated system under the Environment Protection Authority;
• Provisions which will provide the independent Environment Protection Authority Director with a clear statutory role for ongoing environmental regulation of the State’s finfish farming industry. This means salmonid companies will require a new Environmental Licence under Tasmania’s Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994(EMPCA);
• Powers for the declaration of finfish marine farming exclusion zones, or ``No Grow Zones’’ - the first of which will be in the greater Mercury Passage.

The Hodgman Government has always stood by the industry and this Bill further strengthens and consolidates the environmental regulation of finfish farming, ensuring it remains a sustainable growth industry for future generations.

More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff

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