Tougher watchdog needed
AQUACULTURE
I FOUND the headline “EPA lifts monitoring for new Tassal farm ( Mercury August 23)” as ambiguous as any of the wheelings and dealings associated with the Tassal salmon-farming venture in Okehampton Bay.
At first glance, I was horrified to think that the EPA was going to remove (lift) any monitoring of the latest fish-farm development.
On reading the article, I quickly realised my mistake and was temporarily relieved to read that the EPA will independently monitor the water quality in Okehampton Bay in order to validate Tassal’s own monitoring of the situation. Regrettably, the article infers that the EPA will be monitoring only the water quality, and only for the first 12 months.
Are we meant to be appeased by the fact that Tassal will be required to produce monthly reports on the impact of its fish farming on the waters, seabed and nearby reefs in Okehampton Bay and the Mercury Passage?
Surely this self-monitoring by Tassal has been the basis of much of the degradation of both the Channel and Macquarie Harbour environments. What is the point of the EPA if it does not independently regulate and monitor all environmental aspects of the salmon-farming industry?
Seal them in
SEALS not getting a seal of approval from salmon farmers is nothing new. The very fact that salmon get their seal of approval is often all that it takes for seals to seal their fish-loving fates.
Seal-proof pens, if effective, would be good news for salmon farmers, not to mention the salmon. But do seal-proof pens get the seal of approval?
Frankly, it remains to be seen if supposedly seal-proof salmon pens can actually withstand the sustained assault of marauding packs of hungry seals, hellbent on breaking the seals that keep the salmon sealed in, so they don’t end up getting all salmoned out.
Bigger question
WHEN it comes to the salmon industry, the only company I hear negative things about is Tassal.
There are other companies using, or until recently, using the same farming methods. One such company is Huon Aquaculture which I was told had issues with diseased fish that were so serious it was something that had to be reported to others in the industry. Unless I’ve missed it, I haven’t seen any reports on this.
Think of fishers
IT was some comfort to see four young Tasmanians getting a job as a result of Tassal’s move to Okehampton Bay ( Mercury, August 26) and we wish them well for the future.
We should, however, also spare a thought for the commercial fishermen whose modest fishing operations on the North-West Coast have been ruined as a consequence of the Government authorising Tassal to transfer more than 2000 fur seals from the South of Tasmania A new way to have your say themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website. to the North-West Coast in the past year.
As well as commercial operators, recreational fishermen in the area have also been unfairly impacted by predatory fur seals, which seem to be becoming increasingly aggressive and potentially dangerous.
It seems clear that other fish farm operators have managed to cease the practice of transferring their problem seals to the North-West and the very least the Government could do, at this late stage, is to require Tassal to do the same thing forthwith.
Bottom of the bay
HANDS up all those who actually believe Jeremy Rockliff’s soaring rhetoric in support of the Finfish Farming Environmental Regulation Bill (Talking Point, August 14) will be worth more than a sheet of Sorbent when the you-know-what hits the bottom of the bay ( Mercury, August 25).
Coastal pollution
IT is hypocrisy for our State Government and Opposition to allow fish farms to be placed around the coastline. Pollution from these fish traps will destroy the coastal environment, including popular Okehampton Bay. It is obvious those involved with this greedy dollar-grabbing venture don’t give a damn about the environmental damage it will cause.
On being un-Australian
I GOT into a little trouble for saying Peter Dutton had no respect or understanding of the law. Now he has said lawyers who help defend those who are victims of illegal actions are un-Australian. I rest my case. The un-Australian c’est lui.
Don’t bag Chisel venue
FOR heaven’s sake Cassy O’Connor, you now oppose the venue that Cold Chisel will play at. For Tasmania’s sake, why don’t you and all your anti-everything Green colleagues jump in a boat and row off into the wilderness. The state would be a better place without all you whingers.
Show me research
MR Barnett, show us the research on which you base your decision to remove suspended sentences and remissions. All the research I have read says such policies are counterproductive.
Tigers in finals test
WILL it happen? The last few times Richmond made the AFL finals, they got carried away and “cocksure” of how good they were, and went “out in straight sets”. Two tough games coming up, so we’ll see if they are as good as they think they are.