Salmon farm case released by minister
THE Bob Brown Foundation expects to decide next week whether to pursue Federal Court action over Tassal’s Okehampton Bay development.
Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg has released the reasons behind his decision to permit salmon farming at Okehampton Bay, which were requested in the first part of the legal action launched last week by developer Graeme Wood’s Triabunna Investments and Spring Bay Mill alongside the Bob Brown Foundation.
According to the reasons, the Department of Environment and Energy determined the development “could have a significant impact” on endangered southern right whales. But the department said this could be reduced to below “significant” levels if Tassal complied with particular requirements.
Mr Frydenberg later issued a list of requirements to reduce risks posed to the whales by vessel strikes, entanglement and noise. The department also found the farm may affect great white sharks that migrate through the Mercury Passage, but it was unlikely to have a significant impact on them.
Dr Brown said the foundation was looking at the reasons provided by Mr Frydenberg “very carefully” before deciding whether to continue pursuing the court action.
The assessment did not seem to have considered whitebellied sea eagles, a vulnerable species known to be in the area.
The second part of the court case challenged Mr Frydenberg’s decision not to require Tassal to submit other parts of the development, including a dam proposed at Buckland and a marine farming shore facility in Spring Bay, for assessment together with the salmon farm.
However, because the major proponent of the dam was the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council and the shore facility has been put forward by Spring Bay Seafoods, the department said it was unable to require the projects be assessed together.
A Tassal spokesman said: “The comprehensive and independent marine farm planning review, federal EPBC review, the baseline report and new monitoring program shows that our operations are deemed very low risk.”
Yesterday, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council visited Hobart, explaining how salmon farm companies get certified.