WWF says it is time to talk

THE World Wildlife Fund says the storm over fish farming is a conversation Tasmania needs to have.

The WWF has a keen interest in the Tasmanian salmon industry. It is a stakeholder in the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, and advises Tassal on improving its practices as part of a partnership agreement.

WWF Australia chief executive Dermot O’Gorman said the Okehampton Bay debate showed government and industry needed to engage with the community over fish farming.

“It’s a proxy for a larger conversation that needs to happen around the expansion in the salmon industry,” he said.

“It’s complex but our de- sire would be to see the three players come together to have a conversation with the rest of Tasmania.”

Mr O’Gorman would not be drawn on what went wrong in Macquarie Harbour, other than to say the issues revealed “cumulative impacts” that were not foreseen.

He said it was “a much more complex water body” than first thought.

The WWF’s plea comes amid a court battle and a PR war over salmon.

Tassal, the state and federal governments and the EPA have been drawn in to Federal and Supreme Court action launched by Huon Aquaculture over the handling of Macquarie Harbour by government regulators.

The proceedings are ongoing.