SALMON FARMING Calling time on sick industry
I WAS horrified to read Richard Flanagan’s Toxic but grateful to him for shining a light on the secretive practices of the Tasmanian salmon industry.
Like many Tasmanians I trusted that “our” government would have evidence-based regulations in place to protect communities, the environment and the product. Wrong. What is really going on has been hidden under the guise of scientific scrutiny by “independent” bodies, a compromised environmental regulator and industry intimidation and greed. If the resigning in protest of expert scientists from one of these bodies isn’t enough to ring alarm bells then read on. My personal decision to cease dining on salmon may be a small drop in the ocean, but an ocean that can still be saved if we act now. I encourage all Tasmanians to read Toxic and make up their own minds.
RIPPLE EFFECT
Deborah Bordeau Mount Stuart
I AM writing in response to The Glass House restaurant’s statement about no longer using Tasmanian salmon products.
Whilst there are many points of view on how the salmon industry in Tasmania is run, there are always many other factors that need to be considered or taken into account.
Of course, we are all entitled to voice our opinions and people are free to choose not to buy these products, howthe ever if everyone were to take this stance, it would not just affect the large producers, but there are thousands of people affected indirectly, as their livelihood depends on these industries. These types of industries in Tasmania have a huge flow-on effect to the community. The Tasmanian economy would not be able to rely totally on hospitality and tourism, as COVID lockdown has shown us — there needs to be stable employment to enable people to spend their wages on hospitality and tourism. The flow-on of employment from the salmon industry includes transport companies, rentals and housing development within the high employment and mostly remote areas, food processing, packaging, retail sales, boat builders, netting and all of the materials required to build a fish farm.
I am disappointed from some of the attitudes and blinkered views of people who may have children or grandchildren of their own who will one day be seeking full-time stable employment.
These types of industries help keep our kids employed and they will stay in Tasmania to spend their wages and therefore keep the economy moving.
Having said this, the government is ultimately responsible for the regulations in relation to this industry and the companies involved have to abide by these regulations, and in general, appear to be doing so.
The industry and the government need to establish and maintain a sustainable happy medium without being greedy or growing too big and too fast.
D. Perry West Hobart
LEARN FROM HISTORY
THE thing we learn from history is that we never learn from history.
The Scottish, Canadian and Norwegian fish farming enterprises have all had disastrous consequences for the native fish stocks and their attendant fishing industries. Their waterways are grossly polluted, antibiotics and pesticides are used in ever-increasing quantities, the feed pellets are laced with chemical colourings and the persistent seal-deterring explosives create a living hell for all local marine life.
Richard Flanagan has done Tasmanians an enormous favour by lifting the veil on the darker side of industrial fish farming but one need only look at the international experience to see that the road ahead for Tasmanian aquaculture ventures will be very rough indeed. We must let the scientists speak and pursue a rigorous investigation of the industry driven by best available science and not self-interested politicians dazzled by dollars and blind to the growing catastrophe below the waterline.
Consumers are already rejecting the fish farm products in restaurants and supermarkets so perhaps this will spur the industry to have a better look at the clear writing on the wall.
Mark Nicholson
Dynnyrne
A DAMAGING CANCER
I COMPARE current salmon farm companies, with cigarette manufacturers and their spin of old. How no proof had existed that their product caused lung cancer.
As we know, by the time cancer is medically diagnosed, it has potentially progressed beyond the patient’s ability to recover.
Similarly, despite salmon companies’ spin about how environmentally conscious they are, cancers in our state waters are forming, some are seeing the warning signs, others are ignoring them. Toxic waste in the body potentially causes cancer, as do toxins in the waterways.
Unfortunately the government reminds me of the smoker diagnosed with lung cancer whose preference, resulting from his addiction, is continuance with his habit despite the result being certain death. So Tassie, be warned again, that you have increasingly toxic waterways where farms exist in their current format.
Tim Lesser Blackmans Bay