WWF publishes hard-hitting report on Tasmanian aquaculture
THE Australian branch of the World Wildlife Fund has called for reform of the fish farming industry in Tasmania, following publication of a critical report on the sector’s environmental impact.
WWF-Australia is a stakeholder in the certification schemes overseen by the Marine Stewardship Council and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, but WWF said: “Through our work to pursue sustainability in the growing aquaculture sector in Tasmania, we became aware through the science that the rapid increase in production volumes was cumulatively placing pressure on some ecosystems.”
In December 2019,WWFAustralia commissioned Seafood Advisory, an independent seafood consultancy, to prepare a report to examine the circumstances surrounding the ecological impacts of expanded aquaculture operations in Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania.
WWF said that it was concerned at the cumulative impact of farming operations in enclosed waterways.
Seafood Advisory’s report, published earlier this month, confirms there are ways that aquaculture certification can and should be reformed, particularly to account for cumulative impacts of multiple farms. It also concludes,WWF-Australia said, that “…some impacts of aquaculture in Macquarie Harbour are beyond the scope of certification and need to be addressed through government regulatory reform.”
In a statement on the publication of the report, WWF-Australia said that it would continue to advocate for “transformation” in the aquaculture industry,
This will include, the organisation said, working towards a stronger environmental regulatory framework, reforms to marine spatial planning, science-based biomass limits and enhanced biosecurity measures and environmental scrutiny, including through the transparency of data collection.
WWF-Australia said: “We will also advocate for the development of new solutions and consideration of land-based opportunities, which may be appropriate in certain contexts, and work to ensure animal welfare remains paramount in all aspects of the industry.”
The WWF stressed the Tasmanian state government must take the lead on regulation, and also that seafood suppliers had an important role to play in ensuring that their produce was sourced responsibly.
The report is available via the WWF-Australia website www. wwf.org.au