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With the advent of giant salmon feedlots, communities and waterway users have witnessed a dramatic decline in the wildlife and quality of their waterways.
The tiny boutique industry of 1986-87 has grown from 56-tonnes to an 83,000 tonne behemoth and is set to double by 2030.

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Image source Corin Smith

Greenwashing

Industrial salmon companies “greenwash” their product as environmentally-friendly and use global “certifying agencies” as camouflage. Certification did not stop the pollution of Macquarie Harbour on the west coast that led to the deaths of 1.35 million salmon, impacted the World Heritage site and helped drive the Maugean skate—relic of the dinosaur age—closer to extinction.

The largest company, Tassal, holds Aquaculture Stewardship Council certification on only 8 out of 36 leases, yet still includes the ASC label on its website.

 
endangered maugean skate

Maugean Skate image by Neville Barrett

Meanwhile, the three multinational salmon companies continue to exploit Macquarie Harbour despite its declining health and the threat to a 60-million year-old animal, the Maugean Skate.