Murky waters surround federal salmon farm review
Contentious salmon farming in a remote harbour remains under federal assessment despite law changes aimed at safeguarding the industry.
Labor and the Coalition in March teamed up to pass legislation designed to halt a challenge by environmentalists to aquaculture approvals in Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour.
The major parties said the changes to the nation's environmental act would end the environment minister's review process, sparked by the challenge in 2023.
The move was welcomed by the salmon industry but lashed by others as rushed and designed to grab votes before the federal election on Saturday.
The harbour sits within the marginal electorate of Braddon, which Labor hopes to win from the Liberals.
There were fears the salmon industry could be reduced in size or shut down as part of the review of the 2012 approvals.
A spokesperson for the department of climate change, energy, the environment and water on Wednesday said the harbour assessment remained "subject to deliberative processes".
It is still listed as active on the department's website.
"The minister must undertake an appropriate regulatory process, to apply the law," the spokesperson said.
"This involves considering advice that is legally robust and meets the decision-making requirements of the (environmental) act."
The Bob Brown Foundation in March launched a legal challenge against the law changes which is set to first come before the Federal Court on May 27.
The foundation argues the law changes don't apply to salmon farming in the harbour because operations have not been static.
When asked about the assessment remaining active, a government spokeswoman said "the law was updated in March. The government, as always, will follow the law".
Experts have previously raised concerns the changes may not withstand legal challenges.
Tasmanian Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam, whose party voted for the changes, said Labor had been "exposed" by the fact the assessment remained active.
"All they were concerned about was trying to neutralise the issue politically," he said.
Senator Duniam said, if elected, the coalition would take whatever action necessary to extinguish the assessment.
Salmon Tasmania, which represents the three major salmon farming companies in the state, in March hailed the law changes.
"This is about our people, their families and the community ... who have been living and working with uncertainty and under intense scrutiny for over 18 months," then-CEO Luke Martin said.
Conservationists challenged the original approvals with the aim of protecting the endangered ancient Maugean skate which only lives in the harbour.
Salmon farming operations have been linked to reduced water quality, but the industry points to studies showing the health of the harbour is improving and skate numbers have stabilised.
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