The Australian Government has committed an additional $28 million to improve water quality in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour, aiming to safeguard the endangered Maugean skate, whose only known habitat lies within this unique ecosystem.
The fate of the skate was brought to public attention by Woolworths shareholder activists who questioned the supermarket giant’s support of Tasmanian salmon products from farms in the harbour that have eroded the skate’s key habitat.
Balancing the economics
It’s a tricky political balance because Tasmania’s salmon industry contributes significantly to local communities – the government’s mission is to balance these economic interests with the urgent need to protect one of Australia’s most endangered marine species.
The funding includes $21 million dedicated to expanding an oxygenation trial to address declining dissolved oxygen levels in the harbour, conditions partly attributed to salmon farming activities.
The oxygenation project, led by the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), has already shown preliminary success with Tasmania's Environment Protection Authority reporting improved dissolved oxygen levels over the past year.
It is hoped these efforts will counteract the effects of human activity and sustain the harbour’s marine life, particularly the skate, which faces extinction if conditions do not improve.
An additional $5 million will support a Maugean skate breeding program, also run by IMAS, following the first successful hatching of a skate in captivity last August.
The breeding initiative is expected to play a key role in bolstering the species' numbers in a controlled environment while natural habitats undergo remediation efforts.
A further $2.5 million has been allocated for monitoring the skate population and harbour ecosystem to provide ongoing insights into the health of the environment and the species' recovery.
Limits on salmon farm expansion
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is reviewing requests to reassess a 2012 decision that allowed for the expansion of salmon farming in the harbour.
The decision raised environmental concerns, with calls from advocacy groups such as the Australia Institute, Bob Brown Foundation and the Environmental Defenders Office to reconsider the salmon industry's footprint in Macquarie Harbour.
A separate decision regarding the Maugean skate’s status as a threatened species has been postponed, with recommendations expected after the federal election.
This delay has sparked debate among local stakeholders, with some reiterating that funding alone may not be sufficient if stricter regulations on salmon farming are not implemented.
Of course, the threatened species status is key to motivating action.