CALLS TO CLOSE LONG BAY FISH FARM
Tasmanian Times
8 August 2022
EPA’s damning scientific report on the water quality in Long Bay, Port Arthur fuels calls for salmon pens to Leave Long Bay
On 23 July, at the Koonya Hall, Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection (TPMP) launched their campaign to Free Long Bay, Port Arthur of salmon pens. The campaign is fuelled by continuing concerns of deterioration in water quality and amenity in Long Bay after Tassal began stocking its lease in 2017.
Since late February TPMP has been requesting EPA/IMAS to release its report of the investigation into the waters adjacent to the bay’s salmon pens. Finally, the report is public and clearly reveals the wide ranging impact of Tassal’s salmon operations on Long Bay.
The study reveals that water quality and reef ecosystems are deteriorating way beyond the 35-metre zone allowed by the lease conditions. https://epa.tas.gov.au/environment/water/monitoring-programs/port-arthur-monitoring-progam and concludes that: “Nitrogen isotope data demonstrates that the farm is a nutrient source for macro algae communities at the sites directly adjacent to the lease.”
TASMAN PENINSULA PUBLIC MEETING ON LONG BAY AQUACULTURE
Tasmanian Times
20 July 2022
“Give back Long Bay, Port Arthur.
A community-driven effort to restore the waters around the World Heritage site of Port Arthur to their pristine state will be launched on Saturday, July 23, at 11.00am at the historic Koonya Hall on the Tasman Peninsula.
It follows growing concern about inundation of toxic algal blooms and diminishing water quality in Long Bay, immediately north of the Port Arthur World Heritage historic penal settlement.
Apart from its historic and cultural significance, the area is a major Tasmanian tourist destination, being the gateway to the award winning Three Capes walk in the Tasman National Park, and popular for marine ecotourism including whale watching, diving, kayaking, fishing and surfing.
The campaign’s first goal is to demand the removal of Tassal’s 16 open-net salmon pens, the major cause of algal blooms that have plagued the bay since 2017.
EPA director, Wes Ford has acknowledged to concerned locals that the waterway is not suitable for salmon pens with its low energy waters and little tide or current to flush away the effluent.
CALL FOR RELEASE OF LONG BAY WATER REPORT BY EPA
Tasmanian Times
19 July 2022
A crucial scientific investigation into the waters and marine life in Long Bay, next to World Heritage site Port Arthur is being withheld from residents amidst reports that it’s damning of the salmon industry’s impact.
Residents on the Tasman Peninsula are demanding to see the results but the Environmental Protection Agency is refusing to release them, claiming they’re being ‘peer reviewed’.
Yet the main reason for the investigation and the the prime source of increasing pollution in the bay – the salmon company, Tassal – has had full access to the draft report and its results.
“If there’s nothing to hide, why keep it secret?” says Peter George chair of the Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection, TAMP.
“Along with the community-based Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection, TAMP is calling on the EPA to release the results immediately rather than giving Tassal, the prime perpetrator, time to make up its excuses and claim ‘it won’t happen again’.
SEAGRASS SLIMED BY FISH FARM POLLUTION
Tasmanian Times
3 June 2022
Bob Brown Foundation has released new footage of crucial seagrass habitat being smothered by algae caused by a nearby Tasmanian salmon farm. The seagrass habitat is situated in Long Bay, connected to the wider bay of Port Arthur, which is flanked by the award-winning Port Arthur World Heritage Site and the Tasman National Park.
“Seagrass is a crucial habitat and nursery for marine life and a massive carbon sink. In these times of climate and biodiversity crises, these incredible habitats need to be protected. Instead, they are being smothered by algae caused by salmon farm pollution. This new footage shows the havoc being wreaked on the marine environment by the salmon industry right next to a World Heritage site and national park.” says Bob Brown Foundation’s Fish Farms and Marine Campaigner Bec Howarth.
“This is an opportunity for the Tasmanian government to follow one of the recommendations of its own recent Salmon Inquiry report and remove fish farms from biodiverse, sheltered waters by removing the pens from Long Bay, Port Arthur. This would give the sheltered and delicate marine ecosystem there a chance of restoration,” says Bob Brown Foundation’s Fish Farm Campaigner Alistair Allan.
SALMON GIANT TASSAL SILENT ON MASS DEATH OF FISH NEAR PORT ARTHUR
ABC News - Alexandra Humphries
13 February 2021
Tasmanian aquaculture giant Tassal has reported a sizeable salmon mortality event affecting its Long Bay lease near Port Arthur in the state's south but is refusing to detail the scale or cause of the deaths.
Tasmania's Environment Protection Authority has confirmed Tassal notified it of increased mortality at Long Bay across five individual cages earlier this month.
Mass salmon mortality events must be reported if deaths are more than 0.25 per cent of salmon contained in a single cage per day for three consecutive days.
Tassal responded to the ABC by stating it values "transparency and facts," but did not answer specific questions on the cause of the salmon deaths, the amount of salmon lost in the event, or the dates it occurred.
Tassal also did not provide details on how it was addressing the problem, or whether it had since been resolved.
TASMAN PENINSULA RESIDENTS FEAR FISH PENS TO BLAME FOR SLIMY ALGAE AT BAY NEAR PORT ARTHUR
ABC News - Alexandra Humphries
15 December 2019
Tasman Peninsula residents have been left "devastated" by an influx of slimy, slippery, odorous algae that has blanketed the area of Long Bay and Stingaree Bay, near Port Arthur.
Resident Christine Coughanowr, who is also an environmental scientist, has been kayaking in the area for years, but noticed a severe increase in algae a year ago.
"Visually [the algae] is pretty unpleasant, when it starts to rot it produces smells," she said.
"But underwater it's smothering sea grass, it's smothering seaweed, which are really the base of the system here.
"People that have lived here a long time are devastated."
SALMON FARM PLAN FOR LONG BAY ON THE TASMAN PENINSULA
The Mercury - Alex Lutrell
4 August 2017
Tassal plans to farm salmon at Port Arthur’s Long Bay for the first time in more than a decade.
The company is preparing to open seven pens at a 15ha site at Long Bay, which hasn’t been farmed since 2006.
There are plans for seven more pens in the future.
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said mooring work was under way at Long Bay.
Ms O’Connor said more community consultation was needed and called on Tassal and the State Government to be more upfront.
FISH FARMING RETURNS TO PORT ARTHUR AS TASSAL PREPARES TO RESTOCK LEASE AFTER 11 YEARS
ABC News - Elise Fantin
3 August 2017
Salmon giant Tassal is ramping up work to restock its lease at Port Arthur, 11 years after it was last used.
The 15-hectare site in Long Bay is being prepared for at least seven salmon pens, expanding to 14 in the future.
The return of fish farming to the area has angered recreational fishers.
Tasmanian Association of Recreational Fishing chief executive Mark Nikolai said it would reduce access to popular fishing spots.
"Recreational boats won't be allowed to go in there and there is also a lot of recreational diving that happens along the shoreline," he said.
"It's an extremely popular recreational family fishing area."
Mr Nikolai said his organisation had put forward its concerns to Tassal and the State Government.
