Jobs, Fish and doing the right thing
Anyone who has cruised the waters of South East Tasmania, will have fallen sleep to the grumble of the anchor chain on the sandy bottom and the thrum of a diesel generator skipping across the (once more beautiful) water from a salmon farm miles away.
In the recent Federal Election The ALP made significant gains in Tasmania, increasing its representation from two to four seats in the House of Representatives including the seat of Braddon, a region encompassing Macquarie Harbour, a focal point for salmon farming activities. Salmon Tasmania, the industry's peak body, claimed that the election result was a strong endorsement, of salmon farming.
Some facts (remember them?)
The Tasmanian Salmon Industry provides around 1,500–2,000 jobs. These are people who are employed directly in salmon farming. It also creates about 3000 jobs in related sectors (processing, logistics, equipment manufacturing, etc.), So lets call the estimated total jobs, 5000
The Gross Value of Production is over AUD $1 billion annually, but its unclear how much of this remains in the state as Tassal is owned by a Canadian Company, Huon Aquaculture is owned by a Brazilian multinational and Petuna is from New Zealand.
The Salmon Companies do pay tax and licensing fees but the amounts and details around these are murky and hence its hard to tell if they are proportionate to the environmental and social impacts of the farms.
Jobs are important, especially for those to whom they belong. And as a uninvested mainlander, my right to express an opinion might be questioned. But some things are just wrong, however many jobs they provide and however much money they make for their stakeholders. There’s a reason the whaling industry was shut down in Australia in the 1970’s. The same applies to the tobacco industry in the 2000’s (which at its height employed about the same amount of people as the Salmon industry does today.) Values change with time.
The changes that are needed must be made with tact and empathy for those who will be affected. It mustn’t be a DOGE style axing, but a gradual and consistent reduction of a morally untenable industry.
And if you are wondering what’s meant by “morally untenable’ here are two short films to watch from different corners of the world. The jury is no longer out.
So it’s not just about a few privileged yachties disliking the ugly plastic cages and the sounds of a generators. It’s about the wider values I would hope we stand for. Being part of the wooden boat world is a privilege, but its also a responsibility.