Today, hundreds of people took to the water in Long Bay on the Tasman Peninsula to protest against Tassal returning salmon to this beautiful bay.
The crowd heard from Dr Bob Brown, Richard Flanagan, author of Toxic, Tasmanian Greens MP Dr Rosalie Woodruff and Trish Bailey from Tasman Peninsula Marine Protection.
Long Bay is the site of 16 Tassal fish farms, that until this week, were empty. A recent IMAS report determined that salmon were causing direct damage to the ecosystem.
“After 2 days of frontline protests in which Tassal’s factory salmon vessel, the AQUA SPA, was delayed from filling the 16 empty pens at Long Bay, the community has come out in big numbers to show Tassal that they need to get out of Long Bay now,” said Alistair Allan, Bob Brown Foundation Fish Farm campaigner.
“This shows that the local community, and Tasmanians in general, are against fish farms. Tasmanians love their oceans, rivers and bays and the salmon industry is destroying them before our very eyes.”
“The AQUA SPA chose not to come and fill pens today, even though it was meant to, because Tassal doesn’t want to face up to the community. They know that they have completely lost any social license to bring that monstrous ship into this beautiful bay. It’s time that the industry and government listen to the concerns of Tasmanians and act on it,” Alistair Allan said.
“A lovely Saturday with so many people who want Tasmania’s seas and shores kept natural. Today’s snap rally at Long Bay is a sign of things to come. People are riled up at the rapid loss of our island’s coastal and marine naturalness. Dumping tonnes of fish faeces in a still bay like this will never be acceptable. Premier Rockliff should get Tassal out – the government should be Long Bay’s saviour, not Tassal’s vassal,” Bob Brown said.