Salmon farming Continues in Macquarie Harbour

The Commonwealth has confirmed that there will be a continuation of salmon farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour. This ends the reconsideration request posed by environmental groups over the 2012 decision to expand salmon farming.

The Australia Institute, the Bob Brown Foundation and the Environmental Defenders’ Office claim salmon farming reduces the levels of dissolved oxygen in the harbour water, due to waste from the salmon accumulating below the pens. The degradation in water quality threatens the survival of the critically endangered Maugean skate, for whom the Macquarie Harbour is the only surviving habitat. A study showing that between 2014 and 2021 their population has declined by 47 percent prompted environmental groups to appeal the 2012 decision.

The Commonwealth’s decision follows a law change earlier this year that removed the environment minister’s ability to reconsider previous decisions, if the reconsideration had been ongoing for at least five years and the decisions were initially approved under conditions that involve state-based regulations.

The environment minister of the time. Tanya Plibersek, had been considering the request before the federal government decided to protect salmon farming by amending federal environmental laws.

The Bob Brown Foundation, who has been fighting to end salmon farming in Macquarie for years, had taken the law change to the Federal Court, which had planned to hold a two-day hearing next week, but that will no longer be happening.

Fishing industry welcomes decision

Dr John Whittington, chief executive officer of Salmon Tasmania, said the industry “welcomes the decision made…by [Environmental] Minister Watt”. He claims that the decision provides the 400-plus workers within the community with certainty for the future of salmon aquaculture and contributes to the economic stability of the Tasmanian west coast.

Dr Whittington also mentioned that there had been a “body of new information regarding the health of the harbour with the latest update from the Tasmania Environmental Protection Authority’s Broadscale Environmental Monitoring Program demonstrating good water quality, including oxygen levels”.

Environmental groups concerned

Environmental groups are concerned that the law change could apply more broadly to other federal environmental matters. Bob Brown Foundation (BBF) marine campaigner Alistair Allan said Mr Watt had “purposely subverted” the process by “making the decision before the legal challenge could proceed”.

Mr Allan said the BBF intend to challenge the decision, declaring that the law change should not apply to Macquarie Harbour.

Holmes, A. (2025, August 14). Federal government rules in favour of Macquarie Harbour Salmon Farms. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-14/macquarie-harbour-marine-farming-reaffirmed-commonwealth/105650836 

Moore, G. (2025, March 27). Australia passes law to safeguard Macquarie Harbour Salmon farming. Fishfarming expert. https://www.fishfarmingexpert.com/environmental-protection-huon-macquarie-harbour/australia-passes-law-to-safeguard-macquarie-harbour-salmon-farming/1915239 

MSN. (n.d.). (2025). Commonwealth reaffirms decision to allow salmon farming expansion in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour. MSN https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/markets/commonwealth-reaffirms-decision-to-allow-salmon-farming-expansion-in-tasmania-s-macquarie-harbour/ar-AA1KtIT ABC. (n.d.). (2025, March 31). Bob Brown Foundation lodges legal challenge over Anthony Albanese’s ‘rushed’ salmon bill. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-31/bob-brown-foundation-to-challenge-salmon-bill-federal-court/105115990