New data released today indicates the Maugean skate population in Tasmania has stabilised and there is as many juveniles in Macquarie Harbour today as there was 10 years ago.
Recent data from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) suggests that the population of the endangered Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour has stabilised, with juvenile numbers now at the same level as they were ten years ago.
The research marks a turning point in an ongoing debate about the impact of salmon farming on the species, which has been in decline due to low oxygen levels in the harbour, a problem salmon farms have long been blamed for exacerbating.
The Maugean skate, an ancient species native to Macquarie Harbour, has been central to discussions about the environmental effects of salmon farming in Tasmania. Conservationists and environmental activists have attributed the declining oxygen levels in the harbour to aquaculture operations, arguing that these conditions threaten the survival of the skate. In response, salmon farmers have been under increasing scrutiny, with some calling for a halt to farming in the harbour.
The IMAS findings, released on Tuesday, show no further decline in the skate population since 2021, with a “positive sign” of increased juvenile presence. This comes as the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) reports that oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour are at their best in over a decade.
Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin responded to the findings, arguing that the data supports the coexistence of salmon farming and the Maugean skate. “As an industry, we have never shied away from concerns about the Maugean skate,” said Martin, adding that the industry has invested heavily in scientific research aimed at ensuring the long-term future of the species.
He further argued that with the improved oxygenation of the harbour and the stabilisation of the skate population, it would be unreasonable for the federal government to shut down salmon aquaculture in Macquarie Harbour.
“There is no justification for Minister Plibersek to kill our industry to save the skate – she cannot and should not ignore the facts,” Martin stated, referring to Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, who has been under pressure from environmental groups to consider closing the harbour to salmon farming.
Martin also emphasised the industry’s role in the local economy, stating that regulators’ adaptive management approach, in cooperation with the industry, has been effective. He called on other stakeholders, particularly Hydro Tasmania, to take shared responsibility for the long-term management of Macquarie Harbour.
