The Huon Valley community in Tasmania is still reeling from the effects of a serious bacterial incursion. This crisis has devastated community based salmon farms, leading to the deaths of millions of fish. This historic moment has ignited a passion-filled and at times divisive discussion around the aquaculture industry. Most significantly, it poses serious questions about its environmental impact and sustainability. As angry locals are showing, the industry’s future—and its economic importance—is far from guaranteed.
Jane Pash, who has owned a beach shack at Surveyors Bay for close to 30 years. She started becoming aware of the outbreak’s severe impacts when she began seeing big blobs of fat floating onto her native beach. As time dragged on last month, her frustrations boiled over. All of a sudden congealed fish globules began to wash up on the beach and in the bay waters, where she enjoyed swimming both. Pash’s concerns are part of a larger chorus from the community, demanding greater accountability and oversight of the harmful practices of the salmon farms themselves.
Community Concerns
The salmon industry has come under fire in recent months, with stakeholders across the board—surely including Alaskans—worried about the industry’s environmental impact. Jane Pash, another of these residents, pushing for an examination of the industry’s practices.
“I think there needs to be a very drastic, very comprehensive inquiry into the operations” – Jane Pash
Pash has always felt the salmon farms needed to be moved, to places where their environmental impact could be mitigated. Her concerns are not limited to pollution, she points out the noise created by the boats that ruin the peacefulness of her home.
“You can always hear the low hum [of the boats] when you are sleeping” – Jane Pash
Additionally, as Pash has seen, the impacts on the environment are more evident today than ever before. She has a passionate, personal stake in seeing these critical challenges be met to ensure the region’s ecological health can be preserved.
“Certainly, the impacts on the environment, the ecosystems, the foreshore, are becoming more and more and more apparent now, which is of concern” – Jane Pash
The Industry’s Importance
Despite these concerns, many in the Huon Valley believe that the salmon industry is vital for local employment and economic stability. Nathan Rowe, who works at one of Huon Aquaculture’s hatcheries, expresses optimism about the industry’s future. He emphasizes its importance in employing thousands of local people who live in the large suburbs that ring his region.
“People want to be seen to be working in an area where they can be proud” – Nathan Rowe
Rowe is quick to admit that there are big concerns about environmental impacts, but says that the industry can be successful despite that. He reminds us that for millions of families, it’s their quality of life on the line. He feeds to that dragon, because he knows it is key to sustaining Tasmania’s economy.
“But I feel that the salmon industry is a big part of Tasmania” – Jane Pash
Local business owners emphasize this point. Ros and Brett Hickey have run the Port Huon Trading Post café for almost 20 years. They depend on patrons who provide the bulk of the wild caught salmon. As Ros Hickey explains, without this assistance, their community café would not be able to keep its doors open.
“They’re very, very important because we’ve lost our logging industry pretty much, and there’s not a lot else around” – Ros Hickey
A Balancing Act
Tensions are reaching a boiling point between environmental advocates and industry supporters. Getting this right is important both for the long-term health of the community and for the future of the salmon farming industry. Residents like Jane Pash continue to push for accountability and change, while many others rally behind an industry that provides economic stability in a region that has seen better days.
Aerial shots of salmon farms crisscrossing the water are a testament to what aquaculture can do. They serve as a poignant reminder of the dangers it creates to this otherwise untouched wilderness. Debate in Huon Valley will be largely shaped by two overarching story lines – environmental care and economic need. These themes will continue to play out in discussions for a long while.
