Comments for the ACF community submission are now closed.
However, comments via the Australian Government's consultation hub remain open until Friday 2 February. Use the talking points on this page and send your message directly to the government!
The Maugean skate is crashing towards extinction from the impacts of industrial salmon farming in its only home of Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania.
Without urgent intervention this marine ray that’s as old as the dinosaurs is likely to disappear forever.
In 2012 the Environment Minister of the day decided salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour didn’t need assessment and approval under Australia’s nature laws. The Maugean skate needs Tanya Plibersek to revoke that decision and declare it does require assessment under Australia’s nature laws, as the first step to getting the skate the emergency relief it needs.
Add a comment and we’ll include it in an ACF Community submission to the government – comments close next week.
What to include in your comment
The minister can choose to reconsider the decision if she deems there is substantial new information about the impacts of salmon farming, or a substantial change in circumstances for the Maugean skate as a protected matter. Use these talking points to craft your comment:
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The Maugean skate population in Macquarie Harbour has declined by 47% in seven years, between 2014 and 2021. The pace of the decline shows its vulnerability to environmental degradation and very few juveniles are reaching adulthood. This raises serious concerns about the species' survival if suitable conditions can’t be delivered.
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New evidence confirms salmon farming’s impact on dissolved oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour, and its contribution to the decline of Maugean skate populations and mass-skate death events.
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Macquarie Harbour is now the only known location of the Maugean skate. It is highly likely it is the only home it has making it critical to its survival. Failing to address the threats to the skates from salmon farming will almost certainly lead to its extinction.
- The Australian Government’s own Conservation Advice for the Maugean skate 'Substantial recent evidence indicates a high risk of extinction for the species in the near future'. and names the 'urgent priority' of 'Eliminating or significantly reducing the impacts of salmonid aquaculture on dissolved oxygen concentrations'.
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The Albanese Government’s pledge to end extinctions demands that the Minister intervenes urgently by declaring salmon farming in Macquarie harbour a 'controlled action' requiring assessment under Australia’s nature laws.
Banner image: Salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour. Credit: Crbellete/Shutterstock.
Latest Supporters
EXTINCTION is forever….We must act NOW !
There’s room for us all – NO ROOM for greedy people who usurp other’s habitat!!
Please don’t let human greed mean my children will read another beautiful creature on the extinct list.
Please pass new regulations to stop pollution from salmon farms.
please reduce industrial salmon farming
Look after the environment, care about our marine creatures, save the Maureen skate.
This input by humans for the dollar win, upsets the natural balance of nature with the sad outcome of loss of more Australian species. Why in this day and age with the knowledge we have" is this a good idea"?
The Govt has the ability to turn this around! Come on Tania Plibisek show that you care!
Stop the environmental impacts that lead to species extinction.
No extinctions on your watch requires you to take action!! Stop the putrid salmon farms from operations!
At the very least a “controlled action” declaration !
Appalled by the magnitude of the farming operations on a visit
Time to protect our natural environment over industry. We have killed and destroyed enough on this planet already.
Please protect the oceans and inhabitants. If the salmon farms are affecting the Rays then the whole ecosystem in this area is suffering. Please stop this practice and protect our oceans from all large industrial farming and fiishing harm. We have trashed the oceans with pollution time to clean it up.
I know there are lots of threats to natural environments but I wonder how businesses get away with habitat destruction that appears to be common knowledge? Who intervenes? What is your power to change this and other destructive influences? If not you, then Who?
Pollution created by Salmon farming in the pristine waters of Tasmania has to be held accountable.
Please save this skate from extinction!
Save our planet, start with endangered marine life, please
No speccies should be threatened with extinction because of greed. We have a shocking record of extinction so please act now.
Too many times Earths beautiful inhabitants decimated for PROFIT!! Stop this greed and protect the voiceless
The Maugean Skate, please, we can’t afford to lose this unique creature.
Please take care of our endangered species.
The Maugean skate population in Macquarie Harbour has declined by 47% in seven years, between 2014 and 2021. The pace of the decline shows its vulnerability to environmental degradation and very few juveniles are reaching adulthood. This raises serious concerns about the species’ survival if suitable conditions can’t be delivered.
New evidence confirms salmon farming’s impact on dissolved oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour, and its contribution to the decline of Maugean skate populations and mass-skate death events.
Macquarie Harbour is now the only known location of the Maugean skate. It is highly likely it is the only home it has making it critical to its survival. Failing to address the threats to the skates from salmon farming will almost certainly lead to its extinction.
The Australian Government’s own Conservation Advice for the Maugean skate ‘Substantial recent evidence indicates a high risk of extinction for the species in the near future’. and names the ‘urgent priority’ of ‘Eliminating or significantly reducing the impacts of salmonid aquaculture on dissolved oxygen concentrations’.
The Albanese Government’s pledge to end extinctions demands that the Minister intervenes urgently by declaring salmon farming in Macquarie harbour a ‘controlled action’ requiring assessment under Australia’s nature laws.
Hello,
I am writing to you with my concern about salmon farming, and ask that that they be reassessed under Australia nature laws, which should have been done back in 2012.
Yours Sincerely
William Howell
It is insane that a species facing extinction is threatened in its only habitat after so many years, a million years existing in these waters, then half disappear in only a few years and the population level is now less than a thousand!!! Please reconsider the decision to allow salmon fishing without regulation in these waters and save this skate. Thank you.
Extinction is forever. The Maugean Skate needs our help now!
New evidence clearly confirms salmon farming’s impact on dissolved oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour, and that this is contributing to the decline of Maugean skate populations and mass-skate death events. The Maugean skate population in Macquarie Harbour has declined by 47% between 2014 and 2021. This is its only known location.
The Australian Government’s own Conservation Advice for the Maugean skate says ‘Substantial recent evidence indicates a high risk of extinction for the species in the near future.’ and states that ’Eliminating or significantly reducing the impacts of salmonid aquaculture on dissolved oxygen concentrations’ is an ‘urgent priority’.
The Albanese Government’s pledge to end extinctions demands that the Minister intervenes urgently by declaring salmon farming in Macquarie harbour a ’controlled action’ requiring assessment under Australia’s nature laws.
We can’t afford to lose more endangered species. Salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour is creating a toxic environment for this endangered skate and other marine animals and must now!!
It is apparent the survival of the Maugean skate is being threatened by the salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour, then that farming must cease.
Australia has an appalling record for the extinction of species since white settlement began and surely we should NOT be doing anything to bring about the extinction of another species. As you would be aware it is estimated there are less than 1,000 of these skates left now. If there numbers drop lower they will soon be at the point of no return from the path to extinction.
We must put our environment and wildlife before profits.
The Australian Government’s own Conservation Advice for the Maugean skate ‘Substantial recent evidence indicates a high risk of extinction for the species in the near future’. and names the ‘urgent priority’ of ‘Eliminating or significantly reducing the impacts of salmonid aquaculture on dissolved oxygen concentrations’.
The Albanese Government’s pledge to end extinctions demands that the Minister intervenes urgently by declaring salmon farming in Macquarie harbour a ‘controlled action’ requiring assessment under Australia’s nature laws.
Stop this toxic industry!
Please stop this devastation.