Cooke Aquaculture’s last fish farm leases in US Puget Sound had their renewals denied by Washington State, a stark warning to Tasmanians about this company’s harmful ocean-based industrial fish farming operations.
Washington’s Commissioner of Public lands has strongly condemned the company’s behaviour, citing lease violations, a “catastrophic” pen collapse and years of costly litigation resisting the lease cancellations.
The appalling environmental track records of new Tassal owners Cooke, and new Huon Aquaculture owners JBS, has been well-documented already. This decision by Washington State reminds Tasmanians, yet again, why these multinational salmon companies pose such a threat to Tasmanian waters.
Despite the clear risks posed by Cooke and JBS, Premier Jeremy Rockliff has put out the welcome mat for their expansion in Tasmania. At a recent high-priced Liberal party fundraising dinner, he assured salmon bosses his government will back the industry all the way, regardless of how unpopular that would be.
Tasmania needs a Liberal Government, and Labor Opposition, who have the courage to protect our precious marine waters against these litigious predatory profiteers.
