EPA echoes industry "fish oil" line, apparent complicity in cover up NOFF tells media

Neighbours of fish farming is calling out apparent EPA complicity in the coverup of a horrific incident in the Huon and Channel area salmon farms, where putrid greasy material has washed up on beaches and a marine protected area.

The EPA has told media outlets that "the nature of the washed up material is greasy/oily and not consistent with fish flesh".

NOFF campaigner Jess Coughlan told TV News cameras today that by supporting the industry line that the substance washing up on Verona Sands, a much loved beach, is "fish oil" they are misleading the public.

"I have samples here. You can see that they are not a pure substance. There is flesh, muscle fibre, fat and scales present. All kinds of biological matter. And that is why we are calling for testing for viruses, bacteria and chemicals that can be stored in the fat and then transmitted to the environment and wildlife."

"The sheer scale of the die off that is happening in the salmon farms this summer is horrific."

"We are calling on EPA to do their job and be proactive about the release of data clearly showing the full scale of this mortality event from 1 December last year, through to the end of summer and beyond."

• All comments attributed to Jess Coughlan, noff7112@gmail.com, 0431684741