Storm Bay and Southern Beaches Communities stage massive protest
In a truly awe-inspiring show of community solidarity and strength, local residents and friends of the Southern Beaches came together in large numbers for a vibrant and energetic community beach action at Carlton Beach on Saturday 1 February, to firmly oppose the proposed expansion of commercial salmon farming within Storm Bay.
More than 1400 members of the community from all ages and walks of life, wearing red on the day and carrying binoculars, linked arms to form a human chain along most of the 2.7km Carlton and Park beach foreshore. Red was chosen to represent the critically endangered Red Handfish, whose habitat is vulnerable to the polluting effects of commercial salmon farming in these sensitive waterways. The binoculars are to show industry and government that they are being watched.
After a heart-warming acknowledgement of country and moving song by Cheryl Mundy Trimanya, speakers including Steve Sanders from Friends of the Bays, local resident Jenny Scott and MC Tim Duffy had full support from the assembled community around the clear risks of serious harm to Tasmanian waterways from further industrial fish farming.
In an impressive and unprecedented show of unity, recreational fishers, surfers, divers and swimmers, representing the full diversity of Southern Tasmania's coastal communities, the electorate of Lyons and beyond, have delivered a very clear message to the industry and their political backers:
"We are watching, and we do not consent to dodgy practices in our bay".
This event was supported by Neighbours of Fish Farming (NOFF), who have sourced extensive research into the damaging effects of commercial fish farming in the Huon River and other waterways around Tasmania (see noff.au/resources/sources/ and noff.au/get-the-facts/).
"Our Southern Beaches and Storm Bay communities are tired of not being listened to by these multinational corporations, and our representatives in Parliament, about the very real damage this industry causes to Tasmanian Waterways, as we've already seen in Oakhampton Bay, Long Bay, the D'entrecasteaux Channel and beyond, and we firmly oppose any further expansion of industrial scale salmon farming in our bays." - Greg Lawson, local resident.
Participants from the Lyons electorate also signed a petition calling for the end of the expansion of the pens, and the permanent withdrawal of all leases for fin fish farming in our bays. This partition will be delivered to Parliament in the coming weeks.
Further reading and research at https://www.noff.au/resources/ and https://www.noff.au/get-the-facts/
Further information: Greg Lawson, 0434 954 938
