Woolworths shareholders refuse to protect Maugean skate from extinction threat

Woolworths shareholders heard today from Tasmanians calling for the supermarket to remove industrial Atlantic salmon produced in Macquarie Harbour from its supply chain. Campaigners challenged the supermarket at its AGM in Sydney to take the action to help prevent the extinction of Maugean skate in the waterway.

NOFF president Peter George says the Woolworths board opposed a resolution led by ethical investment platform, SIX, that would have led to ending the supermarket sourcing own-brand salmon from Macquarie Harbour. Shareholders supported the board.

"This was not unexpected," says Peter George. "However Woolworths, other retailers and their shareholders are now on notice that they cannot deny knowledge of what their supply chains are doing - driving a 60-million-year-old animal towards extinction because of industrial salmon farm practices."

NOFF campaigner, Jess Coughlan, was first to address shareholders at the company AGM in Sydney this afternoon.

"Woolworths' own people have already conceded before the Senate Greenwashing inquiry that they can't claim Own Brand salmon from Macquarie Harbour is sustainably sourced and not contributing to the demise of a survivor from the age of the dinosaurs" she said.

"Moreover, only a small percentage of Woolworths Own Brand Salmon and Ocean Trout is sourced from Macquarie harbour, and would only require a simple shift in procurement, making the reputational risk to Woolworths far outweighing the relatively small amount of change that this resolution is asking for."

Other speakers represented the Bob Brown Foundation, Environment Tasmania and Living Oceans Society.

Woolworths' Chair, Scott Perkins, said the board opposed the resolution because the science of the industry's impact on the Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour was still under review.

He conceded that the supermarket was aware of the "high risk" of greenwashing while relying on certification agencies for Macquarie Harbour that are already challenged for domination by the salmon industry.

Leading international certifiers, ASC, and the RSPCA no longer certify any salmon operations in Macquarie Harbour as sustainable.

• More information: Peter George: 0426 150 369 president@noff.au