Woolworths shareholders to vote on species extinction

03/09/2024
Poster outside Environment Minister's Sydney office
Poster outside Environment Minister's Sydney office

Supermarket chain Woolworths is to host a shareholder vote to decide whether or not to stop procuring farmed salmon from a source which threatens an endangered species of skate. NOFF has been a lead player amongst a large group of environmental organisations pressing Woolworths, Coles and Aldi.

Woolworths currently sources farmed salmon products from Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania – a site at which the farming practices threaten an already endangered fish species with extinction. At the Woolworths AGM in October, company shareholders will be asked to vote on whether the retailer should stop this sourcing practice to give the Maugean skate its only chance at survival.

Supermarket salmon is driving the extinction of the Maugean Skate – an animal that has been around since the dinosaurs. Salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour Tasmania – the skate's only home – is considered a "catastrophic" threat to the survival of the skate. Only 40-120 adult skates remain. Supermarkets must stop selling Macquarie Harbour salmon and trout.

The Australian government's Threatened Species Scientific Committee noted the primary threat to the skate is degraded water quality due to increases in salmon aquaculture, whilst the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) states that none of the eleven salmon farming sites in Macquarie Harbour complies with their standards.

The resolution was organised by SIX, an activist share trading platform, with the support of NOFF and other leading environmental groups.

Adam Verwey, CEO of SIX said "It's astonishing a company that promotes itself as a leader in sustainability needs its shareholders to step in to stop a likely extinction event. Given the urgency of the situation with the Maugean skate, we thought this would be something Woolworths would agree to act on without the need for a shareholder resolution. To stop contributing to an extinction requires changing just a small part of their salmon supply."

If successful, the resolution seeks to end Woolworths sourcing salmon from Macquarie Harbour by 30 April 2025.

Kelly Roebuck, Living Oceans representative and Environment Tasmania Vice Chair said "It has been over a year since the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies' emergency interim report showed the Maugean skate population had dropped by 47 percent between 2014-2021. We've since heard there is only an estimated 40-120 adult Maugean skate [left]. Yet Woolworths keeps dragging their heels on taking any action. To make matters worse, Woolworths have been putting 'responsibly sourced' stickers on Macquarie Harbour salmon. Putting sustainability labels on Macquarie Harbour salmon is greenwashing an extinction event".
"The misnamed 'Conservation Action Plan' is essentially a proposal to monitor the Maugean skate into extinction while protecting the profits of foreign-owned companies and propping up unsustainable jobs for a short while longer," NOFF Campaigner Jess Coughlan said.