Marine & Coastal

News Alert

Protect our Harbours from sea cage fish farms.

The Northern Territory is the newest target for sea cage fish farm proposals.

Marine Harvest (owned by overseas company Marine Harvest) has chosen three sites in the Darwin region: Darwin Harbour, Bynoe Harbour (soon to be Bynoe Harbour Marine Park), and Snake Bay on the Tiwi Islands. It wants to farm barramundi.

These areas have many unique natural, social, cultural and tourism features and are far too valuable to be exposed to the impacts and risks of large scale sea cage fish farm development.

Intensive fish farming in the marine environment brings pollution; risk of pests and diseases spreading to wild populations; loss of public amenity and access, and many other problems.

Similar proposals for sea cage fish farms in coastal regions from Western Australia to Queensland have been rejected due to widespread community opposition and environmental problems. For the very same reasons, these proposals should meet the same fate.

‘Protect our Harbour’s from sea cage farms’ .

Click here for larger image

Much of the fish feed is excreted as waste, and a significant portion of uneaten food sinks to the bottom. Wastes can smother life on the seafloor as well as result in elevated levels of organic matter and nutrients in the water column. It has been estimated that a typical salmon farm produces as much waste (fecal solids) as 62,505 people, all of it discharged into the surrounding water.
Image source: What price farmed fish: a review of the environmental and social costs of farming carnivorous fish. Michael L. Weber for the Sea Web Aquaculture Clearinghouse.

"With thanks to the Poola Foundation (Tom Kantor Fund), Australian Conservation Foundation and The Wilderness Society for their financial support through the Northern Australian Small Grants Program."

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