The Maugean skate has been swimming in the waters of Tasmania since the era of the dinosaurs. It’s a 60-million-year-old survivor that managed to outlast the asteroid that wiped out the T-Rex, but it might not survive a second term of the Albanese government.
Recent Freedom of Information (FoI) documents have revealed a disturbing choice made in the halls of Canberra. In late 2024, the Environment Department gave the Albanese government a clear warning. They recommended revoking a 2012 decision that allowed salmon farming to expand in Macquarie Harbour. The reason? The expansion was having a "significant impact" on the endangered Maugean skate and the nearby Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. For a different view, read: this related article.
Instead of following that expert advice, the government did something completely different. They didn't just ignore it; they rewrote the rules to make sure the advice couldn't be acted upon. By March 2025, the government rammed the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Reconsiderations) Bill 2025 through Parliament. This law wasn't about saving the skate. It was about saving the salmon industry from legal scrutiny.
The advice that didn't fit the agenda
The Environment Department’s recommendation was blunt. Officials told then-Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek that "substantial new information" showed salmon farming was choking the life out of the harbour. Large-scale fish farming reduces dissolved oxygen levels. For a species like the Maugean skate, which lives only in Macquarie Harbour, that’s a death sentence. Further reporting on this trend has been published by Associated Press.
The advice recommended a fresh inquiry that could have paused or scaled back farming operations. In the world of environmental protection, this is what we call the "precautionary principle." When a species is on the brink, you stop doing the thing that’s killing it.
But the Albanese government had other priorities. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese personally assured salmon companies that the government would ensure "appropriate environmental laws" were in place to keep the industry going. This wasn't about the environment; it was about protecting a $1.3 billion industry that both Labor and the Coalition are desperate to keep happy.
Why the Maugean skate is suffocating
To understand why the skate is dying, you have to look at how salmon are farmed. Thousands of fish are packed into pens. They poop. They drop uneaten food. All that organic waste sinks to the bottom of the harbour and rots. This process consumes oxygen.
Macquarie Harbour is already a low-oxygen environment. It has a unique layer of fresh water on top of salt water that doesn't mix easily. When you add industrial-scale salmon waste to that mix, you create "dead zones." The skates, which spend their lives on the harbour floor, simply can't breathe.
Recent estimates suggest there might be fewer than 1,000 adult skates left. Some scientists put that number as low as 40 to 120. When a population is that small, one bad summer or one extreme weather event could wipe them out entirely.
A legislative shield for industry
The law passed in 2025 did something very specific and very dangerous. It limited the ability of third parties—like environment groups or local communities—to request a reconsideration of old environmental decisions.
Previously, if new scientific evidence emerged showing a project was more harmful than originally thought, anyone could ask the minister to take a second look. This was a vital safety valve in the EPBC Act.
The new laws effectively slammed that valve shut. The government argued this was about providing "certainty" to workers and families in regional Tasmania. But "certainty" for the salmon industry means "extinction" for the skate.
The wider danger of the 2025 amendments
Environmental lawyers have warned that these changes aren't just about salmon. Because the wording of the bill isn't geographically or industry-specific, it could be used to shield:
- New coal and gas projects
- Large-scale land clearing
- Major infrastructure developments
By removing the public’s right to challenge outdated decisions based on new science, the government has weakened the very foundation of Australia’s nature laws. It’s a classic case of a "carve-out" that sets a precedent for every other polluting industry to follow.
The myth of "sustainable" salmon
The government loves to use the word "sustainable." They’ve committed $21 million to a massive "oxygenation" project in Macquarie Harbour. Basically, they’re trying to pump air into the water to offset the damage from the fish pens.
It’s an expensive, unproven experiment. It’s like trying to vacuum a house while someone else is actively throwing buckets of dirt onto the floor. Scientists from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee have been clear: the "fastest and simplest" way to save the skate is to reduce the number of fish in the harbour.
The government’s spokesperson claimed the department’s advice was just "a single point in time." But the science hasn't changed. The only thing that changed was the government's willingness to listen.
What happens when we choose jobs over existence
This isn't just about one weird-looking fish in a remote corner of Tasmania. It’s about how we value our natural heritage. If a species that survived the dinosaurs can be legislated into extinction to protect a few years of corporate profits, what chance does anything else have?
The Bob Brown Foundation and other groups are now challenging these decisions in the Federal Court. They're fighting a government that seems more interested in "stabilising" an industry than preventing an extinction.
If you want to see change, you can't just wait for the next election. Here’s what’s actually happening right now:
- The Federal Court challenge: Keep an eye on the NWTAS for Clean Oceans case. It’s the last line of defense for the skate.
- Consumer choices: Many major retailers still source salmon from Macquarie Harbour. Looking for "Skate Friendly" or land-based salmon alternatives is a direct way to hit the industry where it hurts.
- Political pressure: Contacting Tasmanian MPs and the Federal Environment Minister about the specific FOI revelations keeps the pressure on. They need to know that "certainty" for industry isn't a valid excuse for scientific negligence.
The Albanese government claimed they would be better for the environment than the previous guys. But when the choice came down to a 60-million-year-old survivor or a donor-heavy industry, they chose the industry. The Maugean skate is running out of air, and time is running out for the government to admit they got this one dead wrong.
