Tasmanian salmon producer Tassal did not communicate its sustainability practices well, according to its head of sustainability, Linda Sams.
Ms Sams, speaking at a Rural Press Club of Victoria breakfast on Wednesday, said although Tassal had put a lot of effort into gaining Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification for all of its salmon farming operations and making sustainability reports public, it “forgot one thing”.
“We didn’t bring people along the journey, we didn’t communicate it terribly well locally, we didn’t explain what those things meant,” Ms Sams said.
“We were transparent, but people didn’t now where to find it or what they were looking it.”
Most recently, there has been strong opposition towards Tassal’s planned expansion into Okehampton Bay, also in Tasmania, where it is now is doing pre-stocking due diligence.
Tassal has been in the headlines many times this year, including in February, Tasmania’s Environment Protection Authority (EPA) directed the company to fully de-stock a non-compliant Macquarie Harbour salmon farming lease until the marine environment at the site has sufficiently recovered.
In May, a draft report by independent auditors for the ASC said Tassal risked losing its certification at two lease sites in Macquarie Harbour. The major findings relate to a lack of compliance with Marine Farming Licence conditions at the sites in regard to ecosystem function, community engagement and legal compliance.
On June 30, the EPA approved Tassal’s proposed Waste Capture System for operation in Macquarie Harbour, which Tassals, in a media release, said would minimise wast significantly.
Ms Sams said it was important companies be transparent, their certifications are relevant and the information they provide is locally relevance.
“We’re going to do better in that space,” she said.
She said issues about sustainability related to food companies’ social licences were important because “industrial farming” was necessary to continue providing high quality food to the growing population.
Ms Sams was one of three guest speakers representing companies that are part of the Australian Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform, which is celebrating its 10th year.
Julia Seddon, Inghams Group, said the SAI Platform’s goal encourage thriving agricultural supply chains through the adoption of sustainable practices. She said one of the key benefits was learning from others, because SAI membership represented the full supply chain.
