Current Issues

Bruny Island community groups Friends of North Bruny, the Bruny Island Environment Network and Bruny Island Community Association have joined together to call for a moratorium on marine farming in Storm Bay. The moratorium objectives are detailed in the following joint submission. 

• Joint Submission Bruny Island Storm Bay Marine Farming Planning BIEN BICA FONB

Below is an important media release from Tassal. It provides formal confirmation by their accreditation body, SCS Global Services, that MF90 (the Tinderbox Lease) will soon be retired. FONB cautiously welcomes this development. We have sought advice from Tassal about the remediation protocols that might be in place for this process. We have also asked DPIWE’s Director of Marine Resources for advice on what reduction in nitrogen load might be expected with this and other retirements in the Channel. We remain deeply concerned about the impacts of proposed expansions of fish farming in Storm Bay. FONB would welcome comment.

• Media Release – Tassal announces off shore plans

For the past 12 months and more, the issue of fish farm expansion in Storm Bay has come to dominate discussion within FONB.  A well attended General Meeting on February 11, and an AGM last month that attracted an even larger turnout, demonstrated the degree of community concern that exists over this issue.  FONB will continue to serve as a fulcrum for analysis and action over fish farm expansion on the northeast coast of Bruny Island.  Our position is well summarised in the following motion, unanimously passed at the 11 February meeting:

‘That the Executive Committee act on behalf of Friends of North Bruny to work with other community groups around Storm Bay to bring to the attention of the Premier, Fisheries Minister and the Marine Farming Planning Review Panel the need for an agreed plan for sustainable fish farming in Storm Bay and the D’Entrecasteaux; and, asks that this be resolved before there are any expansion to the leases in Storm Bay.’