Officials with the newly formed Tasmanian Farmed Salmon Alliance said the purpose of the new group is to bring together over a dozen businesses to advance world-leading innovation and sustainable farming methods in the salmon industry.
“The purpose is not activism, but rather to highlight the diverse, clever, compassionate people working in a range of businesses, largely in regional areas, who proudly claim to be part of the salmon supply chain,” Tasmanian Farmed Salmon Alliance President Pene Snashall said. “Alliance members came together more than a year ago to discuss how best to tell the story of the salmon supply chain culminating in the recent launch.”
Members of the new alliance include De Bruyn’s Transport, Crisp Bros & Haywards, Mitchell Plastic Welding, PFG Group, Spectran, BioMar, Skretting, Ridley, Petuna, Huon Aquaculture, Tassal Group, and the Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association.
According to the alliance, the Tasmanian salmon industry contributes AUD 1 billion (USD 715 million, EUR 633 million) annually to the state, and spends approximately AUD 500 million (USD 358 million, EUR 317 million) with local Tasmanian suppliers each year. Furthermore, the salmon industry is one of the leading employment opportunities for rural Tasmanians, it said.
“For the Alliance, being a farmer captures everyone. From the truck driver that moves the salmon daily around the state, to the diver who makes sure the world-leading pens are at peak performance, to the welders and engineers who are driving continuous improvement in manufacturing, to the farmers who look after the welfare of the stock,” the Tasmanian Farmed Salmon Alliance said. “Because when it comes to that great ‘Tasmanian connection’, we bet everyone knows a salmon farmer.”
The alliance said it will represent over 10,000 people in the industry across Tasmania.
“This is the first step in mobilizing the 12,000 voices across feed companies, transport haulage, marine and vessel manufacturers, suppliers and contractors, and the salmon farmers,” Tasmanian Farmed Salmon Alliance Spokesperson David Whyte said in a release. “Together, we know that we are the backbone of many Tasmanian regional towns. Together, we have created a critical mass of highly skilled, employed families who keep regional communities alive, thriving and growing – something that should never be underestimated in the aftermath of a global pandemic.”
The new alliance will be a “vehicle for the voices” of people working inside the salmon supply chain, Snashall said.
“By telling the stories of 10,000-plus employees, the Alliance will ensure that people who are genuinely interested in facts and evidence about the salmon supply chain will have a source of information that is based on facts, not fear,” Snashall said.
