Federal decision on Macquarie Harbour's endangered Maugean skate put off until next federal election

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The federal environment minister has sparked fury. After delaying a decision on the status of the Maugean skate. It means a separate decision on the future of salmon farming in Macquarie harbour - the skate's only habitat - is also likely to be delayed.  Environmentalists say the endangered species needs urgent protection while the salmon industry says workers are now stuck in limbo for another year.

Transcript

00:00The Morgian skate is only found in Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania's west coast, a place

00:08that's also home to a salmon farming industry that's been linked to the degradation of its

00:14habitat.

00:15This animal, the Morgian skate, that's been on the planet for millions of years has gone

00:19from a healthy population to rapidly plummeting in such a short period of time.

00:26A decision on whether to upgrade the skate's status from endangered to critically endangered

00:31was expected this week, but the Federal Environment Minister has now delayed it by a year.

00:37Tanya Plibersek is potentially signing the death warrant for this species, this magnificent

00:43species.

00:44We're frustrated, but we're not surprised by today's development.

00:49We know that the science that the Conservation Committee were looking at was highly questionable.

00:55The Government says the Threatened Species Scientific Committee needs more time to assess

01:00complex new research, which indicates the skate's population has started to stabilise

01:06and the harbour's health is on the improve.

01:08To make a decision based on half the facts is a wrong decision and we need to make sure

01:14that the decision that is made is made with the full science and all the facts on the table.

01:21The delay in determining the species' status comes as Tanya Plibersek continues a separate

01:26and highly contentious assessment on whether salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour can continue

01:32in its current form without risking the fate of the Morgian skate.

01:38Today's decision by the Labor Government in Canberra is nothing short of cowardice.

01:43The fact that we are now seeing a Minister basically kick down the road a can to be on

01:49the next election.

01:50We've been going now for over 12 months without a decision and it's now another Christmas

01:55period that then families with the industry have to go through not knowing what their

02:00future holds.

02:01A future that might not be decided until October next year.

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