© Jeremy Lyle
Woolworths, an Australian supermarket chain, currently sources farmed salmon products from Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania – a site at which the farming practices threaten an already endangered fish species with extinction. At the Woolworths AGM in October, company shareholders will be asked to vote on whether the retailer should stop this sourcing practice to give the Maugean skate its only chance at survival.
The Australian government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee noted the primary threat to the skate is degraded water quality due to increases in salmon aquaculture, whilst the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) states that none of the 11 salmon farming sites in Macquarie Harbour complies with their standards.
In a press release, Adam Verwey, CEO of SIX – the activist share trading platform which lodged the resolution on behalf of Woolworths shareholders – said “It’s astonishing a company that promotes itself as a leader in sustainability needs its shareholders to step in to stop a likely extinction event. Given the urgency of the situation with the Maugean skate, we thought this would be something Woolworths would agree to act on without the need for a shareholder resolution. To stop contributing to an extinction requires changing just a small part of their salmon supply.”
If successful, the resolution seeks to end Woolworths sourcing salmon from Macquarie Harbour by 30 April 2025.
“It has been over a year since the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies’ emergency interim report showed the Maugean skate population had dropped by 47 percent between 2014-2021. We’ve since heard there is only an estimated 40-120 adult Maugean skate [left]. Yet Woolworths keeps dragging their heels on taking any action. To make matters worse, Woolworths have been putting ‘responsibly sourced’ stickers on Macquarie Harbour salmon. Putting sustainability labels on Macquarie Harbour salmon is greenwashing an extinction event,” said Kelly Roebuck, Living Oceans representative and Environment Tasmania Vice Chair.
