The inquiry would investigate the sustainability of the industry and issues such as the impact of operations on other marine enterprises.

Tasmania's salmon-farming industry is a world-famous, big employer with 1500 jobs statewide and market capital approaching $1 billion.

The best restaurants interstate and overseas will settle for nothing less than a healthy Tasmanian salmon on the seafood menu, because of its clean, green quality and popularity as a delicacy.

This is precisely why the major political parties and the wider industry should welcome any inquiry that resolves concerns from other players and reinforces the clean green nature of the industry.

Similarly, the Greens should nurture and respect what they're playing with. Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson is no doubt responding to concerns with his inquiry. Fair enough.

But salmon farming has huge potential in Tasmania. Better than forestry. Better than a pulp mill. Better than the dig-it-up and cut-it-down era.

Salmon farming should be the Greens' answer to the decline of the resource-based era.

By all means have the inquiry, if it will strengthen the salmon industry and hopefully give confidence to the markets.

There are currently three major players that embody Tasmania's boast of a clean, green, disease-free island.

Tassal and Huon Aquaculture in the South, and Petuna Aquaculture based at Devonport employ more than 1500 people.

These companies are the new Incats; the 21st century answer to forestry and even mining.

As long as the Greens appreciate that. Otherwise they could become their own inquiry's biggest casualty.

- BARRY PRISMALL, deputy editor