The King Island surf community is reaching out to its international contacts to raise the alarm over any future salmon farming development off the island.
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The island’s breaks are known to attract high-ranking international surfers and photographers, and in the past, have tempted names like pro-surfer Kelly Slater and musician Eddie Vedder to the cool waters.
Tassal was recently granted permission to explore the potential for future oceanic salmon farming off parts of the island’s east coast.
A company spokesman on Tuesday stressed that all work was in its earliest stages at present.
“Proving suitability for fish farming does not just happen overnight - it takes many months, if not years, to complete the proper environmental investigations,” he said.
But any likely development has fired up social and environmental concerns, leading to the establishment of Keep King Island Fish Farm Free.
Group spokesman Charlie Stubbs said it was concerned any future farm could damage, and industrialise, the King Island brand.
“What does King Island have to gain?” he said.
Mr Stubbs said the presence of salmon pens would likely increase seal numbers as well as shark numbers.
International surf photographer Sean Davey has joined the movement.
The Hawaiian-based photographer said a chief concern is the future of popular spot Martha Lavinia Beach, which was named one of the top ten beachbreaks in Australia in a national poll conducted by a leading surf magazine.
“Martha is one of the most beloved beaches on the entire island,” Davey said.
“Because the swell often comes from both sides of the island, it creates truly remarkable waves, particularly suited to surfing.”
He said this could all change through speculation that big salmon pens would move sand and manipulate the swell.
Davey said worse than that, excrement from these cages would cover the marine floor, wash down onto the sand and also affect marine life.
He said the impact on marine life will likely increase hungry predators, leading them to look for another food source.
A Tassal spokesman said the company would not consider a proposal that would alter such a break.
“We estimate that about 10 per cent of our staff are avid surfers who surf the many breaks around the state where salmon pens exist,” he said.
“If salmon pens had an impact, we would hear directly from our staff about it.