Salmon farming's future on land, Greens say. Oh, no it isn't, says industry

The industry disagrees.

"Well, on-landing is the future in other countries," Dr Woodruff said in a new pre-state election interview with crossbench Senator Jacqui Lambie - whose Jacqui Lambie Network is running candidates - and The Advocate.

"That's where they're heading and that's our policy to transition it.

"Obviously, that's not going to happen straight away."

The future of salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour is in doubt, with a federal review under way amid fears for the survival of the endangered Maugean skate.

The industry says hundreds of jobs hinge on the result.

The West Coast Council has expressed particular concern about the effects on Strahan if the industry closes.

Salmon Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said the Greens were essentially saying: 'We're not opposed to the salmon industry, we're just going to explore every opportunity to shut the industry down."

Mr Martin said the farmed fish already spent half their lives on shore, but "growing them out" on shore would never happen because of the economics, the energy requirements and the effects on the landscape.

He expected the industry's future would be further offshore, describing that as a long-term aspiration.

Dr Woodruff said the industry was not sustainable as it was.

" ... the Liberals and the Labor Party are throwing regional communities under the bus because they're not seeing the writing on the wall with these industries," she said.

"You know, I think these industries have a responsibility ... to actually support those workers into areas which are sustainable.

"They're just choosing the cheapest way because we are not putting the standards in place."

She said better regulation was needed.

West Coast mayor Shane Pitt recently demanded a meeting with Senator Lambie relating to concerns she raised about the industry.

"I'll tell you this," Senator Lambie said, speaking on March 8.

"If the mayor of the West Coast has had a problem, maybe he should have picked up the phone and either rang me directly or contacted my office, which he did not.

"So I have to ask how much of a problem does he actually believe he has?

"If I was him, I'd be going after those (mining) royalties that they get from there, which he's always bitching about to me."

Cr Pitt on March 7 said: "Salmon is the lifeblood of our West Coast community and Ms Lambie's comment are incredibly concerning."

Senator Lambie said salmon farming had a future in Tasmania.

She said her problem was overstocking, which she said was putting the Tasmanian brand at risk.

"It's not sustainable, the way it is," she said.

The full interviews about salmon are in the video.