Huon Aquaculture's farm. (Photo: Huon Aquaculture)

Federal Court dismisses Huon Aquaculture’s case against Tasmanian rivals

Tasmanian salmon giant Huon Aquaculture has lost its Federal Court battle against its rivals Tassal and Petuna and the Commonwealth over salmon numbers in Macquarie Harbour.

Huon Aquaculture challenged the 2012 decision of the then-federal environment minister Tony Burke to allow salmon farming expansion in the harbour, arguing it was invalid and had led to environmental degradation.

Rival companies Petuna and Tassal were parties to the case, and supported the minister's decision.

Now, Justice Duncan Kerr dismissed Huon Aquaculture's application and ordered it pay costs, ABC reported.

Among his extensive reasons, Justice Kerr stated it was "incontestable that Huon was one of the original sponsors of the proposal that marine farming in Macquarie Harbour be permitted to expand".

"Notwithstanding Huon's concern for the environment and its threats to take legal action in 2014, Huon continued to take economic advantage of that decision to make substantial additional profits until it commenced these proceedings," he added.

In a statement, Huon executive director Frances Bender said the company had had “a moral victory if not a legal one”.

“Despite today’s decision, we have achieved our broader aims: we now have biomass back at pre-expansion levels, which we believe will return the harbour to improved environmental health,” Bender said.

A Tassal spokesman welcomed the decision, saying the company remained committed to improving environmental and farming operations in Macquarie Harbour.

Related article:

- Huon continues legal battle at court over salmon farming 

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