Source: SAFE For Animals
Animal rights organisation SAFE is alarmed by the inclusion of at least 14 fish farm developments in the Government’s recently released list of projects selected for fast tracking.
These projects are being rushed through as a result of the new Fast Track Approvals Bill, with SAFE expressing concern at the dangerous precedent being set.
SAFE Campaigns Manager Emily Hall says the rubber stamping of these fish farm developments without applicants being required to follow standard due process is yet another example of the coalition Government’s flagrant disregard for animal welfare.
“Fishes bred in these underwater factory farms are subject to terrible conditions, including poor water quality, skeletal deformities, skin lesions, and heat stress. Due to severe overcrowding, these fishes are also very susceptible to the quick spread of parasites and disease, leading to unacceptably high mortality rates.”
SAFE says all fishes confined to cages on land or at sea are prevented from exhibiting their normal patterns of behaviour, thereby breaching their legal rights.
“Fishes are sentient beings, which means, like us, they have the capacity to experience fear, pain, distress, and a sense of well-being,” says Hall.
“No fish farm can meet the basic welfare needs of fishes, and every one of these underwater factory farms therefore directly contradict fishes’ legal rights under New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act.”
In addition to being forced to exist in tragic conditions in underwater cages, SAFE says the Government has failed to produce a Code of Welfare for fishes.
“Codes of welfare are ratified guidelines which all animal-related industries are expected to abide by, however the code of welfare to ensure the fishing industry operates in line with our Animal Welfare Act has never transpired.”
With the Government setting a target for the aquiculture sector to be a $3bn industry by 2030, there are clearly unreasonable expectations present in terms of pressure to increase output. These dangerous goals are being facilitated by overstepping standard checks and balances and ignoring the subsequent negative impacts on animal welfare and our marine environment.
“These blanket project approvals will commit of hundreds of thousands more fishes to lives of misery trapped in cages blatantly breaching their welfare rights, and we reinforce our call for the Government to ban fish farms outright” says Hall.
SAFE is Aotearoa’s leading animal rights organisation.
We’re creating a future that ensures the rights of animals are respected. Our core work empowers society to make kinder choices for ourselves, animals and our planet.
– SAFE presented both written and oral submissions during the recent consultation process on the Marine Farms Extension Amendment Bill, which was rushed through parliament ‘under urgency’ at the request of current fisheries Minister, Shane Jones.
