The Tasmanian Liberal Government is taking proactive action to protect the State’s rich flora and fauna.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Roger Jaensch, said the Tasmanian Government was taking action to protect the Maugean skate.
“We established an expert Recovery team, which comprises of the Australian Government, community members and industry stakeholders, to develop a Conservation Action Plan,” Minister Jaensch said.
There are a number of threats to the Maugean skate, including dissolved oxygen levels, entanglement in fishing nets, predation and pollution, therefore a collaborative and joint recovery effort is required to ensure the future of the species.
Minister Jaensch welcomed the Federal Government’s funding commitment for a captive breeding program for the skate.
“The Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies is already designing an off-site conservation program based in Tasmania,” Minister Jaensch said.
“This program can get underway quickly using Tasmanian scientific expertise and facilities to progress important work to secure an insurance population.
“I look forward to understanding how the Federal Government’s commitment can support this work.”
Importantly, the Tasmanian Government has been taking action to increase dissolved oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour since 2016.
“We have also introduced gillnetting restrictions and developed a Listing Statement for the skate,” Minister Jaensch said.
“Importantly, the aquaculture industry plays an important role in the West Coast economy. We welcome their continuing investment in initiatives to protect the Skate and our Government will continue to work closely with them and all stakeholders on next steps.”
The Government is also investing in efforts to help save the orange-bellied parrot.
“Through our increased investment of $1.3 million, the Government is building on an early tracking pilot project and maintaining critical infrastructure at the Five Mile Beach captive breeding facility, which holds the largest captive population of orange-bellied parrots in Australia,” Minister Jaensch said.
“The orange-bellied parrot is an iconic Tasmanian species and we look forward to seeing wild birds returning to Melaleuca for the breeding season in the coming weeks.”
The Rockliff Liberal Government has also committed $1 million to the Swift Parrot Recovery Project to build on existing recovery activities identified in the draft National Swift Parrot Recovery Plan and enable new initiatives to help secure the species future.
The Save the Tasmanian Devil Program supports the development of a resilient wild devil population and work on a Devil Facial Tumor Disease vaccine.
“Pleasingly, we are increasingly confident Devil Facial Tumour Disease will not drive the extinction of devils,” the Minister said.
Tasmania’s experts provide significant input into the development and delivery of conservation planning for threatened species, including the newly released Listing Statements for the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle and white-bellied sea eagle.
Threatened Species Day is an opportunity to also recognise the important work volunteers, conservationists and researchers do to help support the Government’s efforts to protect species now and into the future.
