Chairman of the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania Clyde Mansell says the Aboriginal community of Tasmania is concerned about the impact of the super-trawler on the local cultural activity, specifically mutton birding.
Mutton-birding is a centuries old tradition for Aboriginal communities in Tasmania.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Mutton birds, or shearwaters, migrate back to rookeries along Tasmania's coast every year and have for centuries provided a food source for communities there.
“The Aboriginal community has a long-term cultural relationship with mutton-birding throughout the state and we're determined to try and sustain the continuance of that,” says
“We believe that the trawler will interfere with the food chain. Mutton birds rely heavily on krill and we believe the impact of a boat of this size, and using the nets they are going to use, will impact on the supply of that food source,” says Mr Mansell.
There has been widespread opposition from environmentalists, scientists, politicians and other fishermen to Seafish Tasmania's plan to operate the super-trawler Margiris in Australian waters.
