Salmon farms broke the rules: Whose side is the minister on?

A person need not be a wet-behind-the-ears idealist to be disheartened by how the relationship between government and citizen is ever more strained. Less than inspiring responses to any number of issues feeds disappointment, which leads to disengagement and a dangerous vacuum.

It is unrealistic to expect government to provide, almost on demand, one solution after another to one crisis after another, yet the sticking-plaster responses to so many of our difficulties — health, housing, climate change, data piracy, and regulating the banks — seems more like moving history’s famous deckchairs than the change needed. A tweak here, a nudge there, but all within the confines of convention.

A consequence of the deadening difficulties in trying to lead positive change is that the idea of public interest campaigning has almost become a minority sport

Only the most determined, only those with time and exceptional psychological stamina, can challenge and change reckless behaviour.

Recent days provided an example of admirable David-and-Goliath campaigning. Last year, campaigners opposed to salmon farming secured two submissions made by a principal officer in the Department of Agriculture recommending the rescinding of licences held by salmon farm giant Marine Harvest because of persistent overstocking, in one case by 105%. The minister refused to release the information in annual department inspection reports.

Thankfully, the Commissioner for Environmental Information ruled the minister’s refusal was not justified and the abuses can be highlighted. And they are many: objective, official advice on wrongdoing was dismissed; an enterprise that flagrantly broke the rules has not been closed down and pollution far beyond anything licensed further damages habitats. The utter hypocrisy around accountability is exposed again. However, the most pressing question must be why did the minister put private commercial interests before the interests of citizens and the environment? Whose side is he on?