Richard Flanagan's book 'Toxic' should be required reading

The Tasmanian salmon industry has long been promoted as ecological, natural, sustainable and providing healthy food consumption for humans. Author, Richard Flanagan comprehensively proves otherwise in his expose on this industry. Published in 2021, the book attracted initial controversy and outrage and highlighted many uncomfortable truths ensnaring well-known companies, Tassal and Huon Aquaculture.  

There have been a few stories, rumours and a small number of comments from scientists that all was not well with the salmon industry in Tasmania. In only 189 pages, Flanagan's book brings all of the evidence and information to bear in an unequivocal condemnation of the aquaculture methods used for salmon farming in the Apple Isle.

To quote from the book " And so we discover that a food product marketed as capable of treating cancer, of miraculously increasing male virility and restoring women's beauty, is in reality a compound of synthetic dye, antibiotics, petrochemical derivatives, the macerated remains of battery hen beaks, skulls, claws. guts and feathers once destined for abattoir waste streams, along with fishmeal made from jeopardised fish stocks stabilised with pesticide also used to stop car tyres cracking that happens to be a carcinogen, and soy meal that has possible links to slave labour and the deforestration of the Amazon and the destruction of the Cerrado and that drives global warming'" [page 72]

It is no small claim to compare the importance of this book to the seminal work by Rachel Carlson 'Silent Spring' which has been a foundation block for environmental science for decades. 

Of note, Australian mining magnate and known environmentalist, Andrew Forrest attempted to take over Huon Aquaculture in 2021 but was beaten by Brazil-based international meat processor giant JBS in November 2021. It remains to be seen whether JBS cleans up Huon's operations in Tasmania or not.