Save the Maugean Skate
The Maugean skate is facing imminent extinction. Intensive salmon farming and, altered river flows into the harbour to support hydroelectricity production are depleting oxygen in the harbour, pushing the skate too hard for too long, and literally choking it to death.
In just 10 years, the Maugean skate might no longer exist on this planet, marking the world’s first extinction of a ray in modern times directly because of human activity. We can’t, and won’t, let it become the ‘Tasmanian tiger’ of the sea.
Preventing a ‘Tasmanian tiger’ of the sea
The Maugean skate population is rapidly declining, dropping up to 47% between 2014 and 2021. They are one extreme weather event away from extinction. We need to act now. Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has the power to protect this unique creature for years to come, by ensuring the following happens:
Restore the health of Macquarie Harbour so that oxygen levels are restored and maintained at levels conducive to supporting a healthy Maugean skate population.
Restoring a healthy harbour needs an immediate pause on salmon farming, at least until oxygen levels are restored and the immediate development of a captive breeding program.
Ongoing population monitoring to establish how many skates there are, in order to track and refine recovery efforts.
Fast track an uplisting of the species to ‘Critically Endangered’ under Australia’s nature laws, as per the HSI and AMCS scientific nomination under this category in 2023.
Take Action
Become a Shark Champion today.
Join us and over 60,000 Shark Champions in tackling the issues sharks and rays are currently facing in Australian waters. Be a voice for precious marine life by calling on our elected leaders to give our endangered sharks and rays the protections they desperately need.
When it comes to sharks, we are their biggest threat but also their only hope. Become a Shark Champion today.
