Scientists advising the Australian government have recommended a dramatic scaling back or complete removal of the salmon industry from Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour to prevent the extinction of the Maugean skate, reports The Guardian. 

This advice comes as part of a conservation report by the government's threatened species scientific committee, which has called for the skate, a rare species found only in this region, to be classified as critically endangered.

The report highlights that the Maugean skate population has dwindled alarmingly, with only 40 to 120 adults remaining in the wild, and is projected to decline by another 25% within the next generation. Over the past decade, the population has already been cut nearly in half.

This advice is likely to ignite controversy, as both the Tasmanian Liberal and Labor parties strongly support the $1.3 billion salmon industry, which is a crucial employer in the remote west coast of Tasmania. Despite Macquarie Harbour producing only 13% of the state's salmon, industry advocates argue it remains an essential hub.

In response to the report, Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin said that multiple factors contribute to the harbor's water quality issues, including climate change and hydroelectric water flows, in addition to salmon farming.

He also emphasized the efforts being made by the salmon industry and government to improve the harbor's health, noting that it is now "near its healthiest in a decade."

However, Martin also warned that simply ending salmon aquaculture in the harbor would not guarantee the skate's survival. "But it is 100% certain reducing aquaculture in Macquarie Harbour will cost hundreds of jobs and devastate communities," he said. 

The government's threatened species committee has called for public submissions on whether the Maugean skate should be reclassified as critically endangered. A decision is expected after the consultation period ends on Sept. 26.