Increasing polarisation in attitudes to aquaculture: Evidence from sequential government inquiries

Global aquaculture production has expanded rapidly over the past decade, accompanied by an increase in community concerns. In Tasmania, Australia, this trend has resulted in successive Federal and state government inquires into salmon farming. Submissions to these inquires have been used to analyse increasing polarisation of stakeholder attitudes across key issues including communication, governance, environmental sustainability and pollution and the role of science. The findings indicate that from 2015 to 2019 there has been a deterioration in community trust of government and industry and a heightening of public risk perceptions. Reducing conflict across stakeholder groups will require a co-ordinated approach to communication. One in which science, government, industry and communities are able to inform and be informed, and where knowledge that is viewed as relevant, credible and legitimate is created and disseminated.