The Tasmanian Government and Opposition are united in their condemnation of a Senate inquiry into Tasmania\'s fin fisheries.

A Senate inquiry, launched by the Labor and Greens MP-dominated Environment and Communications Committee, will look into the state\'s aquaculture regulations, as well as the industry\'s economic impacts and employment profile.

The move for an inquiry followed complaints by abalone and mussel farmers about the impact of fish farming on their fisheries and Tasmanian waterways.

The State Government said the inquiry\'s motivation was to \"shut down\" the $500 million fish farming industry.

Premier Will Hodgman described the inquiry as \"frightening\" and said it was not necessary.

\"My view is that this is very likely to be a witch hunt against the salmon industry,\" he said.

\"These things in the past - when Labor and the Greens have collaborated, especially driven by a Green agenda - tend to attack industry.\"
Tasmanian salmon producer Tassal is eager to use the inquiry to quash concerns about the industry\'s environmental impact.

On Tuesday, former Tassal employee and diving contractor Saul Beckett said the environmental impact was substantial.

Tassal\'s head of sustainability Linda Sams told 936 ABC Hobart she did not think a Senate inquiry was needed but welcomed the opportunity to allay fears.

\"We\'re not raping and pillaging the environment,\" she said.

\"We\'re paying attention to that ecosystem, its impact on us and our impacts on it

\"We\'ll engage with this, we have a good story and the industry will come out of this stronger than it is even now.\"

[Source: Stephen Smiley, Yahoo. Read article]