SFFP Tasmania is demanding an immediate cessation to this current Governments illogical and environmentally damaging “seal relocation program”.
Tasmania’s marine environment both, inland and coastal is a special place and enjoyed by thousands of recreational and professional fishers annually. It deserves much better than the indifferent attitude of an uncaring unresponsive liberal State Government.
It is astonishing that huge increases in seal relocations hasn’t apparently triggered and internal review by the Wildlife Branch Management and implies, apathy, incompetence or total indifference to the Tasmanian fishers and the effect on NW coastal environment.
This outrageous practice of removing these highly effective predators from one environment to another, purely to protect the commercial interests of one company’s bottom line is arrogant in the extreme.
This current “plan” has seen senior management of DPIPWE Wildlife Management Branch approve the relocation of 459 – yes 459 seals in the single month of July 2017, that about 15 per day.
In addition, under the control of the current Minister, the department has approved the relocation of 2,100 of these “wolves of the sea ” for the financial year 2017 to Northern coastal waters, that’s almost 6 seals per day.
These predators are now established in excessive numbers along the NW Tasmanian coastline and an unsuspecting wild fishery that for many years has never been exposed to such pressure.
It is now widely known and accepted these seals are actively predating not only on the wild estuaries fishery but also on protected penguin and seabird populations. Fishers have eye witnessed and reported this activity to SFFP Tas.
SFFP Tas believes our policy on this issue is supported widely by Tasmanian fishers both recreational and commercial and also seeks support from the Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council.
Adrian Pickin, Press Liaison Officer, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, Tas.
