Media release – Environment Tasmania, 18 June 2021
New evidence of severe animal welfare abuses at Tassal and false reporting of seal kill numbers
New Right to Information documents have revealed Tasmanian Government staff called for an investigation into Tassal’s severe mistreatment of seals, with horrific images of seals shot in the face at close range, suffering blunt trauma injury, wound infection and slowly bleeding to death.
“We were sickened when going through these images and reports – these seals have been brutalised with explosives and 12-gauge shotguns at close range and left to bleed to death,” says Laura Kelly, Environment Tasmania.”
Then there is evidence of the Tasmanian Government refusing to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, despite repeated calls from their own staff to do so in the face of severe animal cruelty from Tassal.”
The RTI documents also confirm for the first time that the Tasmanian Government believes what the community have long suspected – salmon company reports of seal deaths are well below the actual number of seals being killed.
According to a DPIPWE wildlife biologist “these findings are probably a large underestimate of the proportion of seals that die due to approved and legislated deterrent use. This is also likely a large underestimate as many seals with injury/penetrating wounds resulting from deterrents would leave the area and die outside the lease area.”
The RTI documents contain evidence of DPIPWE staff calling for an investigation of Tassal, and suggesting that animal welfare abuses have been allowed to continue because of a lack of action by the Tasmanian Government.
In an internal DPIPWE email, a member of the DPIPWE clearly states breaches of the Animal Welfare Act have not been prosecuted and that he believes ongoing abuses are happening because of a lack of oversight by the Tasmanian Government.
Environment Tasmania will write to the Tasmanian Integrity Commission requesting an investigation of the Tasmanian Government’s failure to implement the Animal Welfare Act, despite repeated calls from Government staff for action in the face of illegal cruelty to animals.
Images supplied by ET are posted further down the page. As they may cause to distress to some people, please do not scroll down if you do not wish to see images of injured animals.
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Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Environment spokesperson, 18 June 2021
Salmon Industry’s Seal Cruelty Revealed in RTI Documents
The gross treatment of wild seals, and apparently normalised culture of cruel and polluting practices, by the salmon industry have been laid bare in documents released under Right to Information by DPIPWE.
The Liberal Government’s failure to enforce animal welfare standards for native wildlife, and prevent extensive plastic and toxic pollution of the marine environment, is shocking and far from the ‘clean green salmon’ brand it broadcasts.
Australian fur seals, ordinarily a protected species, have been subjected to horrible practices by salmon companies.
RTI documents from January 2018 to January 2020 reveal seals have been systematically attacked with some 4,000 Kevlar-cased lead shot, euphemistically called ‘bean bags’ by the industry. There’s nothing soft or humane about what DPIPWE staff confirm are non-biodegradable, toxic and, too often, lethal.
The documents show shocking pictures of wounded and blinded seals, along with autopsies of seals who died through drowning from blunt trauma, or blast injuries within fish farm leases.
It’s clear many animals have been shot in the face and have died, been blinded or injured, and euthanised. These are native animals, supposedly protected under Tasmanian law.
The photos of dead and injured seals in these documents are difficult to look at.
There are serious questions about why possible breaches of the Animal Welfare Act 1993 haven’t been pursued. Wildlife officers repeatedly raised potential animal cruelty issues occurring “on a significant scale”. No enforcement action has been taken – why?
Minister Barnett is responsible for both the salmon industry and the Animal Welfare Act 1993. He must respond immediately.
Minister Barnett should halt the use of seal deterrents until an investigation of animal welfare impacts is conducted. The Liberals can’t keep ignoring this cruelty.
IMAGES OF INJURED SEALS FURTHER DOWN
