Media release – Neighbours of Fish Farming (NOFF), 23 October 2024
Shocking salmon mortality rates revealed – Macquarie Harbour
More than a million kilos of salmon died during last summer in Macquarie Harbour feedlots, according to figures released by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) (attached).
Neighbours of Fish Farming (NOFF) calls on the companies and the government to disclose the causes of the mortalities, whether through overstocking and disease or other reasons.
According to NRE figures, 1,149,795 kilos of salmon (1,149 tonnes) died in Macquarie Harbour between September last year and March this year.
The figures were released by the department following an RTI inquiry by NOFF – they were published on the website then removed soon afterwards.
“These figures represent over 10% of the reported stocking density of Macquarie Harbour over just seven months and devastate the salmon industry’s claims of high standards of animal welfare,” says Peter George, President of NOFF.
“As these mortalities have occurred in Macquarie Harbour, a public waterway, we need an explanation from the industry about what the hell is happening there.
“It’s likely a result of overstocking and disease – a common issue in the salmon industry – but the actual causes need to be publicly disclosed.
“Last summer, there was no unusual warming of waters in Macquarie Harbour, so natural causes are unlikely to be involved.”
According to other RTI disclosures, Huon Aquaculture, Tassal and Petuna reported some 66 elevated mortality rates around the state’s coast across last summer.
Tonnage and numbers were sought by NOFF but are being opposed by the industry.
Inside industry reports high mortality rates over summer for Huon and Tassal in the south east, including Storm Bay, the Huon River and the Channel but could not be confirmed by NOFF. Tassal suffered a major mortality event in Okehampton Bay.
NOFF calls for full disclosure of mortality numbers and weights Tasmania-wide
“Yet again the government has covered-up for the industry by failing to disclose the mortalities for months and then only after an RTI inquiry. It’s typical of the lack of transparency from industry and from the government itself.
“These latest figures support reports NOFF has received from industry sources of high mortality rates all around Tasmania and reflect global concerns about the extraordinary and increasing number of deaths in salmon feedlots as far apart as Norway, Scotland and Chile.”
Media release – Vica Bayley MP, Greens Environment spokesperson, 23 October 2024
Millions of Dead Fish Foul Macquarie Harbour
Today an RTI was published by the Department of Natural Resources that detailed horrific numbers of salmon mortalities from leases in Macquarie Harbour.
1,149,795 kilograms of salmon carcasses were pulled out of the waters of Macquarie Harbour from spring 2023 to the end of summer 2024. Diseased and deformed fish make up the numbers of fish that have died a horrible death.
The toxic truth and animal welfare horror of industrial salmon farming is laid bare in these shocking numbers.
The enormous number of mortalities is most likely the result of overstocking and not environmental factors. It has been acknowledged globally that overstocking of pens causes spikes in deaths.
Industry insiders have suggested stocking numbers have been causing huge mortality numbers all over the state.
It has to be recognised that Macquarie Harbour carries only a fraction of the states salmon biomass. If these numbers are extrapolated over the whole state, there is likely well over 20,000,000 kilograms of dead fish hauled out of our waters and dumped.
What we do know is that there were 66 “mortality events” statewide between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024, only seven of those were in Macquarie Harbour. Forty were in the Huon / D’Entrecasteaux Channel region, twelve in Storm Bay, six in the Tasman Peninsula area and one up at Oakhampton Bay.
We also know that facilities designed to render down dead fish are overwhelmed and can’t cope. Excess carcasses, numbered in their millions are dumped around the state or ground up and sprayed over farmland.
We don’t know the exact numbers or weight of dead fish statewide because the EPA, at the behest of the industry, has hidden them from the public despite multiple attempts to uncover the truth.
As recently as Budget Estimates the EPA denied this data exists and refused the Greens attempts to uncover it. Minister Duigan sat idly by during this exchange.
The addiction to secrecy on this issue is obscene and the animal welfare issues are disgraceful. The salmon industry’s dirty secret is coming to light and the government needs to explain to Tasmanians why they think this is okay.
We need the exact numbers of mortalities, we need to know what these poor animals are dying from and we need to know what effect this is having on our precious waterways and native wildlife.
No farmer on land would get away with this level of cruelty and loss, why does the salmon industry?
Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 23 October 2024
Shocking numbers of farmed salmon die in Macquarie Harbour and around Tasmania – RSPCA must act
Today, an RTI published by the Department of Natural Resources revealed that in just 7 months, 1,149,795 kg, or approximately 250,000, adult salmon died in the oxygen starved waters of Macquarie Harbour alone.
This represents a mortality rate of 10% of the salmon these factory farms cram and overstock in battery hen- like cages in Macquarie Harbour.
Bob Brown Foundation is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Liberal Government to release the exact numbers of dead fish for the whole state which, so far, the EPA has refused to release.
Bob Brown Foundation is also calling for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) to immediately stop certifying all Tasmanian salmon. This level of death, with 66 mass mortality events occurring around the state between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024, represents millions of dead fish which no society for the prevention of cruelty to animals can continue to condone.
“Salmon farming is the factory farming of the sea,” said Alistair Allan, Antarctic and Marine Campaigner at Bob Brown Foundation.
“This is proof that salmon farms could care less about their salmon, the environment, or the survival and welfare of living creatures. Intensive factory farming of chickens in battery cages, a practice that is reviled, has a yearly mortality rate of 4%. In Macquarie Harbour, factor- farmed salmon recorded a 10% mortality rate in just 6 months, which is just appalling.”
“It’s no wonder that the Maugean skate is so close to extinction. Salmon farms don’t even care about the welfare of their fish, let alone a unique, wild animal. The RSPCA must immediately revoke certifications of Tasmanian farmed salmon or they will lose all credibility. They cannot condone such huge loss of life, primarily caused by overstocking, disease and all manner of cruelty inflicted upon these creatures,” said Alistair Allan.
