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environmental groups demand that salmon farming be brought ashore after 130. 000 fish escaped through a tear in the net
Huon aquaculture was destroyed after another mass salmon outbreak in Tasmania that could threaten native marine life. .
About 130. 000 farmed salmon swam to freedom after a tear was found in the net of a fish pen in Storm Bay on Wednesday. Huon CEO Peter Bender said there was « significant loss of fish ». .
« This incident, linked to the fire in a pen in the Lower Canal last week, is extremely worrying, » he said in a statement Thursday. “The crews worked all night to evaluate and review this incident for no clear reason. ”
Bender said their small size made it « unlikely » that the fish would survive in the marine environment, but conservationists argue that young salmon are more likely to eat because they are adaptable and not yet used to pellets.
Peter George, co-chair of the Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection, has blown up Huon over its second mass outbreak, dismissing the suggestion that the fish pose no threat to the local environment.
« It’s a real threat and anyone who thinks differently dreams, » he said. « It’s just outrageous that Huon Aquaculture is sparking the escape of an introduced species into local waters as a great day for fishermen. ”
Last week, Bender said: « Escaped salmon usually don’t last long, unfortunately, which the seals don’t let the fisherman do quickly. « .
The crews were unable to determine how the net broke, but Huon said the main structure of the pen was not affected. « The direction of the prevailing winds would indicate that the weather is not causing the net crack, » the company said.
About 50. 000 salmon also swam to freedom last week after an electric fire melted parts of a Huon aquaculture pen in the D’Entrecasteaux Canal.
The company said at the time that these fish would not harm the local ecosystem – citing a 2018 report by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) on escaped farmed fish.
But this second outbreak, which saw nearly three times as many alien fish enter local waters, upset conservationists.
« Tasmania’s salmon escape management has turned into a circus, » said Laura Kelly of Environment Tasmania. “Every time this happens, companies revolve around how fun it will be to catch their escape … and the Tasmanian government just spits out the spin of the industry. ”
Kelly said that adding major escape events to trickle losses of 3% per year meant that « a million introduced species are dumped in our [Tasmanian] seas each year ». .
Environment Tasmania cited an IMAS report which found that at least 15% – or 150%. 000 salmon – would survive on native marine life.
« Last week’s escapes have already been caught with crabs, prawns and small fish in their stomachs, » said Kelly. She told the Guardian that outbreaks happen fairly regularly.
Bender said the latest incident was reported to the state government « in accordance with our regulatory requirements ». . The Guardian has asked the relevant department for comment.
George said the issue is being ignored by politicians, regulators and industry, all of whom have « no-see-here » stance. .
« But this escape is just one more reason why industry has to come out of our waters and go ashore, as is happening all over the world, » he said.
HUON Aquaculture, Tasmania, salmon
World news – AU – ‘A circus’: Second mass salmon outbreak in Tasmania outrages conservationists
Ref: https://www.theguardian.com
