Over 5,500 Tonnes of Dead Salmon Waste Recorded in Tasmania

February’s data reveals a significant uptick in salmon deaths, largely attributed to an endemic bacterium and warmer waters.

Whole Tasmanian Salmon is displayed at Sydney Fish Market in Australia on Dec. 23, 2023. Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Over 5,500 tonnes of salmon mortality waste were recorded across Tasmania in February, accounting for 6 percent of the state’s annual production.

February’s data reveals a significant uptick in salmon deaths, primarily attributed to an endemic bacterium and warmer waters.

Tasmania’s Chief Veterinary Officer stated that the increased mortality event in the lower D'Entrecasteaux Channel was largely due to the bacterium Piscirickettsia salmonis (P. salmonis).

Authorities Initiate Investigations

Acting CEO and Director of the EPA, Cindy Ong, explained that while elevated mortality rates are common during summer months, especially when warmer waters and diseases take hold, the scale of this event is alarming.

As a result, inspections of facilities receiving this mortality waste have commenced.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is also investigating its broader environmental impact, and is expected to conclude later this year

Specifically, the regulator is probing the washing up of congealed fish oil on the southern D'Entrecasteaux Channel shorelines, following notifications from Verona Sands residents on Feb. 16.

The EPA also examines whether environmental licences, waste regulations, and the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 have been breached.

“The EPA has recently imposed new environmental licence conditions that require monthly reporting of the combined weight of deceased fish arising from marine finfish farms, with the first of these reports expected later this month,” Ong said.

These regulations also stipulate that dead fish be removed promptly and transported by a Controlled Waste Transporter to an approved site.

Growing Pressure on the Salmon Industry 

The salmon farming industry is under increasing pressure, not only due to elevated mortality but also due to legal and environmental challenges.

Approval for salmon farms at Macquarie Harbour, on Tasmania’s west coast, is under federal review after environmentalists challenged it. These groups seek to protect an endangered fish species that they claim could be at risk from the salmon farming industry.

Adding to the mounting concerns, Huon Aquaculture, one of Tasmania’s largest salmon producers, is facing an investigation after a video surfaced showing workers sealing live salmon in a bin. The footage has prompted an inquiry into whether the company violated animal welfare standards.

The RSPCA, which has approved Huon Aquaculture’s operations, called the handling of the fish “completely unacceptable” and is seeking further information.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA confirmed that the company’s approval could be at risk.

Political Fallout from Salmon Industry Crisis

Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff, a staunch supporter of the salmon industry, stated that companies would be “on notice.”

He emphasised the need for “accountability and transparency” in the sector, highlighting that ensuring the highest standards of environmental and animal welfare is in both Tasmania’s and the industry’s best interest.

Meanwhile, State Greens MP Vica Bayley has raised concerns about reports of salmon matter washing up on the western side of the Huon River, further from the February finds.

“What we’re seeing raises huge environmental concerns, and is having a clear impact on the community,” Bayley said.

AAP contributed to this article.