Image: Tasmanian Inquirer

Tasmanian Inquirer accuses Huon Aquaculture and JBS of killing seals and using explosives

The following is an excerpt from an article published by the Tasmanian Inquirer :

• Tasmanian seal deaths mount as Huon Aquaculture increases use of underwater explosives

• Data reveals the company has used more than 8000 explosives since January 2021

Huon Aquaculture – now owned by the controversial Brazilian meat company JBS – accounted for more than three-quarters of the seals killed at Tasmanian salmon farms since the start of last year.

Government data released in response to a right-to-information request revealed Huon Aquaculture used more than 8057 underwater explosives against seals in the 15 months to the end of March. The company accounted for 18 of the 23 seal deaths at salmon farms over the period.

Under Tasmanian laws, the companies are allowed to use underwater explosives, known as “seal crackers”, which can scare seals with the loud noise and flash of light. Other authorised measures include shooting seals with fabric coated plastic shells containing lead shot, known as bean bag rounds, and darts with blunt tips known as “scare caps”.

The data released by the Department Natural Resources and Environment showed the salmon industry has used more than 125,000 explosive devices since 2016.

System farms are generally made up of several square or rectangular cages, configured in a grid pattern, sharing a floating platform of walkways that provide access around each cage. Photo: awe.gov.au

Between the first and second halves of the 15 months, Tassal and Petuna slashed their use of explosive devices by more than 75 per cent. Huon Aquaculture went in the opposite direction, increasing its use by more than 10 per cent.

Huon Aquaculture did not respond directly when asked why its use of seal crackers remained high while the other two companies had reduced their use.

The Ronja Storm wellboat and a Fortress Pen (Photo: Huon Aquaculture)

The company pointed Tasmanian Inquirer to a January 2021 backgrounder that said “our use of crackers has increased as a result of our expansion into off-shore waters in Storm Bay; additional fish in the water equals more seals. If bait fish (mackerel) schools increase, as they often do in Storm Bay and the [D’Entrecasteaux] Channel, increasing incidents of opportunistic seals attempting to breach pen perimeters occur”.(continues...)

Author/Source: Bob Burton/Tasmanian Inquirer  | Read the full article by clicking the link here

[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Address:	Hideaway Bay, Coast Road
City:	Dover
State/ZIP:	Tasmania (7117)
Country:	Australia
Phone:	+61 3 62 958 111
Fax:	+61 3 62 958 151
E-Mail:	[email protected]
More about:

 

 

Print